Be yourself (everyone else is taken)
Copy business influencers and follow their lead. Sure, right, that is what we want to believe as a business owner, but I find that the more you do that, you aren’t being yourself.
Here’s an example: back when I ran my web design business, I was terrified to be myself. I wrote dry, boring newsletters about website security or other topics that were important, but I didn’t make them relatable. I never added that I was a Star Wars fan, or loved pop culture trivia, or was a tea drinker. I hid behind a mask and produced stuff I thought people wanted to hear but it was like pulling teeth to write and send it out.
And guess what, very few people engaged with me and emailed me back. I didn’t add special energy or insight and the emails were pretty boring. I kept doing this for a long time, sending out monthly newsletters, hoping that I was following the right formula. I wanted to play safe and have EVERYONE accept me.
One day, I felt brave and added the “Good News” section to my newsletter and that felt brave and scary at the same time. Would my clients judge me and not like my articles? Would that cause them to unsubscribe? I would worry about these types of thoughts all the time. It was exhausting!
Around that time, I started subscribing to other colleagues’ newsletters and reading their newsletters to see what the norms were. I found I was drawn to newsletters that had character, made me laugh, personal stories or stories of their clients, and more. It woke me up to the fact I don’t have to play it safe, in fact, it made me invisible. Why not have fun and write about what’s in my head and share that with my audience.
It took some time and over the course of 1-2 years, I was able to speak my truth and put myself out there in my newsletter again and again. Sure, people unsubscribed, but they weren’t my people. There’s no sense of them sticking around when what I’m sharing doesn’t connect or compel them to read more.
I invite you to take a look at your content. Are you sending out a newsletter that is pretty dull and doesn’t include your spirit and flair? Are you sharing personal stories of you or your clients? What are you sharing? Does it have your clients and audience writing you back?
I hear you, it feels scary to put yourself out there. I know, I did it! Let me know if you would like to have a conversation around those feelings and how I can support you. You don’t have to go it alone like I did!
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