Photo courtesy of Alexandra Gorn, Unsplash

Does promoting your business make you want to stay in bed and hide under the covers?

You love what you do. You provide great value to your clients. So why do you turn into a shrinking violet when publishing a blog or social media post?

The good news is you are not alone!

Recently, I led a discussion with small business owners about marketing and many of the participants expressed fears and hesitation about promoting their services. Regardless of how many years they have been in business – or how extroverted they are – marketing can make the most confident person shake in their boots.

Marketing is necessary to attract clients and expand your business, so here are a few recommendations to help ease the process:

Consistency is Key

When you are engaging with your customers and community through email campaigns, social media, networking and other marketing channels regularly, marketing becomes instinctive. Using automation tools can help with consistency so you are engaging with potential customers regularly

Find a Platform You Love

Do you love to write? Are you a visual communicator? Do you like to speak in front of a live audience? Whether you like to write blogs or film videos, find the marketing channel that is most comfortable for you. Create content in your preferred format to find your voice and style. Once you’ve mastered one channel – and know what content works best – then you can expand to other marketing platforms.

Silence the Inner Critic

Ahh, the inner critic! Yes, that nasty voice that creeps up and says “Are you sure you want to publish that blog post? Do you think it’s good enough?” Ouch. The inner critic can be down right mean and, if you let it, will sabotage your efforts. Be aware of the voice and find ways to silence it, so you can keep moving forward.

Accountability

If you need support or an extra push to send your marketing communications, find a partner or group who will hold you accountable. Share your daily or weekly goals and ask your partner to check in so you meet your goal. It helps if there’s a penalty for not meeting your deadline. One of my mentors asks that her friends post Justin Bieber photos to her Facebook wall if she misses a deadline. If you happen to love Bieber, try a financial penalty like paying your accountability partner $1 for every missed deadline.

Do you need support with sharing your message? I’d love to help! Begin by booking your complimentary session.