So what we are going to cover today is actually not your promotion plan for starting a business. I really don't like focusing on promoting yourself, your products or your services because it is so focused on yourself and how you can get more fans, money, etc.
Instead what I want to focus on is how you can share what you know, serve the world and elevate your business by authentically sharing your message.
When you are pushing or promoting your products, people can tell. It doesn't work. Instead you have to love your work and what you have to offer in your business. You have to be 100% authentic in sharing your message and you have to make your message and purpose shine through everything that you do and say. Starting a business is hard, so the more real and honest you are, the more people will trust you and want to work with you.
The products that I have not authentically created flopped. Those were the ones that I just forced myself to get up quickly and I really was NOT excited about at all. Those products have been purchased by just a handful of people.
But the programs that I have put together with all of me that I LOVED creating, those are the products and services that sold out very quickly in my online shopping cart. Those were the products that I put everything into that inspired me and I was 100% passionate in. That's what you want to find too.
My goal is that you will be 100% in line with your purpose when you share your message.
Here are four keys to keep in mind when starting a business and getting the word out about what you do:
1. Share Good Content.
Don't just share content because you have to keep on a schedule. I want you to instead share content that makes a difference and changes lives! I want you to share content that inspires you! So every time you post think about how does the content make you feel? Does it inspire you? Then, share it!
I learned this one the hard way when I said yes to writing a book with a publisher about managing men in the workplace. I got caught up with the mindset that "yes! A publisher wants me to write a book!" that I didn't realize that the content I was writing about was not something I was totally inspired about. This made the 3 years of book writing and promotion a long ordeal so learn from me. It was a great experience but it taught me a lot about pursuing opportunities that inspire you. Know what inspires you and stay so focused on that. Share what you learn and how you are growing and changing as well. Be a resource and don't share stuff that doesn't excite you and motivate you.
[Related: How I Created My First Online Product]
2. Don't Be Everywhere.
I took this advice from another popular blogger when I was starting a business and almost had a nervous breakdown. Trying to update all of your social media profiles and create videos for all the different platforms and pictures for all platforms is a full-time job for three people in itself. So please don't try to be everywhere.
Instead I want you to ask yourself, "Which method are the most excited about if you had to pick one?"
Is it meeting people in person? Is it online writing? Is it through video. Don't ever feel like you HAVE to be somewhere marketing. Instead you should do what comes natural to you and that you get excited about!
This is one tip I wish I would have known when I was promoting my book while 6 months pregnant. I thought I had to be everywhere so I literally had 6 speaking events, a book launch party and 10 interviews at 6 months pregnant.
I realized that events and speaking events are great for some people but not for me all the time. I am an introvert so I put so much into each event and preparing for it that it took over my life and majorly stressed this pregnant mama out. So the goal here isn't to overwhelm yourself with your marketing. It's about seeing what you love doing and focusing in on that. It's about not distracting yourself with every new thing that comes along.
Also remember that social media is a great tool for sharing your message but so is word of mouth! The best way to do that is to simply talk to someone.
3. Be 100% you.
When you're starting a business, you must make sure you find time to be silent and have quiet time to determine who you are and what you want to be about in your promotions. When you are authentic and focusing on your true values, you have to be 100% your own personality and let your light shine through in everything that you do, When you this, people will follow. Make sure you keep your products, services and your marketing 100% in align with you and your desires.
I realized this the hard way when I started talking about managing men and creating products about corporate leadership for women. I realized that I was not being me. I realized this when I actually got negative feedback from one of my speaking events (at 7 months pregnant) that I wasn't very confident in what I was speaking about. This was not surprising to me because I didn't actually LIKE what I was talking about. So of course I wasn't very confident in it!
This is why I took a lot of time off of speaking since I had my daughter to ensure that now when I speak I love the topic and am excited and passionate about it. (And no more speaking events while pregnant because who really is confident at 7 months pregnant anyways right
4. Be still.
The fourth step in your authentic share plan is to be still and slow down. I know you are very busy but this is extremely important. It's so easy to keep checking your Facebook and email and get so stressed and rush through everything.
I have made this mistake and it makes me feel completely out of line with my business. I actually get really anxious and just know something isn't right when this happens. I have to just tell my team that I need some quiet time and just go into my room and be quiet, meditate or journal. Some of my biggest breakthroughs and programs were created during a very tough time when I was actually thinking of quitting my business. I knew I needed to be quiet to come up with something new and to create my dream life and business. I was feeling called to something but I could only figure out what it was in the quiet of my room without distractions.
I recommend that you make time everyday to be quiet, to connect with the real you.
In the past I also subscribed to a lot of different newsletters and watched a lot of different people until I realized that I needed to quit that. I need to stop reading other people's information and just develop my own thoughts, systems and advice. I wanted my tips to be my own and not anyone else's. I wanted to be a thought leader and change lives by teaching my own content so I had to shut off other people's constant distractions and have time for silence to create my own brand and life.