A common theme has been coming up recently with not only clients but also through my messages on instagram. And that is of being hesitant to show up on social media, and especially reluctance to create any videos showing their face. But there is no denying for many personal brands, introducing โyouโ as the business owner to your customers virtually on social media, can be incredibly beneficial. I understand however that for some of you showing up online is daunting and scary but with some small tips you can increase your visibility.
Firstly you do not need to show your whole life online. Just the aspects you are comfortable sharing. It may well be your children and home are hard limits for you and wish them to remain private.ย Guess what? Thatโs totally ok. You have the power within to decide what to share and what to keep private.
I think there is a misconception that you have to master the art of confidence before you can snap that selfie or post to instagram stories, but the truth is, you just have to โlookโ confident. Yes the whole โfake it to you make it comes into playโ. But let me tell you a little story of how I did exactly this throughout my corporate and entrepreneur career.
As a child and into adulthood I would go red if anyone spoke to me, it still happens on occasion which frankly is embarrassing! When I worked at a TV production company I remember being so nervous, shaking and being redder than a tomato whenever we hosted an industry soiree with all the TVs top executives. Until one day I said ENOUGH. I told myself to โpretendโ to be confident. To ignore any physical signs of my nervousness, I would carry on talking to that person regardless of any blushing that might be occurring. And guess what? The world didnโt end. The commissioning editors didnโt stand there and laugh at me. It was ok.ย I was ok.ย And thus my confidence began to bloom. Slowly and steadily over the years. This did not change overnight and I still sometimes get sweaty palms before a live or presenting on stage. But by facing my fears and pushing through, the panic subsided and my confidence grew.
Lets’ discuss some of the ways you too can increase your confidence with showing up on social media whether by sharing your photo, video or indeed going live.
Switch your focus from you to your CLIENTS
Instead of thinking about how nervous you are about sharing a photo / video / going live. Think about your clients. How is it you can help them? What do they need from you? Remember people buy people but especially they buy the skills, knowledge and experience you bring to the table. So how is it you can show them this?
Remember how awesome YOU are
Why you? Take some time to remember how talented you are. Regardless of whether new to business or a pro. Make a list of the reasons why you rock at what you do. Where is your zone of genius? What to you excel at?
Tip: Don’t forget we have our mindset and selling bundles to help you appreciate your zone of genius. You can purchase here (they are only ยฃ9)
Imposter Syndrome / Being Imperfect
Imposter Syndrome is a real issue and often the cause of lack of confidence. You’ll be ready to go live then boom think of a competitor triggering self doubt. You panic about making a mistake and start overthinking your outfit, location and if your message is good enough. Just remember your audience doesn’t care about perfectionism and if anything they appreciate seeing you real and “normal”. Think about accounts you connect with online, are you judging them? Do you snigger if they make a mistake? What about all those little “ums”?
Remember that competitor you are comparing yourself to might have been going live for 12 months so are now a seasoned pro. The difference is they โstartedโ.
Getting confident on instagram stories
If you havenโt posted anything on instagram stories yet then this is just for you. Start by sharing a branded photo of you, then step it up by posting a selfie, perhaps at your computer? Then pop outside and record your voice over nature to get used to hearing your voice. Once comfortable with this record a short video giving advice to clients. Remember to use the CTA features, not only does this improve interaction, it helps you understand your audience.
Getting confident on instagram LIVE
So many people panic about going live. Despite being an introvert this is something I do pretty regularly and although I find it easy now it certainly wasnโt when I went live the first time (on facebook).
Prepare beforehand, sounds obvious but have a purpose for going live. What is it you want to talk about? Draft some key points beforehand. Be prepared for zero or very low views as many will watch the replay. Thus donโt forget to speak to them when live. Donโt keep the focus just on those joining you live. Add some CTA for both live and replays, like, comment, add an emoji, head into my DMโs
Have a plan
We’ve all heard the expression, “fail to plan, plan to fail“, get into the habit of planning your social media content. What are your priorities this month? What are the key messages you want to share? Are there any key moments you can share behind the scenes footage? Perhaps you creating? Visiting a venue? Having a plan is half the battler and stops you sinking into panic mode of not knowing what to talk about. Before recording any video or going live write down the key points you want to get across.
The last thing I want to remind you is consistency is key, theres no point showing up every day solid for a week only to go incognito for a month. As a coach I’ve seen clients do this and it can be so frustrating, they will be doing fantasically well, gaining traction and increasing their network then boom they seem to ghost their audience until the next time. Better to show up once a week without fail then sporadically showing up.
Further Reading
How to stop caring what others think
