I’ve listened to a few podcasts on this topic and to be honest, I haven’t found many true tips on how to overcome this. Many people regurgitate the same info, like “You should be taking videos! They’re taking over!” but I don’t have time for that BS. If you’ve been searching for how to make social media work for you without feeling awkward, I feel for you! Let’s dive into it.
The first building block of authenticity on socials:
Don’t try to replicate other people.
The biggest mistake people make is trying to replicate other people without grasping who they are, and what makes them different. I talk about this in my course, “Social Selling Secrets.” When I was first trying to get my business off the ground, I was overwhelmed with where to start and had no idea where I should spend my time and invest my money! (It’s not like we have a ton of money to invest when we first start, anyway!)
After many years of going at it from a “product-first” approach, I ended up hiring a branding coach. She was able to help me hone in on who I was, my message and how I was different and could stand out.
Without these building blocks, I would never have gotten confident enough to stand in front of people and say, “this is how I can help you.”
The main things we worked on:
#1
My life story.
Have a good grasp on who you are, and where you come from. Hone in on why your story matters, because it has all these spider webs that go out and connects with people and you don’t know how many people need to hear your story to trust you.
#2
My “Sweet Spot.”
The problem with looking to other business owners and not within ourselves is it prevents us from looking within. We ALL have the power to determine what makes us different. Even if you sell the same end product, every story has different details.
#3
My branding.
When someone comes in contact with you online, they feel your brand. Logo, types of words you use, colors, etc.
#4
My ideal customer.
Get clear on who you’re talking to, and what keeps them up at night. Most people don’t actually do a great job at this- they just decide on “Working moms,” “Stay at home moms,” etc. No. (It needs to be more like “Becky. She has 2 kids, she’s staying home to homeschool them during the day, and she’s not comfortable in her own body.”)
#5
Communicating my values.
If you want to stand out and attract TRULY like-minded followers and fans without seeming obnoxious, you have to get clear on what makes you happy and what makes you angry. It’ll help you evaluate your values.
#6
Identifying metrics that matter.
I also teach people to look at their “80-20,” which is a rule that says 20% of your activities produces 80% of your results. (This is focused on the stats side of things.) When you get those things RIGHT… you’ll never need to feel like you’re awkward.
I’ve seen many “weird” reels go viral before! A friend of mine had a reel that went viral and it had nothing to do with her business. (It might’ve been Harry Potter or something.) She was letting her “freak flag fly” so to speak, and maybe some people wouldn’t have been into it! But obviously millions of other people feel the same way. We need to get over ourselves and stop worrying about what others are analyzing on social media.
#7
MINDSET. At the end of the day, the judgy ones don’t sign your paycheck.
If I allowed all the past bosses and bullshit to influence what I’m doing now, I wouldn’t be doing it! Sometimes you cross people in life that are there to piss you off enough to cause you to do something different. Don’t let people who haven’t been where you want to go determine your destiny. You don’t want to allow your concern for what other people think to hold you back from achieving your goals. It doesn’t make sense to let someone who is thinking small determine how you should think too. It’s also about how to get your bullshit meter in check, and calling ourselves out on whose story we’re believing. Who is more compelling: the trolls online, or the story in your own mind about what you deserve? Take inventory of the people you surround yourself with and what you consume. The problem is that our brains are most often looking for danger. Too much of that is unhealthy. If we’re constantly filling our brains with things that trigger fight-or-flight mode, we’re going to feel MORE anxiety.
Cut out the diet of bullshit, because it’s impacting how you feel about yourself and your business.
One more thing you can do to feel more aligned and comfortable with what you’re creating:
Know the six content themes you can use to create posts.
Content #1
Educate.
You’re demonstrating your product in action. Educating on why something works. (It might be tips, myths to stop believing, etc.)
Content #2
Success Story.
Think about what gives you credibility. What can you share about what you’ve done that others would find interesting? It can be, “How I learned to stick with a routine!” Not necessarily, “How I made 6 figures.”
Content #3
Funny or Entertaining.
Things that make you laugh. (I’m a fan of this stuff, just not so much the dancing!)
Content #4
Personal Story.
Being real, authentic and sharing your personal journey. You’re not here to convince everyone- you’re just looking for the people who are looking for you.
Content #5
Debunking a myth.
This is challenging a belief, proving why its wrong, and establishing yourself as an authority. (Example: “The way you’ve been taught to eat healthy is all wrong.”)
Content #6
Inspirational.
Tips, quotes or thoughts to help inspire others!
I like thinking about content this way: you don’t have to be the dancing, lip-synching person if you don’t want to be! It doesn’t make sense to fit into a box that isn’t you. You’ll never feel like you’re in your zone of genius. (It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try various forms of content to see what your audience likes, though.)
Your goal is to see which options feel best to YOU- it’s not about trying to become something you’re not. I think growth and building a strong business is all about becoming more of who you already are. What holds a lot of us back is being unsure this is going to work.
Once you get these pieces together on the front end, nothing will hold you back from feeling confident you can do this!
Key Takeaways From This Episode:
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
WHERE WE CAN CONNECT:
Don’t forget….. If you loved this episode, screenshot it and share it to your IG stories and tag me @theashleyshaw. I would love to connect with you!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS
