GET VISIBLE IN YOUR BUSINESS!

Helen Calvert is a MOE Foundation Certified Coach providing life coaching to business owners, and is the founder of business support agency Clear Day. She is also one of my clients - I took the images in this blog post during Helen’s brand shoot day. Here she talks about why getting visible matters, and how to overcome some of our hang ups about it…

You will have heard the phrase “People Buy People” and it is true, but what does that mean for how you market your business? 

I will tell you what it does not mean: it does not mean that you have to be the most likeable person in the world, so do not panic. Yes, people buy people, but it is not a popularity contest. It is about finding people who are like you, it is about being “one of us”. 

This is why it’s important to show up as who you really are and build relationships with like-minded people, who will then want to work with you. Being authentically you on social media and in your other marketing avenues means that not only will you attract like-minded people but also that you will put off people with whom you really don’t want to work. If someone finds your posts off-putting because your personality is shining through then that’s a great way of weeding out a person you didn’t want to have as a client in any case. Never worry that your authentic self will be off-putting: if someone is put off by who you are, they are not the right client for you. 

Yes, people buy people. But we don’t all buy the same people. Show up authentically as yourself, don’t be afraid to show who you are, and your people will find you. When they do, they will want whatever services you are offering, because they will recognise that you are one of them. 

All of this means that we need to be visible, we need to show our face. I know, I know: showing your face on social media can be daunting. There is a whole other discussion to be had there about insecurity, standards of beauty, how we feel we “should” look, but let’s save that for another day. The truth of the matter is, being visible will help you to grow your business, so you just gotta do it. 
 
Putting up videos, doing lives, being interviewed on other people’s platforms – these can all feel pretty scary. That is partly because we imagine that it is similar to standing up in front of a conference – speaking on stage to a seated audience all staring up at us. Petrifying if you’re not used to it! 

The reality is that if you approach your video content that way, it probably won’t hit the mark in any case. A better way to think about videos and lives is that they are the equivalent of chatting to a group of people in a coffee shop or in your living room. Sure, if you have a large following there is the potential that lots of people will be watching you, but they will each be watching you by themselves. You want to make them feel as though you are chatting just to them, not giving a presentation to the multitude. 

Video content on social media is not the equivalent of public speaking day at school. No one is marking you. No one is going to comment on your “performance”. No one is going to applaud you afterwards either! It is just showing up to have your side of a conversation. Do that however is authentic to you. People buy people they can connect with.  

Why though does being visible feel so challenging? Why does it feel more challenging when we are feeling anxious, pre-menstrual or lacking in confidence? That is because being visible means standing out from the crowd, and historically this was not a great survival tactic for us humans. We wanted to be a part of the group, stay within the tribe, be accepted and looked after as part of the community. Being in any way “different” therefore triggers a warning in our unconscious minds that we might not be safe. Which of course is worse when we are already feeling anxious or less than confident. 

The trick is that, once we understand that response, we can tackle it. If we are running a business it is much safer for us to stand out from the crowd – that is how we get clients and how we make money which keeps us secure. We can know that logically, but we don’t feel it. This is where emotional safety comes in. The safer you can make yourself feel emotionally – just in life – the easier it will be for you to get visible in your business. 

Next time you need to be visible for your business, make yourself feel as safe and comfortable beforehand, then reward yourself with more safety and comfort afterwards. I guarantee it will make the whole experience far easier, and you will be more likely to be able to face it again. 

I offer life coaching to business owners, rather than business coaching, because we do not run our businesses in isolation. The effects that feeling unsafe, feeling anxious and feeling inferior have on our marketing are huge. I do not believe we can make real progress in our businesses until we tackle the big stuff in our lives. That is what I am here for – to help you tackle the big stuff. 

If you would like to hear more please do tune in to my podcast - https://podfollow.com/the-no-bullsh-t-guide-to-a-happier-life - or join me for the launch of my new book - https://events.humanitix.com/virtual-book-launch-party-the-no-bullsh-t-guide-to-a-happier-life  

More importantly though, book in for a brand photoshoot with Emma. She makes being visible feel so safe and comfortable, and the whole day is a treat from start to finish. 

People buy people. Get out there and show your audience who they are buying. 

Helen Calvert 

Clear Day 

2022 

Thank you Helen for your kind words. If you are interested in booking in for a personal brand photoshoot, please email me at emmaboylephotography@gmail.com or call 07703773701