Just because you have a website and social profiles doesn’t mean you’ll be seen or that people will magically find your site. I know what you’re thinking…”Then how do people find my website?”
You may have even done the deep work of identifying your ideal client and creating opt-ins specific for their needs. But there are so many other consultants out there. What’s to make your ideal client head to your website instead of all the others that show up in that google search result?
It’s so easy to blend in with the rest. If you blend in it makes it harder for people to find you and realize you’re the one they should work with.
People need to know you exist.
A website is a tool that can help bring in business. Social media is a tool, too. But if people don’t see you or your website, tools won’t help just by existing. Just like tools in a toolbox, they can’t do their job unless we use them effectively.
I totally get it…
- It’s vulnerable being visible.
- Instant results aren’t likely.
- It can be time-intensive.
- It can be confusing to know how to get started.
Getting visible can be hard.
– Tricia Isham
What you have to say as an individual and as a business is important and people want to hear from you! I mean, you are an authority and expert in some people’s eyes because you’re further down the path than them, or truly are an expert in your field.
You…*we*…have to take action.
I feel like I’m preaching to the choir, because this is the same stuff I’ve been struggling with since…well…since I started my web design business.
Showing up for our clients and doing the work is only part of it. We need to use the tools available to us so that we can continue reaching more people to be able to continue doing this work for others and making the impact we yearn to make.
We have to share what we do, who we help, and how. People need to know why we help. It makes us real and relatable. It gives greater purpose and reason for people to follow us and want to learn more from us.
**Even if we get most of our work from word of mouth.**
Sharing our projects, testimonials and giving people glimpses of our day-to-day … these visuals on social media make things more real. Unless we talk about them, people won’t know what we’re doing. When we show them, people have a reason to engage with us or visit our websites to learn more or simply satisfy their curiosity.
We’ve got to start engaging and having conversations with real live people. Start or continue commenting on posts, but also reach out and make genuine connections (with no intention of selling…’cuz that’s slimy) Get to know others and understand them as real people, not just your ‘ideal audience’ or ‘ideal client.’
Be in the right places so sharing and making those connections is profitable.
Where are you comfortable showing up? Where do your ideal clients show up? That intersection is where to show up – whether that’s on a social platform or in person. (And show up as a person. No hiding behind a logo.)
Take the first small steps….
- Link to your website in your profile wherever you’re showing up (so curious people can find their way to it!)
- Be genuine. Expect people to comment and when they do, interact with them! Don’t expect anything more or hop directly to a sales call (unless they ask, of course.) Simply be *you* and see where things go.
- Don’t overthink it. We may think everyone and anyone will judge us (or is that just my own fear?) In reality, what we share isn’t super widely shown to others on social, and a lot less people will actually be judgy-judgy than we think. So don’t overthink.
- Share something on your personal profile and your business page. (FYI, more people will see a personal profile.) Just take the action, plain and simple. (This could look like posting a comment…”I just finished working with a [type of person] on [type of project] and it was great!”)
- Comment something helpful on a post in a group.
- Reach out to a colleague to start a conversation.
- Do these things regularly.
Then take a few more steps…
- Share a picture of a past project and a little snippet about it.
- Share a testimonial.
- Share a short story about something that happened to you today. (A little less prepared, a little more vulnerable, but shows you’re a real person!)
- Share a snippet from a blog post you wrote and a link to it
- Share something related to a blog post you wrote
- Do these things regularly, too.
If you have a blog, then blog!
Creating a post to share about a recently published and linking to it is great, it helps build your authority. But why wait to do that only when things get published by someone else? Why only drive people to other sources when you can send them to your own website. There they can learn more about what you do! (Even if they find your published article interesting!)
What can you post about on your own blog that will give you some snippets of content to then share on social?
What can you write about that will truly be valuable to the type of person you want to help? Adding this type of content on your website regularly will build a library (and help establish you as an authority, even if its only once a month.) A library like that, and linking from one post to another within that library on your website, could very well make your site a destination for your ideal client!
Want to learn more about how blogging can get more eyes on your business, or how having a blog can help make your website a marketing hub for your business? Click below to sign up for a short email series all about creating and using content for your business.
