How to Authentically Promote Your Business (Including ALL of my mistakes!) - Classy Career Girl

How to Authentically Promote Your Business (Including ALL of my mistakes!) I just want to be really real with you this week. 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 brand with your authentic sharing plan instead. 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. 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. The more real and honest you are, the more people will trust you and want to work with you. The products that I just forced myself to get up quickly and was NOT excited about have been purchased by just a handful of people. But, the programs that I LOVE creating that excites and inspires me too, THOSE  are the products and services that sell quickly. My goal is that after reading this post, you will be even more excited and inspired to make your dreams happen because you will  be  100% in line with your purpose when you share your message. So let’s start by covering the four main keys in developing your authentic share plan. Step 1: The first step in your authentic share plan is to share great content. Don’t just share content because you have to keep on a schedule. I want you to instead share content that you love! I want you to share content that inspires you! Every time you post think about how the content makes 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 a topic I wasnt very thrilled about. 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 inspired about. This made the 2 years of book writing and promotion a long ordeal so learn from me.   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 and motivate you. Step 2: The second step in the authentic share plan is not to be everywhere. There is actually a really popular blogger saying you should be everywhere  and  I majorly disagree.  I took this advice when I started 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 in itself. So please don’t try to be everywhere. Instead I want you to ask yourself. Where is the audience that you feel guided to? Is it 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 another lesson I learned the hard way  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 that month..all while talking about a book I didn’t really like talking about.   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. Its 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 market is by building relationships and the best way to do that is talking to someone. This is why a key part in my sales funnel is the one-on-one complimentary strategy sessions. Step 3: The third part of the authentic share plan is to be 100% you. You must make sure you find time to be silent. 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 are  100% your own personality and let your light shine through in everything that you do. When you do this, people will follow you.   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 this topic.  I realized that I was not being me. I realized this after I  got negative feedback after  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 aboutso of course I wasn’t very confident in it! So that was an eye opener for me and the reason why I have taken a lot of time off of speaking since I had my daughter to ensure that the next time I speak I love it and I am excited about it. And of course no more speaking events while 7 months pregnant because who really is confident at 7 months pregnant anyways right:) So anyways…be 100% you. This is your time to step into the spotlight. To not be afraid. To conquer those fear monsters and to share with the world what you know, what you love and what excites you. Step 4: 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 for helping you create your authentic promotion plan. It’s so easy to keep checking your facebook and email inbox. Its easy to get so stressed with your to-do lists and rush through everything. When I make this mistake of being rushed, it makes me feel completely out of touch  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. This is when I meditate or journal. Some of my biggest breakthroughs and even my best selling program,  Corporate Rescue Plan,  were created during a very tough time. I was trying to rush to get things done and got super  anxious about everything.  My daughter was just 3 months old and we were really struggling with nursing and I was actually thinking of quitting my business. I knew I needed to be quiet to come up with something new and to create something that I was truly passionate about. I was feeling called to something new 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 and to connect with the real you. My other tip for you is to unsubscribe now! In the past I  subscribed to a lot of different newsletters and watched a lot of different people until I realized that I needed to  NOT  read anyone’s information anymore and just develop my own thoughts, systems and advice.   I wanted my tips to be my own and not anyone elses. 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 strategies. You must make yourself unique instead of just watching everyone else or trying to be like anyone else.    I make time to connect with God each day and offer a prayer that whatever I do in my business that it helps someone else. My prayer each day is that I  can serve others in my work. So enjoy tapping into being 100% you. You are who we need in this world. You will change the world. There is enough noise and enough from everyone else but you have a different perspective than anyone else. We need you. It’s your time.   Let’s do this!