When it comes to showing up online, you may be faced with lots of uncertainty.
I get it, putting yourself out in front of your product or service can be scary.
Often it’s easier to just let your product lead so you can shrink into the background.
But it’s gonna be hard to really grow that way.
So, let’s start by releasing the pressure -- the pressure you put on YOURSELF.
Because -- spoiler alert -- you don’t have to be perfect!
Just be confident in who you are and share that with others.
People who have a lot of self-confidence, are actually willing to show more of themselves.
They’re willing to be vulnerable because they’re not afraid someone may come in and take advantage of that vulnerability.
Now you might be saying…
“What if I’m not used to opening up? What if I’ve never shown up and used my voice online before?”
Well, that’s exactly what we’re gonna talk about today.
One of my favorite quotes regarding vulnerability is from Brené Brown…
“Vulnerability is about showing up and being seen. It’s tough to do that when we’re terrified about what people might see or think.”
Bottom line...Vulnerability is scary.
And I know it’s not what you wanted to hear BUT I’m gonna give it to ya straight...
If you’re a business owner, executive, leader, or you're trying to build a name and a personal brand, you need to be vulnerable.
ESPECIALLY if you want people to connect with you and your voice.
And build a community online.
People are not built to think, we are actually designed to feel.
“Feeling” is the basis of human connection.
So how do you show your more vulnerable side in order to build a deeper connection with your audience online?
Let’s talk about it…
#1: Listen to your audience.
In order to be heard online first you have to listen.
Think of these questions:
- What’s your audience struggling with?
- What are their pain points?
- What do they want?
These questions induce real emotions we all, as humans, feel.
And once you understand your audience’s struggles -- you can relate to them and even serve them. .
Does this mean you’ve got to lose ALL your privacy online?
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
The key here is to get personal. But, by no means do you have to overshare.
It’s actually probably better if you don’t get carried away and tell everyone that really embarrassing story about yourself from highschool. Lol
Unless you really want to. It’s your platform and your space.
Just focus on sharing your experiences but in context of how your experiences relate to their feelings and struggles.
This is how you nurture the beginning of your relationship with your audience.
You want them to feel like they know you AND like you're listening to them.
Not just a blank wall that talks AT them.
This actually leads me to my next point…
#2 Allow yourself to feel
The well-known neuroscientist, Antonio Damasio stated, “We are not thinking machines that feel rather, we are feeling machines that think.”
Here’s my interpretation of that quote… Every human decision is contingent on emotion -- every single one.
We make each choice somatically.
In other words, we feel out every decision.
It's all about EMOTIONS.
Your own vulnerable stories are what will get you closer to your audience.
Believe it or not, even more than your superhero stories.
In general, people relate more with struggles than with wins. #facts
You gotta be willinging to not be perfect.
Sometimes things are messy and guess what?
People love that SHIZ. That’s EXACTLY what they want.
Your audience wants to know you’re real and that they can relate to you.
So embrace the parts of you that are human and openly express your feelings.
I promise people will love it.
Now here’s the secret sauce that’s going to bring it all together…
#3 Understand what your audience needs to build trust
Most of the time people are driven by wanting to...
- Save money.
- Make more money.
- Save time.
- Save efforts.
Pretty simple, yet very common motivators.
Like, who doesn’t want all these things?
The point is ….that’s how you connect business to vulnerability.
And how you can use your voice online.
Once you can put yourself in your audience’s shoes and understand their needs, you’ll be that closer to being better able to relate to them.
And once they relate with you… They can start to trust you.
Trust is what makes a successful online biz.
And trust is what makes it easy for your audience to be vulnerable with you too.
Building a relationship on the basis of trust and vulnerability is the ONLY way for it to thrive.
And this is the exact foundation you should...No... NEED to create for your biz.
I’ll tell ya friends, there wasn’t a lot of info out there when I needed to flearn this shiz for my own biz.
It was like the Wild West when I started my biz. LOL
Nowadays, you have your pick of the litter….
There are so many people to watch, stalk and even mentor with.
One of my favs, in fact, my very first biz mentor is releasing a video series I think you’ll really appreciate.
You’ve heard of her. I talk about her all the time.
Yep, Marie Forleo.
I’m a proud former student of hers turned affiliate turned super supporter. LOL
And if you liked what you heard here today and want to go deeper...
You’re lucky.
Because the first video opened today, July 14th, and is called “6 essential steps to a thriving, profitable business”. I’ve signed up to watch it later today.
You can still get in on it.
She has two more videos opening up this week.
If you really wanna learn from the QUEEN of online business… and you love a heart-centered approach to marketing…. There’s literally no one better at it.
And I can’t wait to see ya there!
XO,
Hayley