Showing Up, Not Showing Off

Why Your Business Needs YOU, Consistently

In all the talk about marketing and advertising, we often forget one key branding tenet. We’re talking to our audience, not just about our business.

Imagine seeing a social post from a local startup. It lists all their amazing accomplishments, then asks you to support them.

You’ll likely ask yourself, “why? What’s in it for me?”

That’s human nature. And many business owners stick to this “me first” attitude. They talk about themselves rather than you.

As an entrepreneur, you’re more than the idea person. You’re also the human touch. To stand out in the crowd, you need to show up for your ideal customers.

Here’s how to shift your marketing and advertising to become more conversational — so your brand can be compelling.

Declutter Your Digital Presence

One of the biggest mistakes among entrepreneurs is to overload their digital channels. You need a website and email list, right? Plus all the social networks, a YouTube channel, a Discord server…

Nope, not true. Think about it. Can you authentically and meaningfully show up to all those channels consistently? That’s a lot of effort for potentially little payoff.

It’s much better to be consistent on a few channels than spread thin. When people who appreciate your brand know where to find you, they’ll come see you.

And here’s the best part. You don’t need to spend all your time posting on social media or shooting videos. You can devote your energy to the conversations that matter most.

In my 5Ps to entrepreneurial freedom, it all starts from “Promise.” You promise to make your target customers’ lives better. That means you must show up where they spend time — so you can fulfill that promise.

That’s tough to do if you’re scattered across the Internet!

Declutter and conquer. It’s okay if you can only join one or two social networks, especially if you’re also running email campaigns or paid ads. You’ll get better results by focusing on the few.