In 1963, Bob Dylan prophesied that “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” The opening lyrics sing,
Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’
Few thing demonstrate the truth of these lines more accurately than the changing nature of brand marketing and presentation in today’s economy.
As Darren Doane asserts in his business marketing training, “If you’re not on social media, you don’t exist.”
Of course he doesn’t mean that in a physical sense but in terms of getting your business noticed, putting your shingle out in the modern world means being present online.
As I work mostly with teachers who want to venture into entrepreneurial teaching but are used to teaching in the classroom where students are provided by the administration, showing up consistently in an alternative reality to let people know what you are offering can be a shock to their system.
And, since marketing and doing business has moved online in a real way for the foreseeable future—and education is definitely right there too—we would do well to confront the shock and embrace the change.
Certainly, there are concerns and even dangers with shifting our lives online, but I’ll address those in another post.
What I want to offer here are just a few helpful thoughts and tips for creative professionals (i.e., teachers, writers, etc.)—or any small business owners for that matter—who want to succeed online.
Be Consistent
Show up everyday, even multiple times per day. Many creative professionals complain that it takes too long to post consistently and that they don’t have enough time in the day to do it well.
Naturally, there are tools you can use to helps schedule posts, and those can be beneficial in some limited instances, but I recommend doing the work, personally.
Using repurposed content across multiple platforms and batching posts at various times of the day for just a few minutes at a time can be quite efficient.
And spending just 30 minutes three times per day on social media will reward your business with attention exponentially, not just three times over. Plus, today, there are numerous free tools that will allow you to create images and edit videos much easier.
Be Genuine, Not Precious
One way to save time and get real attention is to be authentic–but not instagram authentic if you catch my drift.
Also, get used to the sound of your voice and the way you look (i.e., features, mannerism, etc.). We all have them and the funny thing is, everyone else but you already knows about them.
So don’t be precious; roll with it. Ship content often, even if its not perfect. Keep improving to get better and keep practicing to get faster.
Be Generous
Show up and offer value without expecting anything in return. Show your audience what it is you do, and how you live your life doing it; and, give them something to talk about, something worth your time and sacrifice every single day.
This could be anything from information to pointers and tips to beautiful artwork or some kind of freebie that represents what you do and actually adds value to their life.
Earn Trust
This is essential for building relationships with real human beings who will need your product or service one day.
Don’t agonize over what you’ve given away without compensation. Don’t try to give with the hopes of getting.
Just show up, be kind, tell the truth–even when people disagree-and help people, sincerely. When they need your product or service, they will come to you.
Also, it may not be the same person you serve that reciprocates. That’s perfectly fine. You’re there to offer value. But people are watching and listening, people you are unaware of.
They are often the ones who pay you back with a hire or purchase. Do good and put the results in the Lord’s hands.
Provide Real Value
Once someone trusts you enough to hire you or buy your product, then make sure what you’re delivering adds real value to the person’s life.
The surest way to lose trust with your audience is to fail to deliver what was promised or to deliver what was promised but deliver it late. Giving your client more than what is expected is where you’ll earn their long-term trust.
For example, as a teacher who constantly strives to give students and their families more than what they paid for, most of students are repeat students who stay with a teacher for the next class in the curricula; or, the parents enroll a younger child to follow in the steps of the older sibling whose experience was so satisfying to them.
Secure Testimonies of Satisfied and Happy Clients
I rarely ask families for testimonies about their experience–though I don’t think it’s wrong if you do–but I almost always ask to use quotes from the copious unsolicited positive responses offered from students and families every year.
Positive feedback on your product or performance is a meaningful way to help to those who are looking for the right resource. People read reviews and testimonies and they are powerful influencers.
It’s also a powerful tool for securing new opportunities to prove your product or service is valuable.
Repeat
Do it again and again. This is the work.
For example, if you’re a writer, write everyday, share what you’ve written with the world and don’t be precious. Give as much valuable content away as you can. Serve people genuinely. And, strive to build relationships rather than customers. Deliver more than they expect, and then share their feedback with the world. Do it again. The same goes for teachers and artists.
Like anything, there’s always a learning curve to overcome and a comfort zone to step out of, but online is where the world is. If you want serve them, you’ll have to go to where they are.
Thanks, Scott! This is all really helpful.