I was thrilled to see so many great comments and support for Part 1 of this article, which you can read here. (If you didn’t read that yet, I would start there.)
A quick synopsis…
When I learned to position myself correctly, I didn’t have to shout.
And you don’t have to either. Even in the midst of all the online madness.
The noise. The ads. The videos. The copying. The sensationalism.
You can still be BOLD without having to beat your chest!
So I’ve put together my 6 BOLD Ways to Start Breaking Away From ‘The Pack’.
Part one focused on the ENERGETIC separation you need to impart immediately to gain strength and perspective.Part two, right here, will focus on some PRACTICAL steps you need to take to position yourself up and away from all the competition.
CAUTION: Where I’m about to go may not make complete sense to you if you are not already at multiple six figures or higher, or if you haven’t been in business seriously for over three years. However, you should still gain a giant gem of insight from at least one of these points.
4. EMPHASIZE YOUR MASTERY OVER YOUR MARKETING
In today’s often bizarre online world, people seem to value perception over reality, and marketing over mastery.
In the past I actually taught to focus on your marketing instead of your mastery, mainly because I saw so many talented and qualified women hold back promoting themselves because they didn’t feel they were ‘ready’ yet. However today I seem to see the opposite online!
These days, you have the reverse problem—the online façade has given those who aren’t confident enough to get out and market in real life the chance to be that person they want to be online while hiding behind their computers.
So we now have a bazillion posers who do great videos and slick marketing tactics sucking people into their funnels and programs. Also because that’s the fun stuff, and what is most easy for people to do to get started, that’s also what a lot of other gurus and courses are teaching.
So now I am changing my mantra for those of us who are beyond “online pre-school” to…
Emphasize your mastery OVER your marketing.
YES… You still have to market. You still have to get the word out. And, like it or not, perception will always be INCREDIBLY important, because people will judge you and your services and programs by what they DO see.
But it’s time we grow up about it.
Here are some things you should be bringing to light on your site, in your posts, and on social media….
- client success stories and testimonials
- business milestones reached (e.g. a certain number of members or subscribers, or if relevant, a monetary milestone such as 7 figures)
- endorsements from other leaders and experts
- highlights from your talks or seminars
- awards that you’ve won or been nominated for
- places you’ve been published or acknowledged
- media appearances
- experiences related to your mission and credibility (e.g. being invited to specific events)
- previous corporate, business, organizational, or leadership experience*
*That last one is HUGE – I see this mostly overlooked by women who come to me after being schooled in programs teaching you to be a ‘personality brand’. These gals may have had incredible experience in corporate or other organizations that gives them huge credibility, but they throw it out the window because they are tired of that world and it doesn’t go with their new “fun” brand and online persona. When really that past experience was the BEST thing to give them credibility with new clients!
Yes you want to be authentic and have fun, but you can’t sell on fluff. Position yourself to shine. So if you were a top salesperson for the company you previously worked for, tell me. If you have a story about leading a nonprofit organization to its best fundraising year ever, share it. Make a brag list for yourself and then share relevant facts in your bio online. Yes it may be your past, but it’s part of the foundation that makes you SOLID.
5. BE IT—DON’T JUST SAY IT
There’s so much noise right now online from so many people marketing themselves that you can’t hear those with real things to say. When everything is “amazing” and “secret” and “incredible” and “best-selling”… then nothing means anything anymore.
One of my favorite tricks I use when I’m writing powerful copy is to get super excited about what I want to say, and then freely write what is flowing from my mind. I give myself permission to be outrageous.
Then I put it aside for a bit. And then I go back and EDIT. Cut, cut, cut.
Cut out superfluous words, exaggerations, and unnecessary descriptors.
Ditch the hype and ALL!!! THE!!! EXCLAMATION!!! POINTS!!!
Choose one perfect word that intrigues, instead of 10 that make people’s eyes glaze over.
And most of all, stop just saying what you are, and for God’s sake go BE it.
Instead of saying you’re a thought leader, create something powerful and new that changes others’ thinking.
Instead of saying you’re a visionary, map out those visions for a better future and go do something about it.
And instead of saying how amazing a coach you are on Facebook all day, why don’t you go get some clients and help them.
I think you get the idea.
6. STOP GOING WHERE EVERYONE ELSE IS GOING, AND DOING WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING
One of the BEST things I ever did a few years ago was to get off of everyone’s lists online. For years, back when I was more in the online marketing world, I wanted to keep an eye on the industry and what everyone else was up to, and then suddenly I realized this was holding me back and making me competitive in a bad way. (I wanted to break out of that world—not get sucked back into it.)
My team was actually who would often pull me back in, unwittingly. Even once I got off all the lists and was trying to break new ground, they would say “hey did you know she’s doing this and he’s doing that”, and I would get distracted from what I really wanted to do and think well maybe we should do that too.
It made it too tempting to not TRUST myself.
It made it too tempting to not LEAD.
For several years in the coaching/internet marketing space it was like we all parked our wagons in a circle and were just looking at each other.
The best thing I ever did was pull my wagon away and ride off into the sunset. To greener pastures and projects that really sang to my soul. It’s the only way I found my next level of leadership, honestly.
Competing and comparing doesn’t work for women entrepreneurs because it actually holds us back. We aim to only just be better than those we see, when really our purpose is so much bigger. (And sometimes in a completely different direction!)
So my advice is to unsubscribe from as many lists as you can. You don’t need to know about that gal’s fabulous new video launch. You don’t need to be sold another thing from that guy posing in front of his car. (And I’m sure he will have something else to sell you later. In fact, tomorrow.)
If you do subscribe to lists, follow people who aren’t selling you shit every day but instead are offering really useful information and new ways of thinking. People who leave you feeling inspired… not assaulted.
Stop going to the same old events and go to new ones. I recently prodded one of my private clients to ditch attending a predictable industry event this spring and instead attend a powerful event in NYC with world leaders speaking on women’s issues. As I predicted, it changed her life instantly and pulled her out of her current “coachy-coach world” mindset.
Next time you’re at a newsstand, pick up a magazine you’ve never read before. Gain a new point of view on business from Inc., Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fortune, or Fast Company. Or refresh your brain with a new publication on science or travel.
You may not understand everything in there. Just be open for a shift.
When you expose yourself to new things, and stop feeding your brain with the same old messages, something amazing will happen. I promise.
It’s called leadership.
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Well those are some solid points to get you started. The topic of positioning and shifting into leadership is a vast one, and I’m going to be covering a lot more on this at my upcoming Repower Workshop, which is coming up in just two weeks.
Just a FEW spots remain. Is one for YOU?
It’s specifically for women at 7-figures or on the verge at high-six.
Join me, special guest Kara Goldin of HINT Water, and an intimate group of entrepreneur leaders on May 12 & 13 here in Scottsdale, AZ.
We’ll spend two powerful days focused on the STRATEGY, LEADERSHIP, and COLLABORATION we need to get clearer, soar higher, and be the change agents of the world.
Closed doors, solid content, real POWER. Have a look and join us at here.
(We have participants registered already with businesses up to $20M in revenues. This may be the exact type of group you’ve been waiting for.)
