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4 Tips to F.E.A.R The Unknown

As you know, often as entrepreneur we are relying on the perceptions of our clients and/or potential clients to drive our business.  That said, it’s important for us to understand and invest in how we communicate.
Communication is 55% Non-Verbal.  So this means you’re seen before you’re heard, right? Your target audience is going to look you up, stumble on to your website …basically,  judge your appearance long before they speak to you or a representative of your brand directly. How can you minimize any negative perceptions?  What can you do to increase the odds that people new to you and your brand stick around long enough to use the other 45% of communication?
For those answers, I want you to consider my tips to F.E.A.R. the unknown.  Before you can do that, you have to first answer the question, What are your unknowns? Are you afraid of getting in front of the camera? That was one of mine.  I actually don’t like seeing myself on camera.  I don’t like thinking about the judgement of others so I am going to use that as our example today.  While you’re reading though, replace my fear with your own and apply the information to your own situation for growth…
The “F” in FEAR stands for Face your Fear head on…. Whatever your fear is, bite the bullet and stare that fear down.  Acknowledge it and walk through it. What’s waiting for you on the other side is success & knowing that whatever happens you no longer have to wonder what WOULD HAVE happened.  Sometimes that in itself is enough to propel us into the right gear.
The “E” in FEAR stands for Elevate your thinking…  Our fears come from a track we have playing in our head that tells us there is a down side to facing our fear.  When we elevate our thinking, which could look like taking a class, reading a book on the subject, or talking to someone who has been there and done that… chances are we will scare away the boogie man preventing us from moving forward.
The “A” in FEAR stands for Accept failure… Okay, you tried it and it didn’t work.. so what, at least you tried. I have been criticized (not face to face, of course) of being a serial entrepreneur.  Yes, I’ve had several businesses but each has been a derivative of beautification.  I love making people and/or businesses look their best to those they want to attract.  ALL OF MY BUSINESS VENTURES have been centered on this concept.  I don’t look at any of them as failures because each was a stepping stone to get HERE!  Failure may occur though and it’s okay. Just get up, dust yourself off and try, try again.
Finally, we look at the “R” in FEAR.  It’s for Repeat until you get it right…. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again…. The best way to become successful is to keep moving.  Be a shark, don’t look back… look forward, make the necessary adjustments as you grow, but accept and learn from your mistakes.
So now what??? Are you ready to follow me and F.E.A.R the Unknown?  Follow the link by clicking the picture below.  It will help you elevate your thinking and cease to be have any fear at all..

4 Mistakes To Avoid With Your Social Media Strategy

4 Mistakes to Avoid with you Social Media Strategies Post Graphic

When you realize you’re making a mistake, don’t you want to STOP making the mistake?  Don’t you want to self-correct and get yourself back on the right track…doing things right?  Today’s post is quite possibly what you need to stop making mistakes with your social media posting.  Below, I’ve listed 4 mistakes I think many small business owners make with social media in hopes it will help with the whole “self-correcting” process.

AVOID…

  1.  “Cliff Jumping” – Posting on social media without a plan or strategy.  The difference between you, an entrepreneur, and the average social media user is PURPOSE…. Why are you posting where you’re posting, and how are you planning to measure your efforts?
  2.  “Molding” – Making a mold out of your social media posts and using it for every platform.  To optimize the success of your social media campaign it’s important to differentiate the platform messages.  Though you may have some of the same followers across the social media sites, those followers are looking for different types of information.
  3.  “Purpose-LESS Pictures” – If you are going to spend the time and energy on taking the perfect picture OR spend the money for a professional photo shoot, make sure to use them for the building of your brand.  Websites like PicMonkey, Canva, and even software like Power Point are available to make amazing promotional material. Use these sites (and software) along with artistic typography to brand yourself as an expert in your industry.  Andrea Beltrami of The Branded Solopreneur does a great job describing what could go wrong when you aren’t cognoscente of the branding pitfalls.
  4.  “Number Numbness” – Ignoring the numbers that make up your analytics.  Going back to #1, your social media marketing strategy starts with a GOAL.  It’s important to have an idea about how you want your campaign to perform.  The way you measure the success of your goal is through the analytics from your social media activity.  See what worked then rinse, wash and repeat!

If you’re like me, when you finally figure this all out it’s like a light bulb came on. I finally felt there was a light at the end of the tunnel.  Don’t continue your social media campaigns (or any campaign for that matter) in darkness.  STOP making these mistakes with your personal brand.  Get clear about the message you’re sharing and remember, these are the “4 Mistakes To AVOID With Your Social Media Strategy”.

I’m here to help.  Click the link below for a FREE consultation.  I’d be happy to listen and help you get your personal branding fire lit.

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Declare Today Your Independence Day

July 4th is right around the corner and just as our forefathers before us got fed up with the status quot and declared their independence (some easier than others), so is the time for you to declare your own independence.  Just as Abraham Lincoln referenced the declaration of independence in his Gettysburg Address, you should declare your legacy to be one of entrepreneurial independence. That independence starts with doing something different to get a different result.  Stop that vicious cycle of feeling stuck in the mud, like your spinning your wheels or worse… paralyzed with fear.  Choose today as your day of independence.  According to Psychology Today, there are 5 stages to changing behavior so get started with your own change (right after you finish reading this post, of course). In my podcast this week (Friday), I’m talking about each step in this process so be sure to listen in.

Next, to declare today your independence day, you need to rely on your strengths, as well as recognize and work on getting better at your weaknesses. This is true even if that means recognizing them and then working hard to build a team that can help you by using their own strengths to fill in the gap for your weakness.  The point in declaring your independence is to shed that negative or complacent attitude and begin behaviors that facilitate GROWTH.  Whether that growth is in business or personal, standing on your own (at least when it comes to your attitude to do and be better) requires knowing and believing in yourself.  Operating within your strengths and recognizing areas of weakness give you the confidence needed to branch out and take steps you wouldn’t have considered before.

That brings me to the next area that will help you declare your independence today.  Take the risk! If you’re like me, the risk won’t be too risky at first, but the more you begin to trust your knowledge, the riskier you can be. Sometimes it’s good to feel those butterflies before you make decisions.  It doesn’t have to mean something is wrong, it could mean you’re stepping out on faith and believing in the outcome even though you can’t see what the end will bring.  When I think of a calculated risk, I think about the work I’ve done in preparation for what’s to come and all the different outcomes (that I can think of, of course) and what they mean for me.  As long as I am okay with them, I am willing to take the risk.

Finally, to declare your independence today, you have to actively participate in your business.  Get down and dirty with decision making, marketing, analytics, and research.  Social media can be scheduled, but consumers like relevant content. You have to roll up your sleeves, research and develop answers to the most asked questions and most importantly….BE PATIENT!  Success doesn’t come overnight (for the majority of us anyway).

For more on my take on the 5 stages of behavioral change, listen to this PODCAST.  You’ll find a link to my

30 Day Behavioral Change Challenge there too!

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