The balance between being an authority and human being

When it comes to building an authority-driven online presence...

...it’s more than just showing how good you are at what you do.

Recently, I was asked by a speaker colleague to share my thoughts on her Facebook page. 

She’s been in the business of speaking and consulting for about a decade, been able to pay her bills and carve out a nice livelihood, but feels like she’s leaving a lot on the table in terms of growth. 

After spending less than 5 minutes feverishly thumbing through two months of content on her timeline, I had some thoughts to share:

“Your feed is boring. Every post looks exactly the same. And, most importantly, there is no YOU in these stories.”

Far be it from me to tap dance around the obvious - ask anyone that’s been in front of my camera :) 

Rather than simply dropping the hammer on her head and walking away, I further elaborated by explaining that in order for her to truly grow her reach, she needs a more balanced, more visually appealing feed. 

Her online presence, I explained, is a choreographed dance between being the rockstar authority in her space of expertise coupled with being a living, breathing, and empathetic human being.

She can’t simply post a portfolio of expertise-driven posts meant to show people how knowledgeable she is in her space.

She also needs to be relatable, revealing and approachable for them to care beyond simply smashing the “like” button on that post. 

I continued by saying that when she shares other aspects of her life, that gives her audience permission to enter into her life and connect with her beyond how she can help them with their problems. 

Connection leads to engagement. Engagement leads to rapport. And rapport, over time, leads to them trusting her enough to pay her money to help them get past what’s holding them back.

This is how relationships are built - and that’s, ultimately, the business she’s in.

It’s a long-term game, but one that’s worth playing, especially when she transforms the way people do business and live their lives. 

Next, we addressed the “boring” statement. 

The visuals that she posted essentially looked the same from post-to-post - a graphic template with some text and her logo in the right corner. 

I told her that while also being a relatable and empathetic human being in the stories she shares with her audience, she also needs the visuals to support these stories. 

Don’t just tell - SHOW people what her world looks like and how the sausage is made:

• What does your work look like to you? 

• What does it look like working with clients? 

• How do you brainstorm your ideas? 

• What are your self-care routines?

• How do you spend your time away from work? Hobbies? Vacations? Family? Pets?

When she reveals how it looks when she’s delivering her magic on a stage or screen, and complimenting that with lifestyle photos that fill in the gaps of her life, that allows her audience to truly qualify whether or not they’d be comfortable diving into the deep work with her.

They feel like they know her, for better or worse. 

And that’s when her people will know whether it’s truly not a fit or really start to pay closer attention.  

And either way, that’s exactly what she needs to happen. The tire kickers go away, and the people who see potential lean in closer.

After this conversation, she looked like I just doused her with a fire hose of information, but she took notes, and vowed to give this some added thought.

I assured her that this isn’t something that can be built with the snap of a finger. It’s a purposeful and intentional process that works out over time. 

The most important thing for her, at this point, is to let the ideas and insights marinate in her mind before she springs into action. 

The advice I shared with her is the same I impart to you:

If you’re unhappy with the way you’re currently presenting yourself online, don’t simply run out and hire a marketing team, photographer and videographer, and assume all will be well next week.

THINK about who you are, who you serve, the problems you solve and why you do what you do first. 

Then, IDENTIFY your life and business goals. Think more deeply about the stories beyond the work that you’re willing to share publicly.

And then, set an intention to be present and consistent throughout your online presence. 

If you need help with this process, simply reach out and set a time to chat with me. 

Let’s see if we’re a fit to work together and take it from there.