Do you ever feel like you’re too boring for social media? Like you’re just sitting at your desk all day and don’t have any powerful stories to share? I have days like that too… but that voice in our heads is wrong!
I’ve had a chat with Sally Inkster, who helps small business owners realise just how many stories we’ve got to share and shows us just how powerful they really are. Please note that it was a verbal chat and the quotes in this blog are transcripts.
“There is a difference between brand, branding and marketing. A personal brand is who you are, what you stand for and how you help. ” – Sally
Defining your personal brand
“If you’re working on your own and you’re not having help, defining your personal brand is going to take you 18 months to 2 years. That’s a lot of time, energy, stress and, actually, a lot of wasted money because you’ll do things because people suggest that they are good. ‘Ooh, do you like this website? Do you like that colour? That would be a nice colour!’ – You’re wasting your money, time and effort. I think people have to understand that it takes a long time. If you work with me, I can get it done for you in six to eight hours. Now that is a big time saver, but believe you me, it’s a huge money saver as well as you go forth.” -Sally
Social media is all about sharing what you love and connecting with your audience, but if you don’t know who you are or what stories to share to connect with people, it doesn’t matter how much you know about social media; it’s going to be a challenge.
When I first started my business, I used to dread people asking me where they could find me on social media. I was the social media marketer with a weak social media presence. And it wasn’t until I had this chat with Sally that I realised why that was. For the first 18 months to 2 years of being in business, my social media was missing that key message: exactly who I am.
It’s not about being vulnerable
“It’s all about learning about who you are, being proud of who you are, understanding your stories and understanding what’s the bit that you can use to tell people and connect with them. It’s not about making you vulnerable at all. It is about just connecting and sharing stories like the human race has done forever.” – Sally
You are in control of your social media. It’s up to you how much you want to share. If you don’t want to share it because you don’t want it to be public knowledge, don’t share it. But if you don’t want to share it because you think nobody will care, you might be surprised! Those little and unimportant moments can be so powerful on social media.
Do you know what my best-performing post has been this month? It wasn’t a promotional one, it wasn’t one where I shared a load of value, it wasn’t even one where I gave away two months in my membership group. No, it was the one where I vented my frustration at Facebook for letting me down and making me come up with a workaround. That’s relatable!
Evolution over time
One of the concerns that popped to mind when Sally was telling me more about her businesses and her prices was: is that investment a one-time thing, or does your personal brand stay with you forever?
“Yes, it does evolve over time, but underneath, you are who you are. And who you are is based on your personality, your history, your experience, your wisdom, obviously, that never changes because that’s in the past. You do evolve, but lots of things stay consistent about you. If you think when you were two, or four, or six, or eight, people can still understand who you were based on who you are today.” – Sally
Let’s be clear
“You should be able to, in a sentence, put over the essence of who you are and what your business does, but also, I think you should be able to explain to people straight away what your strengths are (talents or skills) and what your values are. Because if you’re having to think about them, then you’re not living within them or working around them. So I think that is really important. I understand that businesses struggle with it, but I think if you can get completely clear on maybe your tag line or your mission statement – something that can just roll off your tongue that you are passionate about, and it makes people laugh, or they get it. It’s a difficult one, but you can get there!” – Sally
When I first started in business, I remember sees all these businesses who were really clear about who they were, who they helped and what was important to them – and then I was there like “I guess I just want to help people with social media because I know a bit about social media”. That’s when my Imposter Syndrome really got loud!
Now, I don’t think I’m that much better at my job, but I’m better at explaining to people why I’m here, what I want to achieve and how I want to do it. I help passionate small business owners with their social media so that they can have a powerful space to not only promote their business but also geek out about what they love. I believe that social media doesn’t actually have to be complicated, and that you can do it even if you’re a self-proclaimed techno’phobe. I believe that what makes you different is something that should be celebrated! I believe that social media should be accessible, both to you as a small business owner and to your target audience.
What about you? What do you do? What do you believe? (Or do you need to consider talking to Sally?)
My Featured Guest
“I help others find their unique stories and build powerful personal brands. I’ve seen firsthand how this clarity can transform businesses and lives. My clients experience that goosebump-inducing moment when they realize who they are, what they stand for, and how to attract their ideal clients.” – Sally
Thanks for reading! I share a blog like this one every other Tuesday, and if you feel like they help your social media presence, and more importantly, your business – then please consider leaving a tip.
Every time this tip jar reaches £15, I’ll run a giveaway on social media so a small business can access my membership group for two months.
Tesni xx
