When I learned this, I laughed out loud.

Because kids: unless your content is private, you are literally performing. You’re choosing what to share, and pressing publish. Even if the performance is ‘woman in yoga pants with a cute dog shares a thought’ you’re aware someone might see it. And what’s wrong with that?

Showing up and sharing your knowledge, your Self, your gifts is a wonderful way to make the world a better place and whether that’s through social media posts or some other way, I want more of it. Even in this chaotic world… 

Is Authenticity Trending on Social Media?

We are in a state of course correcting.

The truth suddenly became hard to find, and now, authenticity is trending. People are craving real life connection, information and opinions from people they can trust.  As a real person who is just starting to create content and share my message, I’m kind of excited to be able to practice showing up authentically, as my messy self and talk about the things that are important to me. 

There is a part of me that worries this isn’t true. That the algorithm is going to keep favouring beautiful people sharing their beautiful false narratives, along with the generic AI content that all looks the same BUT I’m delighted that this conversation is happening and I’m doing my best to lean in and show up as myself. 

So – how do you show up online when you don’t want to perform? Well, the answer is simple, but not easy: you just start.

I love this quote by Rumi: “When you start to walk along the way, the way appears.”

Take the leap of faith. Quiet the noise in your head, listen to the still small voice inside of you and go for it.

Or maybe you need a little more fuel to start your fire.

Either way, I want to reframe a few social media “rules” that might be holding you back from getting started.

Debunking Social Media Myths That Hold Us Back

Myth #1: You Must Post Every Day

Reality: Start where you are. Consider your objectives and post when you can. Consistency over time will bring you success. 

Myth #2: You Must Repurpose Everything

Reality: Repurpose your content onto other platforms when it saves you time and aligns with your big goals.

Myth #3: You Must Post on Instagram

Reality: Unless you are specifically targeting Instagram users, if you prefer another social media platform then you should create content specific to that platform. Yes, Instagram is the most popular, but that doesn’t mean your target audience isn’t in other places as well.

Myth #4: Your Message Should Cast a Wide Net

Reality: A focused message creates clarity and connects with the right people.

The next time you create content, try pretending you’re talking to one specific person. Not in a “HEY YOU” way, but in a way where your examples, language, and advice are sharp and specific.

You’re not leaving anyone out, but your message makes it easier for the right audience to lean in and trust you.

Myth #5: You Must Jump on Trending Content

Reality: Be your authentic self. Stretch your comfort zone a little at a time. Building a personal brand is not a race or a competition.

It’s not always easy to show up online and talk about things you’re passionate about. Learning how to quiet the brain clutter and judgement (both internal and external) is part of the process, but know that you can do it!

Having trouble getting started on your personal brand, and crave some structure and accountability? Check out Momentum Collective. It’s a free community that meets every Monday at 12pm Eastern on Zoom. Together we create collective momentum and move forward on big goals. Bring a project that needs your creativity and focus. A social media post, a resume, a video, a book outline, a talk, a strategy, a workshop plan, a pitch. If it helps you show up more clearly, it belongs here.

I host a personal branding accountability group called Momentum Collective every Monday. If you’re interested you can learn more HERE or sign up HERE (it’s free)!

If you need help finding your message and creating a personal brand, consider signing up for my accountability group on Mondays or trying out a clarity coaching session to help you move through this stage with calm, confident ease.

The post How to Show Up Online Without Feeling Performative appeared first on Fesyk Marketing.

It seems like I worry about a lot of things all at once too. And I have so many things to say, how do I write this long thought concisely? 

I have all of this brain clutter (and more) rattling around and then I wonder why it’s so hard for me to start creating!  

Why Does it Feel So Hard to Find Start Something I Know is Important?

All of this negative self talk is nonsensical. It’s not helpful and it’s not true! 

It’s so easy, (and so human) to get distracted and procrastinate when it comes to starting something new or working on things that bring up your insecurities.

Procrastination gets painted as a “discipline problem,” but it’s more like a discomfort repair strategy. When a task is triggering, your brain looks for relief fast and the brain clutter emerges. It manifests as a barrage of uncertainty, fear of judgement and the feeling that you might not do it “right”. Avoiding the task works in the moment. That’s why procrastination is often defined as delaying something you intended to do, even though you know you’ll feel worse later. And if your nervous system reads the task as a threat, even a social one, your body can slide into a defence response like fight, flight, or freeze, which makes “just sit down and work on your content” feel weirdly impossible.

What is my Brain Clutter Trying to Tell Me?

There is no hidden message in your brain clutter. It is just your body’s way of protecting you from perceived fear of vulnerability and exposure. 

Whether it’s a tag line, an elevator pitch, a brand story, social media post, etc. that you’re trying to perfect, you are putting yourself out there in a creative way, and it takes time to get it right.

When you’re building something, it rarely (I won’t say never) comes out in one neat sentence right off the bat. Writing is rewriting, as my grade 12 creative writing teachers, Mrs. Minov used to say, and that means that it takes time to find your message. That was in the ’90s, when experimenting and putting yourself out there took a lot more time and effort. 

These days we have the luxury of social media and so many creative tools at our disposal. It’s okay to experiment publicly, make mistakes and put yourself out there while you’re still figuring things out, especially in an era where people deeply crave authenticity. You get as many chances as you want to get it “right” and you get rewarded by the social media algorithms if you post often and experiment.  This gives us a tremendous opportunity to move through things faster and learn as we go.

Remember: Practice makes progress.

How to Break Through the Brain Clutter

If you’re reading this, I know there is a big part of you that believes in yourself and knows you have a message to share. So how do you stop the brain clutter and get to work on achieving your dreams? Here are a few things that work for me: 

1. The Just Five Minutes Rule 

This odd little productivity hack is so simple. All you do is set your timer and commit to working on the project you’ve been delaying for five minutes. That little bit of momentum is often the push you need to move the needle and at the end of five minutes you find yourself in a nice little flow state to continue creating. You can read more about it here.  

2. Break Down Your Goals into Achievable Steps

If you like to make lists, break down your action items. As far as action items go, writing a first paragraph feels much lighter than writing a first chapter, doesn’t it? As does, taking “create a content calendar” and turning it into “brainstorm” and make a list of 10 ideas for content themes that I can use over the next month. AI is a great resource for this. 

3. Keep it Simple and Focus on the Things You Do Best (to Start)

If you’re a writer, don’t start with videos. If you’re a photographer, don’t start with writing. There are so many places on the internet to share content, so why try to fit a square peg into a round hole? Once you get comfortable putting yourself out there, then you can experiment with other formats and find new ways to share your gifts with the world. 

4. Accountability Groups and Partners in Believing

There is nothing like a little accountability and support to build momentum.

Accountability, consistency, repetition and positivity can get you through difficult moments and keep you on track. Find someone going through the same thing you are and start an accountability group. This has worked wonders for me. It used to take me 5 hours a week to write a blog or other big pieces of content. My writers group meets every Tuesday from 3pm – 5pm, and in that short span I’m able to complete an entire blog. It’s wonderful (I’m writing this from my writers group right now)!

I actually host a personal branding accountability group called Momentum Collective every Monday. If you’re interested you can learn more HERE or sign up HERE (it’s free)!

5. Trust in Your Vision and Know That Clarity Will Come

When you catch yourself sliding into self doubt and negativity, give your head a little shake and say (out loud or in your head) “I’ve got this”. Someone told me looking in the mirror and saying “you’ve got this” is even more impactful, but either way, try to stop the pattern of self doubt. Replace the negative thought with something positive. Think about where you’re headed and watch the magic happen!

And while it might feel messy at first, I promise you that it’s actually momentum disguised as messiness. The only way out is through, so you have to start and then keep going to actually make it through. 

So, if it’s not already obvious. I believe in you!

I know you can take the steps to finding your message and creating a personal brand, but if you need help, consider signing up for my FREE accountability group on Mondays or trying out a clarity coaching session to help you move through this stage with calm, confident ease.

The post Getting Past Brain Clutter to Find Your Message appeared first on Fesyk Marketing.

You know you have meaningful ideas. You have a vision for your work, your clients, the change you want to make, and the person you want to be. You want to share it and build a personal brand online.

But the online world (and/or the voice in your head) keeps whispering that to be taken seriously, you have to be louder, younger, bolder, older, prettier, more “magnetic,” a better writer, a better speaker, funnier… You get the idea. On top of that, real life is busy. Between work, family, and everything else, it’s easy to let your ideas slide to the bottom of the list.

Maybe the way you naturally move through the world and show up online doesn’t quite “match” what everyone else is doing. But that doesn’t mean it is wrong. In fact, for you, it might be absolutely right. If anything, the way you naturally show up might be the clearest foundation you have to build a personal brand online that feels honest and sustainable.

You can copy app templates or jump on trending content to create a personal brand, or you can show up as yourself and watch the magic happen. All you need is a little patience, some big ideas, and a new relationship with what a personal brand can look like.

In earlier blogs, we’ve talked about sharing your wins without feeling like you’re bragging and finding the through-line that runs through your work. This blog is about what happens next: letting your ideas be seen in a way that still feels like you.

How You’re “Supposed” to Sound on Social Media

Most of what we see about showing up on social media pushes you to be louder and more visible all the time. But if the way you’re “supposed” to show up online makes your shoulders tense or your stomach knot, of course you’re going to hesitate. It’s unreasonable to expect yourself to feel relaxed and authentic while trying to squeeze into a version of showing up that doesn’t feel like you.

When you sit down to write, it’s easy to overthink everything. Part of you wants to speak your mind in your own voice. Another part is convinced you have to sound bigger and sharper to be taken seriously. Those two parts pull in opposite directions, and it’s exhausting.

No wonder you close the app and tell yourself you’ll figure it out later.

But here’s what’s true: You can build an online presence that feels like you on a good day.

Real-You Content: A Different Way to Build a Personal Brand Online

If we strip away the jargon, having a ‘brand presence’ is very simple: You experience things. You make sense of what is happening and learn from the experiences. You share it so other people can use the knowledge, too.

Real-you content is about being the person who is willing to say, “Here is what I am paying attention to, and here is why I think it matters.”

That might look like a short post once a week about a pattern you are noticing. It might be sharing a win. It might be a piece of advice you wish someone had told you when you were younger. It might be an image of something you saw that piqued your interest. It might be a quote that inspired you.

None of that requires a megaphone. It requires honesty, a point of view, and a little bit of courage to put words to what you are observing. Here’s something I tell my clients to help you find that courage.

What You Notice About the People You Trust Online

When you think about people you trust online, what comes to mind?

It’s probably the people who sound like themselves, talk about things that matter to you, and show up in a way that feels connected and human.

Their posts are clear. You have a sense of who they’re speaking to. Over time, their name starts to feel familiar, and you catch yourself thinking about something they said when a similar situation shows up in your own life.

By saying real things in simple language, on a regular-enough basis, the right people will start to recognize themselves in your words.

A Gentler Way to Start Showing Up Online

If the idea of trying to build a personal brand online makes you want to hide under a blanket, bring it down to something much smaller.

Choose one place you already use. It might be LinkedIn, Instagram, or even your email list if you have one. Commit to a rhythm that feels realistic in this season of your life. Once a week is plenty. Every other week is plenty. You are building a practice, not sitting an exam.

Then, come back to your through-line. From the earlier blogs, you know this is the deeper thread that runs through your work. Maybe it is about access, or grief, or leadership, or resilience, or change. Pick one part of that thread and stay close to it for a while. Let it be the anchor you return to, instead of starting from a blank page every time.

When you write, imagine you are leaving a short voice note for a friend, client, or a colleague you like. You are not trying to impress them, you are simply trying to connect with them and be useful. Often, that shift alone is enough to pull you back into your natural voice.

How You’ll Know Your “Real-You” Content Is Working to Build a Personal Brand Online

“Real-you” thought leadership does not always come with big, public signals. The signs are often easy to miss if you are only watching the numbers.

Someone sends you a message and says, “I have been thinking about what you wrote last week.”

A client mentions that they shared your post with a colleague because it captured something they had been trying to explain.

You meet someone new and they say, “I feel like I already know how you think from your posts.”

You will also notice internal shifts. You hesitate a little less each time you hit publish. You spend less time spiralling about whether every word is perfect. You start to see your own ideas more clearly, simply because you are making time to put them into language.

None of this is flashy. All of this is evidence that your presence is growing.

A Simple “Real-You” Content Experiment

This week, write one short post using this simple template in your own words:

1. Start with something you are noticing right now.
2. Explain why you think it matters.
3. End with one thought or question for the person reading.

Read it out loud once. If it sounds like you, share it before you end up editing it into something that no longer does.

If there’s something inside of you that wants to share your ideas and create an online presence you do not have to figure out the next steps alone. This is the work I love doing: finding the thread, shaping your messaging and cheering you on while we work together to create a way of showing up that feels aligned, sustainable, and real.

If you are ready for support, you can book a clarity coaching session here so we can work through your message together. And if you know you would show up more consistently with structure and company, you can join the waitlist for Momentum Collective, where we carve out time to create and share your work, quietly but consistently, alongside others doing the same.

The post How to Build a Personal Brand Online When You Don’t Want to Be Loud appeared first on Fesyk Marketing.

Same.

That feeling isn’t proof you shouldn’t share it or that your win doesn’t matter. That feeling is usually:

• fear of being judged
• old stories about “bragging”
• worry that people will roll their eyes or leave

But sharing good news doesn’t automatically turn you into “that person” online. Let’s talk about what’s actually going on.

Why Sharing Wins Feels So Risky

A lot of us were taught not to take up too much space. Then we open our feeds and see the opposite: big, performative posts and a lot of generic, copy-paste content that sounds like it was written by ChatGPT.

You don’t want to sound like that, so you over-explain yourself, downplay your achievement, or stay quiet altogether.

Even when something genuinely good happens, your internal monologue kicks in: “Who do you think you are?”, “Other people have done way more”, “This is probably obvious to everyone anyway”. And just like that, the post never sees the light of day.

You’re not alone in feeling like this, check out my own journey with it and why I am here to help.

Why Your Good News Belongs in the Feed

Seeing good news is what attracted many of us to social media in the first place. It is inspiring and gives people proof that what they want is possible and offers language they can borrow for their own journey. Good news posts also let the people who care about you know what’s going on in your life. 

We are not overwhelmed with too much genuine good news from thoughtful people. If anything, we don’t see enough of it.

Self-Promotion Vs. Sharing Your Wins

Most people don’t want to be “Look at me!” people online. Fair. Here’s the difference:

• Self-promotion says: “Look how impressive I am.”
• Sharing a win says: “Here’s something I’m proud of” 

How to Share Your Wins Without Feeling Gross About it

If writing about your own wins makes you freeze, it helps to have a simple way in.

Think of it as: Here’s what happened → here’s why it matters to me → here’s what I’m taking from it.

Here are a few ways you could start those “I’m proud of this” posts.

• The “I’m actually proud of myself” Post

  “I’m really proud of this: [share the win].
  
  A year ago, I never would’ve tried this because [quick context].”

• The “this took a lot” Post

  “This didn’t happen overnight.

  After [time/effort/trial and error], I finally [share the win]

  I’m glad I didn’t give up on it.”

• The “here’s what I learned” Post

  “Today I [share the win].

  The thing that surprised me most was [what you noticed/learned].

  If you’re in the middle of [similar situation], I hope this is a little bit of proof that [encouragement].”

• The “this might look small, but” Post

  “This might look small from the outside, but it’s big for me: [share the win].

  I’ve been inching toward this for [timeframe], and I’m finally letting myself celebrate it.”

You can mix and match pieces of these, but the idea is the same: You’re giving people a bit of backstory and meaning, and a little more of YOU, which is what they want to see.

A Quick Gut-Check Before You Share Your Wins

If you’re still hovering over the delete button, try this:

• Does this reflect something I genuinely care about?
• If a friend shared this exact post, would I be happy for them?
• Am I being honest?
• Am I sharing this to connect, not to convince anyone of my worth?

If the answer is mostly yes, your post isn’t the problem. Your self-doubt is just being loud.

If You’re Still Unsure… That’s Where I Come In

Your voice matters.

You don’t have to water down your message to be likable or “humble.” You’re allowed to take up space.

I help leaders shape their ideas into messages that feel aligned, useful, and quietly powerful without the performance, posturing, or pressure.

Because when you’re not second-guessing every post, you can start actually connecting with the right people, for the right reasons.

If you’re tired of wondering “is this too much?” or “am I allowed to say this?”, I’m here to help. Book a clarity coaching session to get clear on your content. 

The post How to Share Your Wins Without Feeling Like You’re Bragging appeared first on Fesyk Marketing.

Or maybe you start to talk about how much you love your work and the type of things you do every day and how your unique approach to things is making positive change, when suddenly that  voice in your head starts shouting “STOP BRAGGING!” 

Or maybe your brand is crystal clear in your mind, but don’t say anything at all because finding the right words feels hard and staying quiet feels safer than getting it wrong.

Even if you question it sometimes, you know your message is there.

The thread is already running through your work. But when you’re so close to your work, living it, breathing it, it can be almost impossible to name it clearly.

Let’s talk about why that happens, and how you can get clear on your message by finding your through-line.

Why You Struggle to Get Clear on Your Message

• It’s too personal. Your work is layered, lived, and embodied by you.
• You’ve evolved but your message still sounds like an earlier version of you.
• You’re multi-passionate and trying to “simplify” it kills the magic.

This is completely normal. Messaging is something I help my clients with all the time and something I often struggle with personally, too.

What’s a “Through-Line” Anyway?

• The deeper thread that connects everything you say, do, and care about.
• The reason people are drawn to your energy, even if they can’t name it.
• What people actually remember when they think of you.

You don’t always need to “niche down,” but you do need a through-line.

Where to Find Your Through-Line

• Start by noticing patterns in what you love talking about.
• What do clients keep thanking you for?
• Which of your posts or phrases feel the most “you”?
• If you could only leave one message behind, what would it be?

If those answers feel fuzzy, that’s exactly what I help with. I came up with a small exercise to help in my last blog.

The Message Is Already There, You Just Need Perspective

Sometimes, you just need someone to look at the whole board and say, “There. That’s the thread.”

This is the work I love to help my clients with: finding the through-line and turning it into thought leadership that lands.

If your work is powerful but your brand message isn’t quite there yet, you’re closer than you think.
Book a clarity coaching session so we can get started finding your through-line.

The post Get Clear on Your Message by Finding Your Through-Line appeared first on Fesyk Marketing.

Here are two things I’ve learned about personal branding:

1. You don’t know have to know what you want to be known for to start creating a personal brand. In fact, you often discover what you want to be known for by creating.
2. Thought leadership isn’t always clarity → content → personal brand → speaking/consulting/book deal, etc. It can also be content → clarity → different content → more clarity → different content → speaking/consulting/book deal, etc.

Action Brings Clarity to Your Personal Brand

You don’t have to start with clarity. You just have to start. Your voice grows as you create, publishing consistently is the fastest way to find your personal brand.

Having clarity and a clear through-line in your content will help you stand out and help people identify you as an expert. But it doesn’t have to be static. It can change and evolve with you. And as you work toward something, it will become easier for you to discern who you are and who you aren’t, and find clarity along the way. 

Which Creator Type Are You? 

Typically, I see three types of people holding themselves back from developing their brand and creating thought leadership content. 

Type 1: The Visionary

You know what you’re all about and what your big goals are, but you just aren’t present on social media. People know you’ve got something to say, you just haven’t found the time to say it. 

To start creating and supporting your bigger goals, you may just need a little help fine-tuning the language and messaging and maybe some gentle nudges to take action.

Type 2: The Creator

You share on social media all the time. You have a lot of big goals and dreams, and a busy life, and you share all of it with the world. People know you do something important, but they don’t really know what that is. You dream of being known for something, and you’re ready to talk about it once you figure out what that something is. 

To find clarity, reflect on your content and identify any consistent themes that emerge from what you’re sharing. Try creating a series of posts about a single topic you’re interested in and see if it lights you up. 

Type 3: The Dreamer

You have a deep desire to create something and share your gifts, but you’re still figuring out what those are and what your end goal is. There are so many options! People don’t even really know you have something to say. You’ve held yourself back from sharing because you don’t want to say the wrong thing or change your mind and be judged for it.  

To find clarity, you must start creating. And through the content you create, patterns will emerge, and upon reflection, your intuition will guide you to clarity.

Personally, I was stuck for a long time. I dreamed of achieving big goals for my business and my side project, The Make Great Friends Blog, but I was overwhelmed, afraid of rejection and a million other little things. Then, a few months ago, I took a huge step forward on social media. I began sharpening my message and posting more. It took a village and an amazing community to help me get to this point. And some days I still don’t know exactly where I’m heading, but I am so glad that I started.

The Creation Loop: An Easy Way to Find Your Voice

Here’s a strategy on how to make creation part of the discovery:

Write

• Write 100 words about what matters to you right now. It doesn’t matter what that is. It could be what you love to make for dinner. It could be what you’re doing at work.
• Copy and paste those words into ChatGPT and work with it to create 5-10 posts based on your writing. 
• Select the 3-5 posts that you connect with.
• Proofread and edit these posts. Use AI as much as you want to speed up this process, but don’t let it do all the writing for you. Here’s an article that will help you spot AI writing and write something that sounds like you.
• Set it aside for a few days, or as long as it takes for you to look at the writing with fresh eyes.
• Proofread and edit the posts again so that they feel authentic and in your voice. 
• Publish your content as often as you’re comfortable with.

Reflect

• After publishing, take a second to celebrate the fact that you published something. Practice makes progress.
• Try not to get caught up in analytics, especially in the beginning.
• Instead, ask yourself: What themes are showing up in my content? What do people respond to most? What feels like me when I re-read it?

Repeat

• Do this exercise again for as long as it takes.
• Be consistent, hold yourself accountable and take time to reflect so that each time you create, you move closer and closer to your vision. Remember: what matters is forward movement.

If This Sounds Overwhelming, Get Guided Support

The sooner you start creating with intention, the sooner your message will reveal itself.

And if you’re already creating but don’t see the thread? I can help. 

If you’re sitting on a dozen ideas and no clear “message,” I can help you find the gold and turn it into something that opens doors. Book a clarity coaching session on how to find your personal brand today.

The post What Do You Actually Want to Be Known For? How to Find Your Personal Brand appeared first on Fesyk Marketing.

Step 1: Start spilling the tea… slowly!

Building the anticipation is just half the fun of getting people excited about your event. You might ask yourself, how in the world do I do that? Well, I’m glad you asked! Get people buzzing by revealing- or as I like to say, ‘spilling the tea’ on special event guests, performers, chefs, signature cocktails, cute dogs… the options are endless! Start by planning these posts out well in advance or as soon as you confirm all the event goodies! You will want to get in the habit of spilling a bit of tea every week prior to the event. This will result in getting people talking and selling more tickets! 

Step 2: Early birds get the worm!

In the case of events, early birds always get the worm. I can’t stress enough how important it is to regularly post about early bird deals. Why? Because it builds urgency. You want people to feel a little rushed so they can first, buy their tickets, and second, convince their friends to buy tickets- because who doesn’t like going out with their friends? You need to be active on your account daily to inform prospective attendees about when the deals are happening and when they’re going to end- I personally LOVE the countdown feature for this on Instagram stories. 

Step 3: Feed the FOMO (fear of missing out)

Maybe it isn’t your first time running your event. Maybe you had people who were on the fence about attending your last event and now they are still unsure. Feed that feeling with sharing some event throwbacks to your grid. Is your event brand new? Maybe start with a little contest for tickets or offer discount codes to new followers to your page. Give attendees a chance because we all know that we only get so many chances. You really want to make them regret not coming- as sassy as that sounds! 

Step 4: #Hashtag it up!

You will need to create your own custom event hashtag (or a couple) to really pin yourself to the digital map. You will want everyone and their mother sharing that hashtag to their personal pages to get you that organic growth that we all need and love. 

Step 5: Document the day!

Not only should you be sharing everything above on your Instagram story but you should be posting to your story as the event is happening! This goes hand-in-hand with that FOMO stuff. You want to showcase what’s happening behind the scene and maybe make some people a tiny bit jealous in the process. To make live story posting successful, dedicate this role to someone who will live document the set up, opening, live entertainment, speeches, and anything and everything under the sun at your event. Have detailed notes prepared for that person so that nothing gets missed! Pro tip to find yourself a Gen Z for this role because a few TikTok dances never hurt anyone. 

Looking for inspiration? We’ve got you. Check out our starter event social media checklist: Event Social Media Checklist

Well, here we have it. I hope that these 5 Instagram tips to make your next event a success will bring a big boost to your big event. Remember that if you have any questions about marketing and social media to reach out to us here at Fesyk Marketing to get more advice on how to build your brand and create your community!

The post 5 Instagram Tips To Make Your Next Event A Success appeared first on Fesyk Marketing.

I often say that when I go out to eat I need the food to be good and the service to be great. If I’m honest, I actually have two lists of good restaurants in my head—one list where I know the food will be great, and one list where I know the food will be great AND the service will be great. You can probably guess which list gets more referrals.

I just don’t have the same feeling of connection to a place that has great food but the service is lacklustre. Don’t get me wrong, great food can incentivize me to become a loyal patron of a restaurant but great service gets my referral and a good Google review 100% of the time.

Here’s an example. On the weekend, we went out for dinner. The service was slow and the restaurant ran out of a lot of food because they were so unexpectedly busy. It could easily have been a bad experience. But the owner of the restaurant made a point of stopping at every table, to chat up the patrons. He shared the news about the menu limitations and made recommendations about the food that was available.

He put us at ease and made it easy to overlook the fact that the food items we’d planned to order weren’t available because there were other great options to choose from. He managed our expectations and we felt valued as customers because he had taken the time to talk with us. He didn’t hide out in his office in the back somewhere, leaving it to his service team to inform customers that they were unable to serve more than half of the menu. Though, I think we would have felt the same way if our server had taken the same care and consideration in letting us know about the menu.

I often think about what makes for good customer service within the context of how we create and deliver content for our clients, and this experience demonstrates what we should all be striving for in our business. Opportunities to build great client relationships come by showing up, being transparent about limitations and exceeding expectations on what you can deliver on.

The things you do to go above and beyond are what will be the difference between a one-time customer and a loyal client. The key is making your customer feel important.

This restaurant owner did not expect to run out of food, but by showing up, being authentic and managing our expectations he found some new loyal customers that will spread the word about his world-class food and excellent customer service.

So how do you take this concept of increasing loyalty and referrals by providing great customer service and integrate it into your business?

Advice: Be Present For Your Customer

Good customer service = showing up + listening to the customer + speaking honestly. 

Choose to spend part of your day with customers if you can. Experience what they are experiencing. Connect with them and share your knowledge or ask them if you can help them find what they are looking for. Be their trusted source. If you’re a service-based business, move away from the task-oriented mindset to a connection-focused mindset. Take the time to ask questions and build a relationship beyond the service that is being provided. The more they connect with you the more likely they will be to become loyal customers.

And if you can’t be in front of your customer in this way, give your team the tools to do this on your behalf. Hire staff that are knowledgeable and passionate about what you’re selling. Create a culture where staff can take the time to follow up and speak with clients. For example, it’s easy to bog your receptionist team down with tasks, but make sure they understand the importance of spending time with customers, and setting aside tasks to pay attention to the customers in front of them.

What if Something Goes Wrong? 

Sometimes things don’t go according to plan. And more than finding “exactly” the right words to say when something goes wrong, showing up is the action step that will make your customer feel important and appreciated. Just like Ray from the Transit Hotel Smokehouse, when you run out of ribs and brisket on Father’s Day, show up, be friendly, listen and recommend the amazing pulled pork.

Need help with your marketing? Whether it’s advice on customer service, or target audiences, or content creation, we’ve got your covered. Contact us at Fesyk Marketing, or check out our blog for more resources on marketing your business.

Need a little more help with your marketing planning? We’ve got more on target audiences here:

• Have Fun Identifying Your Target Audience
• Understand Your Target Audience to Give Better Customer Service
• What Kind of Community Do You Want to Create?

Or check out our previous blogs on goal-setting:

• Discovering Your Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal
• Why Does Your Business Need a BHAG?
• Why is Goal Setting So Hard?
• Why OKRs Are a Great Tool for Setting Goals

The post Making Your Customer Feel Important Can Be the Secret to Loyalty and Referrals—A How-To appeared first on Fesyk Marketing.

What if, instead of thinking of jargon like target audience, you think of the word community? Instead of “targeting” potential customers, you are building a community of people who connect with your business. You guessed it—this week I want to talk about something that is very important to me, which is community building. There’s a reason “create your community” is part of my slogan, and it’s because community-building is something that truly lights me up.

If you are a small business owner then you probably are creating something important and meaningful to others. It’s no easy task to start and grow a business. It requires passion, patience, planning and plenty of resilience. There is a lot more than financial gain to be had by successful business owners. And those of us who choose business ownership as a career are usually in it for more than just the money. So why not think about building your business as if you were building a community.

Community creates connection. It provides a space to build and cultivate relationships. It allows for continued opportunities to build trust and loyalty in others. These are all things I think business owners should strive to achieve for themselves. And there is tremendous opportunity if you consider your business to be a place for building community.

So if creating that long list of traits and interests of your target audience and then developing a marketing plan to get in front of that ideal customer, feels overwhelming and daunting to you, try this approach. Consider answering these questions instead. Inspiration may strike and the foundation of a plan might be formed… give it a try.

1. Who do you want in your community? Is this an inclusive or exclusive community? What would you do differently if it was one way vs. the other?
2. What does someone need to do to be a part of your community? How could you make someone feel like they are part of a community? What do you need to feel like you’re part of a community?
3. What does it feel like when you feel emotionally connected to something? Do you feel more fulfilled? Is there a way to encourage customers and clients to feel this way when they work with you?
4. Are there other people or businesses in your community who might be willing to help you grow your community for your business?

When you’re thinking about marketing, consider envisioning the kind of community you want to create for yourself and for your business.

Why does this matter? Taking the first step in creating a vision for the community you would love to build around your business is a way to inspire action in your marketing. Suddenly you’ll have ideas about who might be a good person to share business ideas with, or content that you’ll want to create on social media or what information you want to share on your website. If this resonates with you, go even further with it. Create a to do list and plop some of these inspired action steps in your calendar. See what happens when you start from a place of hope, inspiration and positivity.

Hope this helps get you on your way to creating that community you’d love to be a part of! If you have any questions about marketing, reach out to us here at Fesyk Marketing to get more advice on how to build your brand and create your community.

Need a little more help with your marketing planning? We’ve got more on target audiences here:

• Have Fun Identifying Your Target Audience
• Understand Your Target Audience to Give Better Customer Service

Or check out our previous blogs on goal-setting:

• Discovering Your Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal
• Why Does Your Business Need a BHAG?
• Why is Goal Setting So Hard?
• Why OKRs Are a Great Tool for Setting Goals

The post What Kind of Community Do You Want to Create? appeared first on Fesyk Marketing.

While it’s important to look back at what you’ve done so that you can make informed choices about your marketing, it’s essential to enjoy the process and stay away from the state of overwhelm that prevents you from moving forward. And we are all about forward motion here! And we know, that we all get stuck once in a while so here are some tips on how to take on your marketing audit with open arms.

Use the Marketing Audit as a Moment of Creative Inspiration

The first thing that will help is to keep your eyes on your goal. Why are you doing a marketing audit in the first place?

When we do an audit for a client, I look at it as a source for creative inspiration as well as a way to find new opportunities to be more successful. Inspiration strikes when you make space for new ideas to come through, and what better way to do that than to look at what you’ve already done and find ways to improve it.

Looking at your social media you might decide—hey, my target audience seems to be on Instagram, and there are so many tools I’m not using on that platform. Or, wow—TikTok is really cool and I love creating video content, maybe I should give that a go? Or, my Facebook Page isn’t really doing much for my business right now. Maybe I should refocus and spend a little more time creating content for LinkedIn?

This is your chance to weigh in and make real changes that help you get closer to achieving your big goals.

Keep it simple

Conducting a marketing audit is not rocket science. It is simply an opportunity to reflect on what you’ve done so far and make some choices on how to do it better.

Just because it’s simple, doesn’t mean it’s easy to motivate yourself to do it! By reminding yourself it’s not rocket science, you’ll take some of that feeling of overwhelm out of it, and help you face this task.

Next, take your time and try to enjoy this process. Get grounded, listen to binaural beats, meditate, do whatever you do that helps you get into a place where you can slow down and focus.

Finding a way to get focused is actually harder than doing the audit itself. Promise.

Take it piece by piece

You don’t have to do your audit all in one sitting. In fact, you’re far more likely to get creative when you can sit with one area of your marketing and spend time reviewing all of the elements. Give yourself a week to take on the entire audit. It won’t take you more than a few hours, max, but you are allowed the freedom to do it in more than one sitting. What works well for me is to schedule my time like this:

• 60 minutes on the website
• 60-90 minutes on the social media platforms that are already being used
• 30 minutes on your online reputation
• 60 minutes exploring platforms that aren’t currently being used

There are no rules!

If you’re a non-linear thinker like me, you might struggle with step-by-step instructions. If you’re using our marketing audit guide, you don’t have to answer every single question. In fact, don’t even think of them as questions that need answers!

Really, the questions are just prompts to help you think critically about your marketing. What is most important is that you consider what kind of content your audience is responding to best, where they are responding to it and how that is helping you achieve your overall business goals.

Remembering there are no rules will help with that feeling of overwhelm!

My last piece of advice is this: quit with the negative self talk. The audit is an opportunity for growth and improvement. Pat yourself on the back for even creating content to audit in the first place. Give yourself another pat on the back for deciding your business is important enough that you are willing to take a look at what you’ve created and find opportunities to do it even better.

Want to get your hands on the marketing audit worksheet, if you haven’t already? You can grab it by clicking here. And don’t forget to sign up for updates, to make sure you don’t miss out on more useful marketing tools like this one!

Need a little more help with your marketing planning? We’ve got more on target audiences here:

• • Have Fun Identifying Your Target Audience
  • Understand Your Target Audience to Give Better Customer Service

Or check out our previous blogs on goal-setting:

• • Discovering Your Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal
  • Why Does Your Business Need a BHAG?
  • Why is Goal Setting So Hard?
  • Why OKRs Are a Great Tool for Setting Goals

The post Taking the “Overwhelm” Out of Auditing Your Online Content appeared first on Fesyk Marketing.