Not Making Money In Your Business? Show Your Face More!

We're smack dab in the middle of a series all about selling your offers through content marketing.

In part 1 we talked about how content marketing is perfect for ANY entrepreneur who wants to build community and scale their visibility.

In part 2 we talked about Instagram (one of the best places for content marketing, building community and modern selling) and I explained how to show up consistently on the platform (it's way simpler than you think).

THIS WEEK we're talking about visibility (like with your face!), tips for being on camera and marketing yourself as an introvert!

Let's jump right into it.

Showing your face is essential to building know-like-trust and selling more online.

It's not enough to just have good, valuable content. Your audience needs to SEE YOU to help them get ready to buy. When you show your face more, you increase FAMILIARITY.

Plus, modern consumers purchase from brands they’ve developed some sort of relationship with. When you prioritize face-time with your audience (just like you would any other relationship), you increase your CONNECTION.

On top of all that, most industries are super crowded. YOU (and your face) are what make you stand out and appear more original. Graphics, stock photos and beautiful flat lays just don't have the same effect! Showing your face instantly increases your AUTHENTICITY.

And can I let you in on a little secret?

Familiarity → KNOW

Connection → LIKE

Authenticity → TRUST

Showing your face naturally builds up the Know-Like-Trust factor which is essential to establish if you wanna make money online in this day and age.!

Tips for being on camera

I've gotta let you in on something. Even though I've led dozens of webinars, gone live more times than I count, spoken at multiple online summits and often share videos and photos of myself, I actually have a huge aversion to being on camera.

I've dealt with body dysmorphia for 24 years. I'm self-conscious about the way my voice sounds and how often I say "um". My weight fluctuates a lot (and always shows up in my face first). I constantly deal with my fear of being seen and made fun of.

I don't think anyone would ever be able to tell these things just by looking at my website or social media, and I wanted to be real with you because I made the decision to challenge and overcome these things. I had to decide that putting myself out there and growing was more important than my fears and insecurities.

Easier said than done, I know! So I wanted to leave some quick tips for you:

If you're not used to being in photos, try hiding behind things or using props. You also don't have to hire a photographer if you're like me and shy in front of the camera! I take all my own photos with my iphone, a tripod and bluetooth remote. If you check out my Insta you'll see months and months of photos I've taken of myself at home during quarantine!
If you're not used to being on video, start with something SUPER safe like your IG stories. Think about it, only the people who care about you most are tuning into your stories so it's a safe space! Start by showing your face in a photo for a week straight. Then move to a boomerang (video but no words). Then you can record a video of your environment (not your face, but like your office, something on your computer or a meal you're eating) while talking. THEN, when you're ready, try flipping the camera to your face and talk to the camera for ONE 15 second story clip. Baby steps!
My last tip is to develop a quick "getting ready" routine! I find that defining something on your face like eyebrows or your lips looks best on camera. For me I have a quick routine of defining my eyebrows, putting on masacara and swiping on some lipstick (ps I love liquid matte lipsticks, this is my every day color). That normally takes about 5 minutes, and when I have more time I'll spend another 5-10 curling my hair :)

Marketing yourself as an introvert

Before I close this post out, I wanna speak directly to my introverted friends because I have a LOT of you IRL. I hear introverts spewing out limiting beliefs all the time and the only thing it's doing is holding you back.

Introversion is not a handicap online. It's a superpower because you naturally get how the mind works and you don't need to be friends with a million people.

When you get how the mind works and relate that to your online audience and offers, your content becomes that much more effective. And when you think of your audience as an intimate group of people who know you and get you (instead of an ocean of strangers without faces) it gets SO much easier to show up online.

So here are some tips for you :)

Don't go wide with your audience, go narrow. Get specific on the type of person you want to be talking to and working with, think about them then shut everyone else out.
Get super-obsessed with your customer. Make sure it's someone who "gets" you and vice versa. Get to know them on a mental and emotional level (remember, you're a pro at this because you're more in tune with these inner workings than most). What are their big dreams and aspirations? What impact do they wanna make? What are their particular hangups, shortcomings and weaknesses? What gives them anxiety?