What it really takes!

Last Friday I created and ran a content creation workshop.  I kept it very exclusive, only 6 tickets were available, that way every participant could get lots of one on one attention. It was literally the ninth hour when the last two participants decided to join at 9pm the night before the event was taking place.  I was elated to have a sold out event with guest speakers, six local business owners and the chance to share really valuable tips and information to help them stand out in their industries and batch create social media content to make marketing easier on each of them. 

I often hear people say their marketing isn’t working. They gave social media a good try and it’s just not for them. When I dig a little deeper, it turns out they posted once or twice a week for a month, didn’t like or comment on anyone elses posts and called it quits when they weren’t getting the business growth they expected.  

If you’ve tried this strategy and it hasn’t worked for you, let me give you a few tips to help you get that desired visibility and the big business goals you hope for. 

Lou Bowers presenting about content creation at the Shine Online workshop.

If you build it they will come… is not true in marketing. 

If you build it, tell people all the ways they will benefit from it, talk about it non stop for weeks and months (maybe years!) and personally reachout to more people than you originally estimated in emails DMs and through networking.  Create thousands (yes you read that right!) of connections and you will sell out a six person live in-person local workshop. 

It will all be worth it when you’re providing your product or service to your clients and it’s truly serving and helping them.  There’s nothing like it! But the grind of getting the word out comes first.

Consistency makes dreams come true! 

Real life doesn’t stop because you’re working on a big project.  Learn to bend.

While I was creating Shine Online and getting the word out about how it would give local business owners a jump start on their content creation and give them a solid social media strategy for the first quarter of next year… life got super real.

A family member passed away.

My dad had spine surgery.

I had a minor procedure in the hospital that triggered some MAJOR emotions.
And there was the regular school drop off and pick up, laundry, meal prep and other adulting to be done.

I even sent a message to a friend who specializes in burnout because I thought I might need a few extra tools.  

I got through by taking plenty of 10-20 minute meditation breaks under a weighted blanket.  Lowering my expectations on things that weren’t a priority.  (Clean laundry can simply be taken out of the basket and put on your body.  You don’t HAVE to fold it!)

I was still focused on the goal, and I mixed my hustle with intentional calm and rest. 

Don’t stop believing! 

Listening to Journey non-stop is pretty inspiring, but that’s not my actual advice for this paragraph.
When only 4 out of 6 seats were sold and it was 24 hours before show time, I could have shrugged my shoulders and given myself a pat on the back and congratulated myself because 4 people were paying to spend time working with me to help them get more visibility for their businesses… But what if 2 more businesses could benefit from my workshop and move forward in their growth?

I took out the excuse that it would be too last minute and I started DMing local business owners who might fill those seats. At 9pm the night before there were 6 people committed to attending my workshop and I was officially sold out! 

Don’t be your own rejection! Do everything you can to accomplish your goals! 

Find your support system and actually ask for support!
When I was feeling exhausted and needed some encouragement, I texted my mentor.  I also sent voicemails to besties asking for an atta girl because I’d been working so hard.  You deserve to have your needs met and you get to ask for it! 

How are you feeling about marketing your business?
What’s blocking you from creating social media content?

Let’s have a strategy session and see what we can plan for you!