4 steps to overcoming your fear of visibility

I was chatting with one of my lovely clients the other day and she was struggling with something that she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

She is building her amazing new business alongside her current job, has recently launched her website and then…. hmm. Crickets.

And so we discussed some ways that she could begin to spread the word about her new business and raise her visibility, and that’s where it became clear what her main struggle was:

How can I overcome my fear of being more visible?

Becoming more visible in your business can be a scary leap, especially if you’ve spent years in a corporate job where there was always a boss or team to hide behind. But the reality is that if you and your business aren’t visible to your potential customers, then you won’t have a business. It’s as simple as that.

Believe it or not, your customers want to connect with YOU and your story, and people are often attracted to brands where they get a sense of the real person and the journey behind them.

So if you don’t feel comfortable about promoting yourself, then how can you improve your confidence and visibility in your business, in a way that feels natural and authentic?

1. Work on your mindset. Becoming more visible can trigger all sorts of fears, confidence issues, ‘imposter syndrome’, feelings of self doubt and overwhelm. We work a lot on these issues in my Career Coaching Programme because if you don’t have the right mindset, then starting your business will be much harder than it needs to be (and if you’re asking yourself “Do I need to be an expert to start a business?” then read this blog post).

2. Make yourself accountable. If you’re an introvert like me, then you can probably find 100 excuses to avoid getting out in front of your audience! But finding an ‘accountability buddy’ and letting them know what you plan to do can make a huge difference. Set yourself some ‘visibility’ targets e.g go to a networking event, do a Facebook Live, send an email to your mailing list, post in a LinkedIn group etc, then schedule them in your diary and share your plans. It can make a huge difference if you ‘go public’ with your plans rather than keeping them to yourself.

3. Focus on being of service. If you’re struggling with sales and worrying about coming across as ‘pushy’ or ‘salesy’, then consider how it would feel if you approached your potential clients from a place of genuine service and desire to help them? That takes the focus off you and frees you up to do what you do best, which is to reach out and offer valuable solutions which will help people using your particular set of skills and strengths.

4. Give yourself time to build genuine 1:1 relationships. Just like in the ‘real world’, building relationships with your audience and potential clients will take time. So make an effort to show up regularly, be visible to them and engage in genuine conversations. Let them get to know you, ask them what they’re struggling with and build a connection. It will make running your business much more enjoyable and pay dividends in the long run.

So now over to you. Do you struggle with being more visible in your day job or in your business? What has helped you the most? I’d love to hear!

How to gain the one thing you want most in your career

How’s your July going so far? Are you following the Olympics? 🏅

I watched a documentary on BBC iPlayer the other day about the rower Helen Glover, called The Mother Of All Comebacks. It follows her journey to retrain for the Tokyo Games after having retired in 2016 to start a family. Her training schedule is absolutely gruelling, especially when you throw 3 young children into the mix including breastfeeding twins!

It’s an absolutely inspiring watch which I highly recommend, and it made me stop and reflect on personal drive and determination. What does it take to keep pursuing a goal, despite all the obstacles and challenges that life throws at you?

Can you think of a time when you went after something you really wanted and made it happen no matter what? How did you deal with any setbacks? How did you feel when you finally made it?

Reflecting on your past achievements can be a really powerful way to boost your confidence. And by remembering what has worked for you in the past, it can help you build a strong foundation for the future.

Tell me, what are you really proud of achieving?

Why you need to let go of the past

I was inspired by a friend this week.

She's having to make some tough decisions about letting go of the old to make way for the new.

But it's hard. Because the old is familiar. Even if it's not giving her what she needs, it's what she

knows.

Like an old familiar job. Or colleagues who have known you for years. Or an industry that you've always

worked in.

They might not be the right fit, but at least you know how to be in that environment.

Even if that version of you isn't who you really are, deep down.

Making space for the new, like a new role, or company, or business start up, requires a leap of faith.

Because it's unknown. Scary even.

But if it's a good match for who you really, truly are. Then you will know what to do, and how to flourish and grow.

Because you will be acting authentically. And playing to your strengths. Adn driven by a deep sense of purpose to make it a success.

That's what happens when you let go of the old, and create space for the new.

There is room for your authentic self to blossom and become something truly magnificent…