In the past couple of weeks, I’ve seen a lot of debate about how the online marketing bubble is going to burst. More specifically, individuals who don’t know how to be authentic in their marketing will likely burn out and bow out.
The truth is it does look like we are in an overly saturated market. That’s the bad news. Fortunately, there’s also plenty of good news. First, there will always be a demand for teaching people how to market themselves. The demand still far outweighs the supply.
Second, if you know how to market yourself then you really don’t need to worry about an online marketing bubble. Again, this looks like learning how to be authentic in your marketing. Here are some of the ways you can do that.
Find a business idea you are passionate about.
While passion alone won’t pay the bills, having a passion for your subject matter will definitely help in attracting paying customers.
I’ve worked with many people on a business coaching basis. Without fail, if someone really doesn’t like what they are marketing, they won’t make money. If they do make money, then it’s a struggle. The reason is that trying to push something they don’t care about doesn’t allow them to be authentic – and it shows.
Here’s an example of what I mean. A big portion of my business revenue comes from freelance writing. Do I write about writing? Do I create content about writing? No. I write about finance because that’s what I’m passionate about. This, in turn, leads to getting hired by financial companies to write their marketing materials.
Share your mistakes.
The biggest mistake I see business owners making in their marketing is trying to be perfect. Trying to be perfect is the exact opposite of being authentic. Furthermore, no one relates to perfect and in order for someone to pay, you must be relatable.
Many people are afraid that if they admit they make mistakes then they won’t be seen as an expert. The funny part is the exact opposite is true because making mistakes is how we gain experience.
I often joke that I’ve made a career out of sharing my money mistakes online. The truth is it’s not really a joke because I get influencer campaigns as a result of being so open and transparent about my financial mishaps. And, like I already mentioned, it helps people relate to me.
Share your wins too.
For the most part, people like to see other people win. It gives them hope and encouragement that they too can accomplish great things. This is why in order to be authentic, you must find the balance between sharing mistakes and sharing wins.
By the way, sometimes sharing wins looks like sharing the wins of your clients. I love sharing whenever my coaching clients are able to accomplish great things. I put their results in webinars, on social media, and in my email marketing. Not only is it great marketing, but it allows me to be authentic as I show that I can get people results.
Final Thoughts
I know for a fact that my ability to be authentic in my marketing has led to a lot of my business success. I’ve even had people tell me “Wow, you’re just as cool in person as you are online” upon meeting me for the first time. It’s because I don’t try to be anything I’m not, and that attracts people.
