Overcoming Self-promotion Fears in a Busy Online World

The online world of business is a busy space, getting busier.

It can feel intimidating and overwhelming to put yourself out there at all, let alone figure out how to stand out and be noticed. If you’re feeling resistance of any kind when it comes to self-promotion, read on as I’ve got some great info and tips for you.

Here are the top 7 reasons why you might be hiding and the practical steps you can take right now to start showing up consistently and courageously.



#1 I’m so overwhelmed I don’t know where to begin

The ‘should-do’ list is massive and your ‘to-do’ list isn’t getting any shorter either. 

When you feel overwhelmed it’s a message from your mind that you haven’t prioritised. There’s nothing wrong with you, the key is to pay attention to the message. 

What to do:
Grab your pen and paper or open a doc on your computer and write it all out. Every to-do, from the ginormous to the tiniest of tasks, needs to get out of your head and into words. Go through your list and draw a heart next to the ones that are most important ie. they will have a positive impact on your business AND you have the resources to do them. 
Pick one task and take action on it immediately and you will begin to feel better in no time. Rinse and repeat.



#2 I’m just not feeling it today, I want to wait until I’m 100% so I can give 100%  

Ok friend, let this one go TODAY! Chances are that 99% of the time you won’t be feeling 100%. Do some rough math and you can quickly see how much you’re going to achieve if you stick with this idea. 

Imperfect and done is better than never done at all. Besides, who said they expect you to be perfect when you show up, otherwise you shouldn’t bother? 

What to do:
Commit to one small promo task that you’ve been putting off and make it happen, warts and all. It won’t kill you or your business if it’s not 100% perfect and you may even begin to feel a bit accomplished, making you want to come back for more.



#3 I’m an introvert and I’m terrified of putting myself out there

What’s your biggest introvert nightmare? Is it showing your face on social media, live video, networking events? Well, you might not like this news but being an introvert is no excuse for not revealing yourself. Many successful entrepreneurs are introverts and you can be one too.

In fact, many extroverted people have the same insecurities as you do, they just take a different (often louder) approach to dealing with them. As an introvert, you will need more recharge time but don’t let that stop you.

What to do:
From this moment forward, you can no longer use the “I’m an introvert” excuse. Take small steps to grow your confidence and trust in yourself, do not doom yourself to a lifetime of hiding due to a personality trait.

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#4 I’m too something (aka. I’m not good enough) 

I’m too tired, too old, too uneducated, too shy, too fat, too boring, too clumsy, too unwell, too fake, too real, too sad, too stressed, too overwhelmed and my hair is awful… do I need to keep going?

Little embarrassing but I used to have this crazy idea that all successful women had amazing hair. There was Marie Forleo, Gabby Bernstein, Amy Porterfield with their long, delicious, flowing locks. And then there was me! 

The truth is this – none of these things, especially not your hair, matter as much as your potential clients being able to get to know you. They need to see the real you because that’s how they’ll decide if you are right for them. Don’t assume that everyone out there is looking for perfect, people often find that too intimidating because it’s not like them. 

What to do:
Just be you. It’s totally ok and ‘your’ clients will be able to find you, as soon as you come out of hiding.


#5 I feel like a fake and/or she does it better than me

Have you ever wondered why someone would come to work with you, or even listen to what you have to say when there are so many fricking amazing talents out there already? Imposter syndrome and comparisonitis are two of the biggies that will keep you hiding, playing small and never putting anything out there.

The fact that you are here reading this should shed some light. Why are you here instead of tuning in to Tony Robbins with his 40+ years of coaching experience or watching Marie Forleo with her years of business smarts and gorgeous hair? 

You liked something about this enough to click through and have a read. Perhaps it was the wording, perhaps you like my style, perhaps it’s what you need right now at this very moment and it just happened to be in front of your nose.  

It doesn’t matter. The point is that you will deliver your knowledge and skill, your wisdom and your work, in a way that is unique to you. Some people (these are your clients) will need it just as you offer it. Other people will not connect with your particular style (these are not your clients) and that is perfectly ok. 

What to do:
Stop comparing yourself with others, especially those who are much further ahead on their journey, and simply show up in your own unique way.



#6 I’m scared nobody will like or want what I have to offer 

Truthbomb – it can totally happen! In fact, you can pour your heart and soul into something, or be skilled and passionate about your work, but when you present it to the world, you get dead silence in return. 

Now before you go running back into the closet let me make a loud and clear statement. This is not personal. The rejection or better put, lack of interest in something you are offering does not equal rejection of you. It means you need to tweak it, the marketing was off, your audience doesn’t need it, it requires a different approach. 

So what if no one besides your mother liked your first Facebook live? Try something else, try a different topic, re-evaluate and go again. There will be things that work for you and things that don’t. And don’t forget, a lot more people see your posts but don’t engage with them.

Another thing to consider is your audience size. If you are presenting something to an audience of 75 people, you’ve probably got about 0.75 of a potential paying client there. 

What to do:
Focus on growing your ideal audience and stop confusing other’s perceived value of your offer with your own personal worth, then you’ll see things begin to shift. 



#7 I’m confused about what to share with my audience, I don’t know what to talk about

You might know a lot and totally love your work but there are days when you don’t even know what might be interesting for others. Let me simplify that for you right now into three easy categories.
1.    talk about yourself and your experiences so that people can get to know you
2.    talk about the results your service/product gets for your clients
3.    talk about the things that are the biggest problems for your audience – if you’re not sure what they are then you need to find out. Ask them!

Whatever you do, do not hide behind pretty stock images, your logo and a bunch of positive quotes. There are so many businesses where you can’t see the person behind them and worse, have to search all over the place to find out what they actually do. 

What to do:
People need to know about you and what you do before there is any chance that they’ll want to work with you. Make it clear and easy for them with clarity and consistency. 



So which one got you nodding your head the most? 
Did I leave anything off the list? Be sure to let me know so I can add it. 

Jump into my free Facebook community Australian Women in Business today and connect with me and other like-minded people who are ready to grow and step up in their business.

Stop hiding your amazing self away from the world. You’ve got people to serve and they need to be able to find you. C’mon, don’t be so selfish ;)

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​Meet Melissa Kay 
A mother, lover of life, personal growth, and good coffee, Melissa has a passion for inspiring and helping others to dream big and take action. She owns and runs Melissa Kay Coaching where she focuses on empowerment and lasting transformation, so her clients can create a life and business they truly love. 

Ways to work with Melissa

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