BRANDING FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Hi there, today I wanted to chat about possibly the most common block I encounter with my clients. Well, the second most common. (the first one is fear :) ).
Writing.
That time when you have to write your website’s content, create an E-book, or simply create some content for your social media accounts.
Hi there, today I wanted to chat about possibly the most common block I encounter with my clients. Well, the second most common. (the first one is fear 🙂 ).
Writing.
That time when you have to write your website’s content, create an E-book, or simply create some content for your social media accounts.
I’m not joking when I say I’ve had clients investing (let’s not say, wasting), many, many months staring at a blank page pondering on how to make a story of their ‘why’, their gifts, and what they can offer.
I must confess initially I found it really annoying. Back in the day when I was designing websites, content would be the thing that would stop a project right in its tracks. I would send kind messages to my clients again and again, and nothing would come back.
After seeing the pattern way too many times, I knew something else was going on.
The commitment that comes with writing, showing up and saying ‘ hey, look at me, this is who I am, this is what I love doing’, requires incredible courage, especially at the beginning of your business journey.
Some of the things I hear from my clients are:
What If I don’t get it right?
What if I change my mind? Or…
There are so many tactics on the web on how to write ‘the perfect one’… I don’t think I can.
My friends and family will say ‘who does she think she is, sounds like too much’.
I just keep getting sick, or panicky, or … stuck.
So why so much fear?
For hundreds of years, women’s survival depended on us staying nice, polite, quiet, and not rocking the boat too much. That lesson has been embedded in us deeply, so writing, speaking up and becoming visible, in a website, social media or any piece of writing, really can stir deep emotions.
Conquering the fear feels like a great feat. And because this is not commonly spoken about, with the feeling of being stuck, huge shame can arrive.
Your mind might say stuff like:
I’m so silly, why is this such a big deal
Look at this X person online, why can she write that and not me
I should just give up, this is clearly not for me
Etc, etc, etc.
So, the purpose of today’s writing is to let you know that you being stuck is NORMAL, EXPECTED AND BEAUTIFUL.
Birthing your work and your visibility with words takes practice, bravery, and mountains of self-compassion.
So as usual, a few tips that I find really work:
The quickest way to get unstuck is to get help. Find a copywriter that ‘gets you’, give her your bullet points, your imperfect draft, your multiple options and ideas. All the messy ups and downs and get her to craft it all in one! Works a treat, I do it all the time! A brand strategist can also point you on the right track!
Multiple times I’ve sent my clients to see a kinesiologist or healer of some sort. The fear that stirs up can be so profound that sometimes, we need energetic clearing to move on. If this writing thing is really shaking you up, consider seeing someone, do some work on the fear and what it means to be seen and show up.
This one works a treat for me.
Becoming very clear about who you’ve come here to serve takes the attention from you and onto the work you are meant to be doing. It is your audience and all those that you can help, that urgently need to find you, so an imperfect website or blog post can be more than enough. It’s about them, not you. Getting unstuck gets your work into the world much faster!
Getting used to the idea that it will never be fully finished. That imperfect is better than not done. That you’ll get many chances to iterate later down the track can be absolutely liberating.
I’m launching my new site soon, and let me tell you, it’s highly imperfect from a copywriting perspective. BUT for now, it’s good enough. My clients will forgive me, I will finally move on!
So here’s to words flowing, imperfect sites going live and our hearts lifting the burden of fear from showing up!
Would love to know any tips or rituals you have for writing and showing up!
With love,
Cris