Here is a good article which outlines the pitfalls of ignoring words because we dislike them, but they are the words our target market will use. This case study involved client who offered psychic services but didn’t want to use the word “psychic” and wanted to use an alternative, suffice to say the person was shooting themselves in the foot, because their target audience used this word to search for services.
My client committed SEO suicide by refusing to adapt or modify her existing keywords and content, to reflect and support said keywords. The end result: her business failed. No one searched for her terms, and her site was never found. Why? Because she didn’t consider which keywords her target market would use. Instead of accepting suggestions that would have brought her traffic, she crippled all efforts put forth to make website optimization a success. She couldn’t get past her vision of how she wanted to label her services.
When I started working with Amy Beeson who is a freelance Brand Consultant and Coach she had a similar problem with me, many words currently for the services I provide I detested. I had a strong reaction to many words such as:
Psychic
Intuitive
Soul
Spiritual
Well you get the picture, when I started the business I wanted to steer away from all the clichés but I soon learnt that you need to focus on your audience, how are your customers going to find you?
This was a mindset change I had to make, and it sounds simple but it was a process which took time for me to get my head round. You have to remember that you’re not defining your work this way, but using the right keywords enables you to reach more people, and therefore spread your message and services wider, that is the end goal…..even if you initially balk at it, if you don’t use these words you limit yourself.
So are you limiting yourself and your business?
If you want to work with Amy Beeson, contact her here
It’s gone, I can’t get it back again….and it was good!
Ok, get your mind up from the gutter, it was a different metaphorical ‘cherry’. I have struggled with ‘coming out’ on social media (see here), I said that this was a challenge to myself which I am working through, so this radio show was a good start.
My friend has asked me to come onto her radio show awhile ago, I said yes not thinking it would be so soon, as distant idea. Well, it came round to Monday, and that invite turned into actually happening! I happily said yes and felt fine about it, calm and even excited, I could feel spirit round me giving me the support.
When I was writing notes I didn’t worry, up to a couple of hours before hand, It was fine, but then it hit me like a big rock, I am going on live streamed radio.
I AM GOING OUT LIVE….shit…SHIT!
I decided to focus on the full moon, and I sat just trying to stop those horrible thoughts that can cloud your mind about the fact I could choke, the words getting caught in my throat. I even started yawning, which was a disaster, how can I go out live with a yawn?
So I fell back into my safety net, I sat and called in the support of spirit, asked them to help me if I needed them, to gain any insight and focus for the show. I sat and felt calmness descend again, the yawning was helping me get rid of these fears, literally breathing them out. The feeling I was left with was…
You can’t fail…
Which is true, worst case scenario was that I talk nonsense, and if I did, I still did something new, something I needed to do, so the experience was important. This is what I love about mediumship, you always can get a pep talk from spirit, and it comes with a big energetic hug.
So I went back to my notes, normally being very Virgo I would have made copious notes, not having these would have in the past made me nervous, but not now. I know my stuff, this is what I have to remind myself, it’s all in my head regardless of the number of notes I have, it’s only a prop, I do my best work when thrown into the deep end, head first.
So when the radio show started I felt that same feeling again, that still feeling that I can’t fail.
So I went out live, I felt comfortable, in part to the support of the host, the lovely Astrid from Spiritual Alchemy. I am proud of myself, for accepting the opportunity, I thank my guides, my team for being there through the wobbles.
Right now I am reminded why I love my life, how when we open ourselves up, we create opportunities.
If you want to hear my first foray into radio, or simply want an alternative view of mediumship, then take a listen, here!
A comment on a group I created popped into my head this morning, how starting a business is hard for us ‘backroom’ people. Now I have no problem meeting people, I can network with the best of them, have been in customer facing positions for years, but this isn’t really the same thing when you are starting your business. Visibility takes on a new meaning nowadays, it’s about being seen online, being ‘outthere’, having a social media presence isn’t just about what you write, but people want to see you, they want to know what you look like.
Personality is what people need to see, they aren’t so much buying your expertise, but the experience which you can give them, and they are looking for someone they can relate to, someone they feel inspired by.
Are you my muse?
game over guru!
Years ago people were looking for a guru, looking for someone who was going to tell them how to live their life, they wanted a structure, to be told what to do, a god-like figure to save them. Now people are more focused on finding someone who they can be inspired by, not just the persons business but them as a person.
It’s not just about what they do, people are wanting to buy a lifestyle
People want to join a tribe, they want to be part of something, not just following a person, feeling like they are part of a team, changing together, evolving together.
Perfection isn’t what people want.
People are no longer looking for the person who is impeccable, people are looking for someone that is pure in intention but are happy to see their flaws, to see they are still a work in process, they may lead the tribe but they are by no means above them, looking down.
I am a sociable person, happy to talk to anyone, always the centre of a party, I am also very private about my personal life. so my main issue with being visible isn’t that I have to talk , I have way too much Leo in my chart to not like being on centre stage, the main issue I have is that you have no control online, once it’s out there it can be distorted, and at worse made viral.
Viral content is the holy grail for many, many ‘personalities’ want this to make their name because they need it, and it’s not always backed up with any substance.
Going viral scares me shitless
Nowadays even small deeds , good or bad can be recorded and posted, even if you are not posting it yourself, a good Samaritan takes a picture or a film and puts it out there. This can have its own legs, it can become a monster, I am not just talking about the negative side, positive deeds also don’t go unpunished, and lives can be put under a microscope by a well-meaning person who posts it.
I don’t like that microscope, maybe it’s in part an issue with control which might be the reason for the zombie dream (see that post here). Many people would love a moment of fame, me I prefer not to, I don’t mind being a big fish in a little pond, a party, an event, but out of the worldwide web….that’s another story, a scary story. It puts me off some small good deeds, lest someone has a smart phone and I find myself on the 5 o’clock news on a slow news day.
The issue is, to make the changes I want in the world, I have to come out, I have to be seen, I have to share the knowledge.
So here lies the dilemma.
To be a game changer, to effect real change in the sphere I am passionate about (relationships & Mediumship), I need to bite the bullet, to suck it up.
So I am going to have to put myself out there, driven by the desire to share my knowledge, to help others, leaving a positive footprint in the world. So again, another mindset change….
So this is my new challenge, and yes I will bring you along.
