Getting Seen Online Doesn't Mean Being on All the Social Media Platforms

Welcome back to Be the Sought-After Entrepreneur Podcast, this is episode #5 and I’m your host Kathryn Thompson, and I’m sharing why being on all the social media platforms doesn't guarantee brand building, lead generation, or visibility in today’s episode.

Because the more social media platforms you’re on, the more podcasts you pitch and speak on, the more you do have nothing to do with BEing seen or establishing credibility as a leading authority in your industry.

But I get why most people believe brand building, and visibility means being on all things. Most marketing and sales experts are grounded in the masculine-driven approach of DOING MORE. So the majority of what they are selling is getting on all the platforms like clubhouse, Pinterest, FB, Instagram, Linkedin as the SECRET to brand building, increased visibility, and lead generation. And we saw this when Clubhouse launched in 2020. People flocked to join like it was going to be the ticket to their success. This is grounded in energy that something is missing, their marketing strategy, visibility strategy, and lead generation strategy were missing something.

It reminds me of black Friday deals. I’m sure we’ve all seen those videos of people mad dashing it as soon as the doors open to Walmart or best buy. And people fighting over the last toy or electronic device they want. It’s that frantic and panicked energy that is heavily displayed in the majority of marketing strategy tactics. 

So it’s natural that most business owners who aren’t marketers would trust their opinion. This is even more true when the platforms they are on aren’t working for brand building, lead generation, and increased visibility...or at least they don’t believe they are working. 

Right?

And this isn’t something new that I’ve observed. I’ve been working in this industry for 15+ years. 99.9% of business owners I’ve worked with tell me they need to get on more platforms to help with brand building, and lead generation.

They ask me, Kathryn, do you think I should join Tik Tok, or someone told me I should be on Pinterest. And that’s all fine and dandy if those platforms will help you connect with your audience, but if you’re already on Facebook, Instagram, or some other platform and it’s NOT working for your brand building efforts, and lead generation….adding another to your marketing strategy isn’t going to matter. 

The platform is merely a way to communicate and connect with your audience. It’s a way for brand building, get better visibility, and lead generation. So if you aren’t doing that already it’s not the platform's fault. The advice I’ve been giving for 15+ years is….master one (maybe two) or channels of marketing and when you do that, then add more if you believe it will reach more people. What are marketing channels….social media, traditional paid ads, newspapers, billboards, etc.

But don’t do it as a way of increasing visibility and lead generation, if you already have an issue doing that with the places you are currently in. Especially social media. 

The other big misconception is ‘grow’ your following as a way to increase visibility and lead generation. MORE doesn’t equal sales. Again, I get why people want more, it’s because the marketing space is all about selling the fact the more is BETTER. There are 1000s of Instagram growth companies selling the idea of helping you get more followers, helping with brand building and lead generation. But if you have an issue converting the following you have now, more isn’t going to help you. And more followers don’t establish credibility. 

This draw to get more….is the very thing keeping you stuck in the chasing, needy, energy that repels your audience, and affects your brand building efforts. And here’s the thing most highly successful business owners and marketers don’t tell is...they don’t chase shiny objects. They’ve cultivated the discipline to stay focused on their unique marketing strategy which includes how to increase visibility and lead generation. And that doesn’t mean BEING everywhere to get seen. And it certainly doesn’t help brand building either. And if it appears like they are on all the things, I can guarantee you the successful 6 or 7 figure owners have mastered a few before seeking more. And when they expand they hire people to help increase visibility and lead generation.

So, what is the trick to BEing seen….

The first step is taking inventory right now. How do you approach your brand building, visibility, lead generation, and marketing strategy in your business? 

Do you have one? OR… Are you winging it? OR… Are you wondering what brand building, visibility, lead generation, and marketing strategy are?

Because if you’re winging it...it’s likely because you haven’t fully embodied who you are, what you stand for, and what you want to achieve, as well as you’re neglecting your messaging strategy (which are the first two pillars I believe all entrepreneurs need to BE seen, heard, and sought-after). Because if you’re winging it….you won’t know where to BE, or if your brand building efforts are working and you’ll chase all the shiny objects that pop into your sphere in the hopes it will help increase your visibility and lead generation.

So, again I know the logical mind is freaking out, wanting the step-by-step plan to get seen as the leading authority, BUT...there are so many ways to connect with your audience, increase visibility, and lead generation. The trick is doing it from a place of truth and authenticity, compelling and captivating content, and visibility and brand building (wherever you choose to BE) will come.

Visibility doesn’t mean jumping up and down saying hey look over here, I’m here, pay attention….brand building and visibility are all about how you SHOW UP. And that hinges on your BEING. Not the action behind it, the DOING...of posting every day, or getting on all the things. The more you try to do, the more exhausted you’ll become. 

And you and both know...93% of communication is non-verbal. It’s all about the energy and intention that’s behind the doing that supports strong brand building and visibility and lead generation strategies. So, to feed the logical mind….step one is getting honest with yourself about your intention behind where you are showing up and how that will help your brand building efforts? Is it done in a winging it energy, hoping something will finally work? Is it coming from a place that says you need to or should do it a certain way to increase visibility and lead generation? Is it coming from a place, if I don’t show up all the time, I won’t get seen?

If you answered yes to those questions...the second step is reevaluating your embodied truth, which is pillar #1. And grounding yourself in your purpose, your unique energy, and what you stand for. It’s from this place you can start to navigate the messaging and how to create magnetic messaging that attracts the most aligned clients. Because from a rock-solid foundation which pillar #1 and pillar #2 provide...you can create a strong brand building and visibility strategy that isn’t a winging it type of effort, but more importantly one that is authentic to who you are, and can be expressed in an authentic way. This will lead to more authentic lead generation. Because without that, the visibility and credibility in your business just become a hey look over here, can you see me, can you hear, why won’t anyone pay attention, why won’t they see me as the authority I am. 

This pillar is WHY the majority of entrepreneurs are burnt out. They are trying hard to get seen and heard. And there is no cohesive plan for their brand building, visibility, and lead generation strategy. And they are doing it from a place of should and need while following a step-by-step, plug-in-play marketing strategy that won’t work. And they are doing it from the energy of pushing to get seen and heard instead, dropping into their embodied truth and unique self-expression which is the secret behind BEing sought-after. 

And if you keep operating from a place of needing to get seen and heard, where you’re winging it, or trying all the things then you’re going to continue feeling discouraged, exhausted, and wondering why your brand building efforts don’t work, and why you have trouble with lead generation.

So before we wrap up, I want to leave you with this: BEing SEEN and establishing is a vital piece but it’s not done by BEing on ALL the platforms, jumping from visibility and marketing strategy to strategy trying to find one that works, or even getting published. Our brand building, visibility, and credibility lie much deeper than the outward appearance of our business. And until we go inward and unlock our embodied truth and start living it, we’ll continue getting the visibility and lead generation we are an energetic match for and having people question our credibility.

This looks like…

Either no eyes on our content or very little visibility, it might be crickets when it comes to trying to sell your products or services, it can look like people questioning why you charge so much...this all starts with what’s going on inside. 

Do you complain you don’t have enough engagement, visibility, or lead generation? 

Do you get discouraged with how many people show up in your lives? 

Do you take it personally when people don’t buy your products or services? 

Do you wonder how to employ strong brand building techniques?

All of that is grounded in the lack of self-worth and value. It’s grounded in not-enoughness….and if you don’t heal that within you, you’ll continue to match energetically to it. And your visibility and lead generation will reflect it too. 

So the final thing I want to leave you with is…what meanings do you make and what stories are you telling yourself when you don’t get what you want or expect? 

I want to thank you again for joining us. It’s always my pleasure to share with you my unique gifts, in the hopes of helping you unlock yours!