Are you baffled why some seem to get all the attention, massive amounts of followers on social media, and hundreds of blog comments? Meanwhile you feel ignored, frustrated and a l’il foolish….

This is something I hear a lot from business owners wanting to grow their business online. Not only that they don’t know what to share, but what to say that is interesting.

They ask me; WHY would anyone be interested in what I’ve got to say?

I was having a conversation about this with a friend recently and it got me thinking about the difference between the businesses who fly online and those who don’t.

The perfect blend

They’ve mastered the art of blending business building content; subtle PR, list building and prospecting, with the necessary community development that serves their business growth further out and for years to come.

It’s this community development piece that is the most challenging.

It’s the show-up personality component. The bit that has us feeling exposed because we’re putting ourselves out there to be judged by the world wide web.

The piece that is more about us as individuals than us, the business.

It’s what establishes the strongest connection with your prospects and advocates.

The filter you need to use to create the strongest connection

You don’t need to tell us about your family, what you’re eating or where you’re spending your time right NOW if you don’t want to.

(Actually, we don’t want to know, thanks…)

The real answer is sharing information of value. Putting your content through a filter that asks:

• How will this be of interest or serve my ideal client or prospect?
• Will they find it educational, entertaining, inspiring or informative?

But what? Here are four ideas for sharing interesting stuff online that your community will love, and keep it growing so that you can bring more exposure to your business. And that means more people wanting to buy from you.

1. Your big secrets

We love to know what makes people tick, how they get their ideas, what inspires them and how they DO IT. Seeing passion in another being is hugely inspiring, and learning some of their ‘secrets’ feels like a very special treat.

Sharing what (and who) inspires you or behind-the-scenes business secrets can provide new insights about you that help your audience understand you better. Plus it helps them to learn about great resources, teachers and creative ideas that they can use for their own journey.

2. An open dialogue

Think about when you share a bottle of wine with a friend. You crack into the dialogue (and the wine) – both parties contributing to the conversation. Normally, that means asking about them or their thoughts on a topic to get the conversation flowing.

Online, there’s a subtle but powerful difference between making a statement (which is most people’s default) and turning that statement around to ask what your community think. This can make a huge impact on the popularity, reach and influence of your post. More importantly it can reinforce your reputation as an expert and influencer in your field.


3. Ha-ha-humour

Online is a relaxed environment, there’s no place for stuffiness here. And, showing your fun side gets people talking and sharing. Just think of all the hilarious videos that are shared on social media on an hourly basis!

There is always room for fun – no matter what business you’re in. It shows that you have a sense of humour and that is incredibly attractive to everyone. Just ask Russell Brand…



4. V is for vulnerable


We all F up from time to time. Or feel the burden of what we are trying to achieve with our businesses. On social media (Facebook in particular) too often we see the glossy oh-so-perfect side of people’s lives. It can be inspiring but can also make you feel like the least worthy or capable person on the planet.

It’s refreshing that as marketing online evolves there are more of the real stories emerging. The mistakes, knock backs and struggles; what it REALLY takes to build a successful small business.

Sharing honest stories shows that you’re human. It helps those around you make informed decisions (a 6 figure business in 6 months is the exception NOT the rule). Plus, knowing that you haven’t got it all sussed endears people to you securing strong bonds that create life-long fans and customers.

I’m not suggesting to always share what’s really going on as it happens (although there is a place for that), do it later with the benefit of hindsight and the lessons learnt from your experience.

It’s not so different from the environment we already know

The online environment and how we interact there isn’t so different from how we communicate in person. It’s simply people connecting with others in a very modern way. Only, it requires a little extra effort to make your actions and thoughts be noticed above the average. By using the filters and examples above plus, adding in the business building content too, you’ll go a long way to grabbing the positive attention you want to create success online for your business.

Over to you

Do you find it hard showing the personal side of your business online or is it something that comes easily to you? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments section below – let’s inspire each other!