Give me a topic, I’ll research the heck out of it, and I’ll write an engaging piece of content.
But what I find most challenging is trying to write about myself even when I’m obviously my own subject matter expert. Do other people struggle with this? And isn’t it ironic (cue Alanis) that I find it hard to promote my writing business by writing about myself? Sometimes I get blocked like I’m working on a dreaded cover letter.
I’ve put a lot of thought into this and here’s the thing. First, I struggle with knowing what to share about myself and my business. Will my content connect with people (ideally), or will they think it’s weird (that’s okay), or boring (worst of all)? Well, I can’t control what other people think and I’m going to do this anyway, so I’ve got to get over that.
Secondly, I tend to undermine my experience and expertise as women sometimes do. It irks me when other smart and talented women sell themselves short, but it takes a lot of effort to stop myself from becoming overly modest. Marketing my skills does not come naturally to me. It can be hard and uncomfortable to put yourself out there. When people ask what I do, I often find myself downplaying my skills.
Instead, I should share all I’ve achieved through my years of communications experience and how I can use my knowledge to help others. Writing has been a huge focus of my professional life and a craft I’ve worked on honing for years. I’m talking nearly two decades since I took my first writing courses in college. Writing is a journey of continuous improvement and I’m learning all the time.
I find it rewarding to use my skills to help support other businesses. You know when someone is talking about their passion and they light up? My goal is to translate that light to the page so it can be shared with the world to promote that person’s business. Supporting people who are doing what they love feels right for me.
Bottom line: I’m not a marketing expert but I am a darn good storyteller. And my advice (especially for myself) is don’t let the worry of what others may think or your discomfort to try something new dim your light.