I've always been a story teller, for as long as I can remember.
As a kid, I spent my lunchtime reading a book.. or writing one. I very rarely 'played'.
I never got the concept of 'playing'. My mind didn't roll like that.
I liked the idea of learning something; whether it was from a book, from conversations [give me deep and meaningful conversation any day!] - I just liked the idea of connecting with new ideas and new conversation.
Fast forward twenty-odd years and my ability to share a story hasn't dwindled, if anything, it's grown into this really strange asset to sell myself NOT what I'm selling!
SELL YOUR STORY.. NOT YOUR 'THING'!
This is the key to reader engagement!
When have you ever paid any mind to someone who opened with a 'buy my thing' post?
I'm going to go as far as to say, how often do you read through a post, just to find that the end result is 'buy my thing' and you're kinda annoyed by it?!
I'm all for the hustle! I'm all about the hustle! But it's HOW you hustle!
"THE DETAILS ARE NOT 'THE DETAILS', THEY MAKE THE DESIGN." - CHARLES EAMES
Your story is 'the details' and that story, it makes your design!
Deep.. I know.. I told you I'm about that 'deep and meaningful'! But really and truly, when you have that realisation, it changes how you connect with YOUR PEOPLE!
It's not just details.. it's not just a story.. it's YOUR story.. it's what makes you different to all the other people who are selling what you sell!
People are being sold to all day every day.
Ask anyone you know with a social media account, they're tired of ads and they're tired of their Doterra selling friend [as much love as they have for her] for the single reason that they just don't want to be sold to every waking minute!
CREATE TRUST BY SHARING YOUR 'WHY'!
I'm a photographer. I photograph families, engagements and weddings.
You will never find a post, on any of my social media accounts, selling my service as a photographer. You will never read a post about how I'm offering sessions at a special price or that 'time is running out for bookings'.. I don't roll like that.
I don't even go to trade shows [you know, the big bridal days where vendors line the building to sell to couples?].
Let's take that Doterra friend for example.
I love Doterra! I use Doterra oils in my everyday life.. all about it! But I absolutely HATE being sold Doterra.
I like to learn about WHY I need these oils. What do I gain by purchasing more oils? How will my life benefit from using Doterra products?
Let's say our Doterra friend posted a photo of herself laxin' in bed in the middle of the day / snuggled up on the couch and then shared how she personally struggles with some naaasty 'that time of the month' cramps that are just debilitating some days but how she uses Doterra's ClarryCalm as part of her monthly ritual for #SelfCare:
"Today I'm doing me.
Some days I'm all 'GIRL POWER!' some days I'm all 'WHY DON'T GUYS GET TO EXPERIENCE THE SHEDDING OF A UTERUS!' - it's about balance.
I'm laid up in bed with my ClaryCalm, a cuppa, and treating myself to a dose of Gilmore Girls.
Ahh.. ClaryCalm.. my sweet sweet ClaryCalm.
Ladies, I promise I'll write a blog post / social post / email blast about this amazing blend, but today.. I'm an honourary Gilmore Girl.
Today, how are you doing YOU?"
Our Doterra friend has created a number of things here..
- She's shared a truth! Periods suck! They give us amazing things.. I have THREE of them. But maaaaan, the period struggle is damn real! PEOPLE RELATE TO THIS!
- She's given her readers.. her followers.. a piece of her life. She's sharing what her real life is on that particular day and it creates a feeling of trust - they feel like they're getting to know her and what she enjoys [Shout out to my fellow Gilmore Girls alumni!]
- She's shared how she gets through these tough days, with a shout out to Doterra's ClarryCalm blend.
- She's created a 'call-to-action'.. a 'how do you do you, boo?!' [I actually never say 'boo!'.. but let's roll with it!].. a reason for her readers to engage with her and respond to her question. ENGAGEMENT IS GOLD!
- She's followed it up with a promise to share all about ClaryCalm [her 'thing' she wants you to buy] creating intrigue but also creating a reason for her to do a dedicated post for this particular product later on!
But the most important 'selling point'.. she didn't try to sell you a damn thing!
YOU CAN'T SELL YOUR STORY BY SELLING YOUR 'THING'
It's an automatic reaction for most people to disregard your entire back story when you close with a 'buy my thing'.
I say, 'most' because there are a lot of people who give out trust like Oprah gives out cars.. but those people are a dying breed and, more than likely, your target audience [the people you want to buy your thing] they aren't the ones throwing trust around haphazardly.
Let me tell you, if I read through someones story and then they end with 'if you want to feel like this too, 'buy my thing'!' I'm probably going to be annoyed that I wasted my time reading their post and completely disregard any truth their story held for me because I feel like I got conned into giving my time to them!
You will struggle with obtaining regular engagement if all you are ever doing is selling your thing.
CREATE A COMMUNITY THAT LOVES YOU ENOUGH TO RECOMMEND YOU!
Everyone is awkward at that point of the job interview when their prospective employer asks,
"So why should we hire you?"
In the back of your mind you've got Destiny's Child doing an acoustic of 'Bills, Bills Bills' and you're wondering 'how conceited can I get before I just sound well and truly full of myself?'
I could never meet with a couple and sell to them why I think they should hire me! I'm awkward and I'm a complete introvert, so it's just not something I do!.. But my PEOPLE.. they've got my back!
I have created this community of people who love everything I love. They love seeing my babies grow up.. they love seeing how John and I approach parenting and homeschooling.. and they adore the images we share with them!
When our EM Community comment on a photo or they send us an email, we have genuine engagement because I've gotten to know who they are and where they stand in our online world and I truly appreciate them!
In turn, they show their appreciation for our work and what we share with them by recommending us to their friends and family and re-sharing our photos and blog posts.
When you create content for your target audience, without trying to sell them something.. when you just give and give and not ask them to do anything but comment on how they're spending their day or what their book suggestions are, you create a community of people that genuinely enjoy you and what you have to share with the world.. the rest will follow and it will be more organic than the other people in their feed who are all 'buy my thing.. buy my thing.. buy my thing'!
Test it out.. comment or shoot me a message and let me know where you're at in your business and what you're looking to gain from our 'GET SCHOOLED FRIDAYS'.. this section is ALL about you guys and what we can give to YOU!
hello@erinmichelethomson.com.au
