Last Saturday, I went to do a couple of errands. First, I went to a little neighborhood shop to check out their new fall clothes. I spent about 45 minutes trying things on in the dressing room area with a couple of other shoppers while the staff brought us more things to try on.
When I was ready to check out, I went up to the register and gave my credit card to one of the women who’d been helping me. She looked at the name on my Amex card and exclaimed that she’s been following my blog since I first started it years ago. She went on to share some things she had learned from me, and even about me over the years when she blushed and apologized for seeming a little stalkerish. I replied, “On the contrary, it’s always good to hear that people care about what I write.”
When I left the shop, I was running late for a doctor’s appointment and called ahead to make sure they could still see me. The fellow who answered the phone was eager to tell me to come on over. He said that he saw my name on the schedule earlier and checked my email to see if I was The Judi Knight. I thought that was a bit strange but figured that he must have remembered me from a previous visit to their office.
But, that wasn’t it. When I arrived at the office, I was greeted by the man I had spoken to on the phone who explained that he worked at the front desk as a part-time job on the weekends and was saving to enroll in the next session of the WP Web Design Mastery Course. He went on to tell me how much he got out of the three webinar series that I did last month and that he had watched the replays several times. From what he learned in the webinars he knew I was just the person to help him fill the gaps in his professional development so he could take his web design business to the next level.
This double scoop of celebrity is not a usual occurrence. It blew me away to have two random people recognize me out in my life and let me know that what I do matters. And, since writing a blog post each week is a hard habit to keep up things like this help me remember why I do it.
In the mid-2000’s when I first started using WordPress, I was blown away that it offered anyone with a message the opportunity to get it out to the world. Over the years, I’ve grown my business by sharing my knowledge with others in the WordPress community and showing business owners what’s involved in creating effective websites for their businesses.
What I discovered along the way is that suiting up and showing up each week and sharing valuable information with my growing list of subscribers has created a steady stream of referrals for New Tricks. Sure, I know that strategy wouldn’t have worked if my team didn’t or couldn’t didn’t deliver the goods. But there are plenty of people out there that can deliver the goods, but they aren’t getting the clients they want and need.
Could it be because they’re playing it safe and not putting themselves out there? I’ve seen plenty of web designers, put themselves last and never focus on creating a website designed to attract their target clients. Maybe they feel uncomfortable claiming who they are and what they can do. But who else is going to write their story? By playing it safe, they end up with nebulous, boring websites which don’t work to attract and create loyal fans who want to work with them.
Here are five things to do if your website isn’t doing you any favors:
- Take the time to build a unique, business website for your business.
- Discover who your target clients are, what they need from you and let them know strait-up that you understand their issues and can help them solve their problems.
- Write content that is personal and creates a connection with your target clients.
- If you’re a sole proprietor skip the “we” and stay with “I.”
- Blog. Just do it. Offer your subscribers information that they want and need and write in a conversational voice that creates a connection.
Finally, if you are following through because you feel unworthy or uncomfortable in the spotlight, you’re not alone. I’m comforted hearing that Lady Gaga also feels insecure on a regular basis. Here’s what she has to say,
When I wake up in the morning, I feel like any other insecure 24-year-old girl. Then I say, ‘Bitch, you get up and walk the walk today.”
On days like last Saturday, I get reminded that doing this work and putting myself out there, matters and that helps keep me going.
How about you? Are you ready to suit up and show up and make a difference?
