To grow your audience,
you must create better content.
To create better content,
you need a lot more practice creating and publishing.
To get more practice publishing,
you must get over the fear of your audience’s judgment…
Dedicate yourself to the practice of creating and publishing.
Detach from whether (and how) your audience engages or not.
When you are hesitant to publish content, is there any judgmental voice or face in your mind?
Don’t make your content for that person.
Or, if you’re discouraged from lack of engagement, it just means you get to practice your authentic expression before you have lots of people to embarrass yourself in front of ;-)
Create only with your (eventual) true fans in mind — they will love you no matter how you show up. They like the way you look, the way you sound, the way you move your hands, the way you talk, the way you write. Your true fans resonate with you as you are.
Consider this:
Your audience will grow far beyond the people you currently know.
Your network right now is tiny, compared to your eventual (big) audience. Your current people might not even be a good representation of your future followers!
So don’t make your content in fear of the judgment of your existing colleagues, friends, fans, or family. They are not your true audience.
If you continue publishing content, you will build an audience of true fans — people who love just about anything that you create! How many people in your existing network are like that? Maybe a few? (If you’re lucky.)
When I first started, none of my friends and family bought my stuff. Most of them didn’t care about my content either (or found it weird). My first true fans began to emerge as I created and published authentic content consistently.
The truth is that almost everyone who will LOVE your content, haven’t even discovered you.
Again — 99% of your eventual true fans don’t even know about you yet.
Think about it — there are more than 5 billion people online!
What if only 1%… of 1%… of 1% were your true fans… if they only knew you? That’s 5,000 people! Each of those kindred spirits would be one of your best clients, referral sources, or simply one who loves to read and share your posts.
Your true fans resonate with your energy signature. Somehow, your content and personality are just right for them. Like soul mates, except you have thousands of them online :)
Your true fans don’t need you to be polished or perfect. They don’t care about your “mistakes”, because it’s part of what makes you authentic and unique to them.
Therefore, if the thought of your current audience’s judgment is intimidating you, don’t think about them. If any of them judge you, just think “Thanks for showing me that you’re not one of my true fans!”
Make your content for your eventual true fans. They’re hoping to discover you.
How to reach your future true fans? I offer you 7 authentic reach methods.
For example, social media ads. With a few clicks, you could reach up to 3 billion people. Or if you learn to target your ads better, you could reach a few thousand of the right people.
Similarly, with collaborations, for example being interviewed on various podcasts, you could also reach several thousand of the right people without spending years growing your audience.
The ability to reach the world is at your fingertips. We no longer have to fear the judgment of the wrong people. You’re not making content for them. You’re making it for your 1,000 eventual true fans.
Create only for the people who — once they find you — would resonate deeply with you.
They’re out there. Create and distribute more authentic content. Give them a better chance of finding you!
I always love your work, George! You encourage me. Thank you.