Last week I had the chance to try something new. Very new. I seized the opportunity to work with Isabelle from Leap Zone Strategies to help me figure out the world of digital products and digital marketing.
I created How to Communications to share my 20+years of public relations experience, training and teaching with a broader audience. But guess what? I have no experience in digital marketing. None. Zip.
So here’s the challenge. This website is about selling digital products that simplify and take the fear out of public relations so that people have the tools and confidence to better promote their businesses, share their stories and shine as professionals.
I’m passionate about helping people find and amplify their voice – if you’re not amplifying you’re weakening. When I’m speaking at a conference or doing corporate training, I do a great job connecting with the audience. But on a digital product website I’m a bit lost.
This is where asking for help and finding a coach/digital marketing guru/cheerleader extraordinaire came in. I knew that I only knew what I knew. In this case I know a lot about public relations and almost nothing about digital marketing. But to share my experience, and help others, I first need some help in figuring out and navigating this online world.
I went into my time with Isabelle leaving my ego at the door, anxious to learn. And boy did I learn. One of my first learnings was that while my website looked great (woohoo) it was a bit confusing and less than inspiring. What?? Wait!! I had written this website TO inspire people. Yikes!
Personalize the message
I quickly learned that while I understand all the templates and bundles so well, I don’t do a great job in helping others understand everything on my website. My first task was to go back and rewrite my entire website removing the corporate voice and inserting MY voice. (It is still a work in progress with my web designer making changes so stay tuned.)
This was my second big learning. After 20+ years of writing copy for other people, I had lost MY voice. Sure I have written two patient advocacy books, both based on my personal experience, and my voice is strong in them. But those are books. Do people want to know about me in my website? Turns out yes, since it’s my templates and advice I’m sharing.
I also learned SEO (search engine optimization) can only go so far. Yes, it can drive traffic to your site, but once visitors land it is my job to get them excited and let them know how I can help them go from being noise at the back of the room to standing at the front of the room and being heard. No amount of digital marketing can do this for me. And spending money on ads and adwords will only bring people to my front door, not make them feel welcomed.
I could (and will in future blogs) go on about other learnings from my time with Isabelle (which is not over yet as I have many more lessons to learn).
So remember – don’t be afraid about using your voice. People want to connect with people. Not with corporate speak, jargon or acronyms. But with people.
It took my time with Isabelle to remind me that I have a voice and a story to share. So it’s time for me to step into the picture and amplify my voice. Even though this is a digital product website, and I don’t have the opportunity to shake hands with every visitor, I can still let them know who I am, and what I stand for.
What about you? Where in your life could you be more you? Where in your life could you stand more for something you believe in?
Share with me your thoughts, if you are inclined. I’d love to see how you have made a small, but pivotal change.