How To Be the Face of Your Business When You Don't Want to the Be Face of Your Business
The other day I asked my mom if she thought people were getting "Lauren Fatigue." I’ve been sharing a lot of “wins” lately and I’ll tell you, it feels good but it also feels kinda spammy. I feel like those cringy people who are always giving themselves not-so-humble brags. You know the ones...
It’s never been my nature to brag or even humblebrag. I’ve spent a lifetime fighting low self-esteem, so I never felt like I had much to share. But all that is changing these days and it feels damn good. So I’m sharing. Even though it feels unnatural and un-Lauren-like, I’m sharing because it’s important to my business and my newfound mental illness advocacy work.
This brings me to my point of today. I have a lot of clients who are like me, they don’t want to brag. They hate being the focus of the business, so they push back when I write social posts that boast their certifications or when I incorporate their expertise into their blogs. They want to remain under the radar.
But in today’s world, business owners cannot fly under the radar. They have to be present. There has to be a face behind the business. Talking about yourself is KEY to building trust and establishing expertise. So, how can you do this when you're not too keen on the spotlight?
Here are 5 ways to be the face of your business when you don't like being the face of your business:
Start with an introductory post on social media. That's a quick and harmless way to get in front of your audience without feeling overly spammy. Everyone has to introduce themselves at one point. (DM if you need help with this!)
Share a testimonial. It's not bragging if someone else said it, right?
Tell a story about a client "win" that you influenced, and be sure to be specific about how you took part. This is a good method because you are really showing your expertise without the story feeling so me-me-me.
Talk about the story behind your business. Why did you start it? What was your background? For me, when I talk about the business, it somehow feels slightly less uncomfortable than simply talking about myself.
If you have a team, introduce someone on your team. Or if it's just you, introduce your pet or your family. Or simply share a photo of your favorite place and explain why. This is helping people get to know a "face" behind the business, even if it's technically not YOUR face.
That said, I have learned it's OK to share your big wins. Even if people are getting "You Fatigue"...it doesn't matter. They probably aren't your ideal clients anyway. And remember, social media is SO fleeting and people have short-term memories. Chances are not everyone is going to see or remember every single post. So go ahead and brag, if you want. Or try one of the tricks I mentioned...they're a good place to start!
