If you’re a human who owns a business, you’ve likely compared yourself to a competitor or another business at some point.

Comparison is common and natural, especially in our overly connected world where we have access to what everyone else is doing, and where everyone is sharing their successes (and generally not their failures or hiccups). 

The thing about comparison is that it tends to steal your joy. 

It makes you feel like you aren’t doing enough, and that what you are doing isn’t good enough. 

What a vicious cycle that is to be in. This negative mental chatter can impact our mood, productivity, creativity, and confidence. 

And so, as much as possible, we want to avoid this doom spiral.  

I guarantee every business has its struggles. But, you aren’t going to see those challenges transparently through what the business publicly shares online. 

Even when a business shares a raw or vulnerable message, it’s still a curated one, containing only what they want you to know and see.

Building a brand and business takes time. 

You’re going to start with not-so-perfectly-polished posts and captions. 

Your strategy might not be fully worked out yet (though I do recommend starting with a basic marketing strategy or else you’ll really just be throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks). 

You’re figuring out what your point of view is, who you serve, and how you want to show up in the world.

You don’t always have the budget to hire support, which means a lot of DIY solutions, Googling information, downloading free resources, and testing different tactics to accumulate data and make decisions. 

Not everyone has a well-formed vision of what that should look like from day one. But really, that’s not such a bad thing! It gives you room for growth and improvement over time, which your audience will likely notice and appreciate.

Here’s what matters more than everything looking and sounding perfect

01: Authenticity

Can your audience see and hear the real you in your content? Or are you holding back out of a desire to be perceived a certain way?

Here are a few ways to enhance the level of authenticity in your content: 

☐ Show up, even when things feel imperfect. The more you put yourself out there, the more comfortable you’ll feel. Share a look behind-the-scenes, connect with your audience, and establish a sense of community by asking for feedback. 

☐ Remind yourself regularly of your unique perspective and way of doing things. What don’t you like about the current landscape of your industry (this was likely your motivation to start your own business)? How does your approach differ from others already on the market? Sharing these thoughts and feelings can help you connect with others who share your perspective or are looking for your unique solution. 

☐ Focus on your ideal client, and block out everyone else (to a degree, of course). Who specifically are you hoping to connect with and support? How can you speak directly to them? What boundaries can you put in place to block out the outside noise and focus on what (or who) matters? Remember that it’s not your job to serve everyone. 

☐ Unapologetically share your values, mission, and beliefs as they relate to your business. What do you stand for? 

☐ Be real. This will depend on your business type and size, but as a solopreneur or small business it can sometimes be helpful to present your brand as an extension of you as a person. Using your name and real contact information (for example a personal email rather than a generic one), can help build trust in your audience. This also extends to sharing pieces of your story that are relevant to your business and what you offer. 

☐ Focus on responsiveness and personalization. As much as possible, when someone reaches out, respond personally rather than using an automated response. Let people know there is a caring person behind your brand.

☐ Don’t pretend to have all the answers, but share the solutions you do have with confidence! And if you mess up, don’t be afraid to own up to it. 

More than ever, consumers are looking to support companies they trust and who share their values. So show up regularly, share authentically, and watch your brand awareness and long-term customer loyalty grow. 

02: Expertise

Are you sharing your expertise in a way that helps your audience learn from you and take some helpful steps on their own to validate your advice? Or are you afraid if you share too much that they won’t buy?

It might seem counterintuitive to share your expertise for free when your ultimate goal as a business owner is to make money. But the truth is, consumers will be more inclined to purchase from you if they see some sort of transformation from the free resources or content you’ve shared.

Showcasing your knowledge online will support you in:

1. Expanding your reach and exposure – allowing new prospective clients to find you, and

2. Developing trust with potential clients before they purchase from you.

Here are a few ways to share your expertise: 

☐ Share testimonials from clients or customers who have already worked with you as social proof and validation of your strategy 

☐ Write blog posts that allow you to expand on your approach and expertise in greater detail

☐ Collaborate on podcasts with other aligned business owners

☐ Show up on relevant social media platforms, even if it’s imperfect 

☐ Create free resources that give a taste of your entire offer 

A good rule of thumb to follow when sharing advice and expertise is this: if multiple people can benefit from what you’re sharing, go for it! 

This might look like sharing best practices or general guidelines, an overview of your processes and procedures, blanket statements and suggestions, and more.

If consumers are looking for more personalized support or hands-on help, then they’re great candidates to work with you further. 

03: Repetition

Do you reinforce consistent messages in your content that speak to what you do and the values you hold in your business? Or, are you creating content that’s not rooted in key, meaningful messages?

This consistency is key when developing trust with your audience. It leads to greater understanding and awareness, and creates a sense of familiarity with those who see your content regularly. 

Remember, consumers often need multiple interactions with your brand in order to feel confident taking action (studies tend to show 7+ diverse points of contact). 

However, it’s not just about the number of touchpoints, but the quality of them. If your audience feels a disconnect between the messages you’re sharing, they’re likely to feel confused or wary of what you offer. Instead, aim for a general sense of cohesion and message clarity. 

Consider the physical places you visit often: a loved ones home, a favourite coffee shop, your local grocery store – you can find a sense of comfort and ease in these spaces because you know what to expect. 

Even if minor things change here and there, the foundation remains the same.

In a similar way, your core audience should know where to find you online and feel comfortable and at home when interacting with your brand. 

The decor (AKA your colours, fonts, or design choices) might change as you develop your brand, but the feeling behind your content remains the same. 

Consider: 

☐ What are your values and beliefs?

☐ What do you stand for?

☐ How do you hope to make people feel? 

☐ How does a potential customer know they’re in the right place?

Over time, this consistency will expand into all areas of your business – your chosen colours, visuals, and fonts, your brand voice, the tone and style you use in your content, and the systems and processes you develop. 

Don’t feel like you need to get there all at once though. Focus on your foundation and build on it over time.

You’re doing just fine

It’s time to release the pressure to try and be perfect. 

Even established businesses with large teams are still figuring things out. 

If you’ve incorporated each of these qualities in your regular content, you’re doing just fine. It doesn’t matter if you post raw, unedited videos or canned designs from the free version of Canva.

We all have to start somewhere. It’s better to focus on what matters rather than getting caught up in feeling like what you have to offer isn’t good enough just because the packaging is rough around the edges.

You always have the opportunity to tweak, optimize, and improve things as you gather more data, hire support, and refine your strategy over time. 

If you’re looking for a supportive community of business owners to share ideas with and learn from, the Magnificent Marketer’s Club is for you. 

We’ve created a virtual space specifically designed for small business owners that has the flexibility required for someone ​occupied with growing a business to get the most out of the investment, ​AND have made it wildly affordable with a ton of amazing benefits.

From content prompts to co-working calls to monthly workshops and discussions on topics you choose, we’ve packed the Club full of value so that your business can thrive, even in its beginning stages. Sign up today!