THE 5 BEST KEPT VISIBILITY SECRETS

So, it’s that word again, VISIBILITY. I bet you hear it allllll the time. I know I do. And not just because I say it a lot! It’s a real buzzword right now and has been for quite a while. But is the hype justified? Well, for any of you lovely lot who know me, you know I’m not really about buzzwords. They just don’t do it for me. They get thrown around and used willy nilly, by EVERYONE, but they don’t have any impact. That’s why I want to talk to you about it today, and more specifically the 5 best kept visibility secrets.

Before we get into it, I just want to say this isn’t any old buzzword. This bad boy is the real deal, fact! Honestly, I would say it’s been the single biggest game changer when it comes to my business. Why? Because it helped me to go from just launched to established to expert, fast! The moment I started being more visible, and I don’t just mean Facebook Live (I’ll come onto that later), I mean truly visible, is the moment my business started to really take off.

It wasn’t always easy, I used to have the fear. I even had a nervous blink at first that decided to appear every time I picked up my phone! But I pushed past it. And what visibility enabled me to do is attract more of my ideal clients. It helped me to build my loyal audience and I didn’t have to work as hard to drum up enquiries, because people knew me, people knew what I stood for, and how I could help them. Don’t get me wrong, just because you’re visible doesn’t mean the hard work stops. No way, it just means you’re more likely to get that consistent flow of people and a bigger, more engaged audience who love you. That sounds pretty great, right?

Now, enough of the intro, let’s do this.

 

#1 – THE POWER OF STORYTELLING

First up, your story. Why has this got anything to do with visibility? Because when you are visible, you’ve gotta have something to talk about. You need something to say, otherwise it’s just you and your lil’ mug, right?

Plus, your story is one of your most powerful brand elements. Without a doubt. It’s the thing that brought you here. The why behind your brand. We’ve all got one. We all have something driving us. The great thing with stories is that everyone loves to hear them. But more than that, there is normally a moment in every story that you can relate to. Something that you go, ‘yeah, I’ve felt like that,’ or ‘AHA, I’ve been there, I know how that feels,’ and those moments are absolutely critical. Those are the moments you really resonate with your ideal client. Where that emotional connection begins. They feel like they get you, and because of that, because you’ve been where they are, they feel like you get them as well.

 

#2 – REFINE YOUR MESSAGE

You can’t just show up and say the same thing as everyone else. No chance. You’ll just blend into the background. Become part of the noise we see on social media every day. You need to stand out. You need to be different. You know what, you need to be a little bit controversial sometimes. A bit bolder. Oooh, yeah, I said it, but trust me, being a bit disruptive, saying the thing that everyone else is scared to say is a great way to boost your visibility. It’s a great way to get known.

Why? Because when you hear the same things, from the same people, day in, day out, it becomes predictable. It becomes normal. So suddenly when a person comes along with a fresh point of view. A new perspective on a problem, or an industry, it’s a shock to everyone’s system. It knocks people out of their comfort zone and shakes things up. That’s great when it comes to visibility because you become the person doing that. You get everyone’s attention. You stand out. And I guarantee there will be people out there who agree with what you say. Your ideal clients for sure, but I bet there’s people in your industry too, who may have been too scared or too comfortable to say it.

  

#3 – BE YOUR BRAND

This is another thing I talk about a lot, and you might read this and think, what the hell has that got to do with visibility. Well, let me tell you. The short answer is absolutely everything. Why? Because being your brand unlocks the opportunity to be visible anytime, anywhere. If you truly embrace it, and live it, wherever you go, your brand will too. You will represent it, and it will represent you. 

That makes being visible so much easier. And it also gives a face to your brand when you show up in something like PR, and a brand to your face if you’re meeting people. You won’t just be Nicki James, you’ll be Nicki James, from B by Nicki, and people will see your brand in you from the moment they meet you.

One of my favourite quotes, that’s been at the heart of what I do since I started my entrepreneurial journey is the fact that people buy from people. It’s an old quote, but honestly, I can’t tell you how important it is, and how relevant it is.

One of the things people love about small businesses is meeting the people behind them. Getting to know them, seeing their face, knowing how much each order means is so crucial. It’s not about a faceless corporation, it’s about a genuine connection, and by showing up, and showing who you really are, you can really boost that connection. Really land it and create something meaningful with your tribe.

 

#4 – MAKE PR YOUR FRIEND

So there are others ways you can make yourself more visible that step outside of the stereotypical Facebook live. Ways to get more visible to a muuuuuch bigger audience. And that’s through PR. Now, PR takes time and it’s not always the most instant success. But you need to know how to pitch, you need to know where best to be placed, you need to know about how journalists work. I decided to work with someone who knows the score. Who pitched me out to publications and found opportunities where I could show up to a bigger audience, whilst still giving my opinion, or telling my story.

And let me tell you, it’s now a major part of my business strategy. But, you always, always, always have to keep in mind who you are, what you stand for, and where your audience is going to be. There’s no point securing an amazing article in a place no-one’s ever, EVER going to see it, right?

The other important thing to consider is that not all PR is good PR. You’ve always got to be on your guard, especially with the way posts, or articles or comments can go viral on social media. So know your audience, know where they’re gonna be and trust your instincts. They have got you this far, and if something feels off, or not authentic to either you, your brand or what you want to stand for, it’s probably not right. And my advice, having been there would be to listen to yourself. Listen to that nagging voice in the back of your head, and if there’s any doubt whatsoever, step back, and move on to the next opportunity.

 

#5 – DONT RELY ON FACEBOOK LIVES

 Now don’t get me wrong Facebook Lives are important when it comes to visibility. In fact, that’s a lie, there pretty bloody key to doing it successfully. But that DOES NOT mean, that Facebook Lives is all you should do. I hear so many people saying “but I am being visible, I’m live all the time, it doesn’t work”.

Back in the day, I was probably one of those people. When I first started to hear the word visibility it was all everyone talked about. You have to go live. You have to do it often. And all this is true, but when you really understand it, and what it can do, you realise that being truly visible is about so much more.

So what can it be? Well, it’s getting those fierce, professional photos nailed for starters. Get that on-point and you’ll have options for your social, your website, your marketing and all the other touchpoints you need to show up on. Your face is absolutely key to being visible, so make sure you’ve got amazing shots you really want to shout about. It can be networking too. Getting to know more people, building connections in your industry so you get those all important recommendations. Word of mouth is powerful, and if another expert recommends you, you’re gonna be in high demand, trust me.

It can also be using Instagram. Using Insta stories so you get that real estate at the top of the feed is so important. You can use it to drive people to your post and get around those crazy algorithms (don’t even get me started). Show people a day in your life, or behind the scenes on set, or use it to tell your story, but whatever you do, make every touchpoint count.

Finally, before I leave you for today I want to make a couple of points. Firstly, get smart. Use all of your content wisely, plan it, and make it work across every channel. For example, why not upload a Facebook Live to IGTV and post about it in your feed? Or how about, showing off behind the scenes on your brand shoot using Insta stories. Think about it. Consider it. Everything you do, when you are your brand is a chance to be visible. So how can you capitalise while still being true to who you are and what you stand for?

Believe that you’re an expert every time your audience see you. Make that mindset your everyday attitude. I know it, you know (despite those WTF moments we all have) and they have to see it. Show up every day, bring that energy and you will burst through their screens. You’ll grab their attention and make them feel like they just HAVE to work with you.

Enjoy getting more visible, I look forward to seeing you soon.