Hey Eva, how do I maintain a public presence right now? I’m used to meetups and conferences and events and just posting on social media just feels like shouting into the ether.
I’m glad you asked.
We will probably never go back to “business as usual” after Covid-19 (I know. It’s a weird thought). Whether there’s a resurgence of the virus or simply higher awareness/wariness of large gatherings in public places, you’re wise to think strategically about how to build a public presence without… going out in public.
Besides, there might be a day when you’re on bedrest during a pregnancy. Or taking care of someone whom you can’t leave alone. Maybe you live in a geographically isolated place. Whatever the situation, you want more tools in your marketing and networking toolbox than going to events.
The key is to turn your public presence or events strategy into a convertible marketing strategy.
What do you Want to Happen?
A convertible marketing strategy requires getting super clear on what you want.
What do you want to happen because of going to events? Do you want to…
- meet new people?
- grow your email list?
- get invited to speaking engagements?
- build your LinkedIn connections?
- find new clients?
Once you know what outcomes you desire from going to events in public, you can chart a new course to those outcomes that doesn’t require going out.
A convertible marketing strategy — i.e. your plan for making what you do known, which until now may have been attend in-person events — is your newly charted course to achieving outcomes (growing your network) that is independent of any one medium (in-person networking events).
Say you’re a keynote speaker, for example. How can you take your desired outcomes for keynote speaking and convert them to other mediums like podcasting, writing, videos, or webinars?
Keynote Speaking to Video to Live Video
When I first started working with leadership speaker Selena Rezvani, she wanted to start publishing short videos on social media in which she’d share tips to help you improve your career leadership.
Selena is eminently qualified: she’s a TEDx-er, keynote speaker, and author. The mediums she was used to were writing and public speaking, but when it came to video… she got stuck.
“There’s something about having an intimate one-to-one conversation with a camera that is very intimidating,” she said. “I thought it was okay to approach video, and a keynote, and LinkedInLearning the same way. But when I sent my video to a friend, she said, ‘you’re grandstanding too much. You’re talking like you would in a keynote. You need to be warmer, like a friend in a coffee shop talking to her friend.'”
We worked together on translating what she offers in her public speaking appearances and books into a new medium: video. And it worked! Her Leadership Shorties videos earned 255% more engagement than all the rest of her content. They also led her to start Women + Work Culture, a weekly LinkedIn Live interview series, which is boosting her engagement further and growing her network.
Selena’s public presence is a critical part of her work. But when Covid-19 hit, she was ready to pivot and maintain her public presence by taking advantage of a different medium: social media, specifically video and Live video.
How to Convert your Public Presence into Marketing Strategy
How do you pull a Selena and convert your public presence into a convertible marketing strategy? There are three steps.
But first! A word to the wise: starting to market exclusively on social media can feel like donning an extremely itchy sweater and whispering your content to the dust bunnies under your bed. Be patient and give yourself a lot of grace. It will feel awkward at first. You might harbor some resentment. That’s okay, that’s normal. Here’s how you begin:
1. Figure out what you want
When public presence is a core part of your marketing strategy, you probably have a few intentions for the events you attend. Translate those goals to social media so you are effective and targeted in what you do and say online.
For example, if one in-person networking goal is to collect business cards of prospective clients, you can easily translate that to using LinkedIn to research ideal clients, and reaching out to them through a connection request.
2. The bolder you are, the better
The most targeted, effective and authentic approach to marketing is to have a clear, bold message — just like when you’re speaking in public. The more bold and uncompromising you are in your message, the more you will attract right-fit clients and opportunities like a magnet.
Think about the leaders you follow and the messages you remember. There’s nothing wishy-washy about them, right? Now is the time to challenge yourself to share what you really think, using the most direct language possible.
3. Do the next best thing
A lot of people are in your position: reeling because their speaking engagements and conferences and networking events vanished. Event organizers are in this position, too. If you can’t speak to a crowd of thousands, what’s the next best thing you CAN do? Can you…
- Reach out to event organizers and offer a webinar of your speaking topic, or a free resource?
- Pitch yourself as a podcast guest?
- Host a virtual networking event for a group that normally meets in person?
- Invite people you want to connect with to short acquaintance calls or small group conversations?
- Start an interview series and invite people you admire to be featured?
You CAN maintain a public presence using the powerful tools available on social media. Get clear on what you want, and dedicate yourself to harnessing social media just like you harness in-person events to reach your marketing goals.
And I’d like to help you craft a convertible marketing strategy that feels targeted, effective and authentic to you. So if you want to zoom out of this time period with a powerful strategy that will increase your impact and get you hired, I’d love to connect with you for a Discovery Session.
We’ll map out areas for opportunity to make your marketing crisis-proof, boost your engagement, build your network, and attract new opportunities like a magnet.
It’s free, and it’s fun. Click here now to complete a brief form, and we’ll be in touch to set up your Discovery Session!
Image by Christina of #WocInTechChat via Unsplash.
