I was thinking about today’s blog post and going back and forth between sharing an online course I am currently taking and maybe sharing something more personal about me and then the inspiration hit-share both!
I am currently taking a class to help me build my online shop. I am creating a lot of self-paced workshops and also my own art creations along with coaching etc. and I am excited to share them with the world. Marketing has never been a strong suit of mine. Well, scratch that, marketing myself has never been a strong suit. I am really great at sharing and promoting other people’s things but when it comes to sharing my own work, eh, there were never really results.
Not in the same way as other people anyway.
That’s when it hit me, I am not like other people and neither is my work.
(If you are a reader of my blog you aren’t like other people either).
We aren’t people who the normal marketing tactics work on. We will buy something from an unknown Etsy seller with no reviews because we really like the “feel” of his/her shop and want to support what’s being created. We will not buy from that really popular Etsy person because we can feel that their shop doesn’t really seem welcoming or our thing and maybe we just don’t get what the fuss is about.
In fact, we often don’t get what the fuss is about and find ourselves scratching our heads going, “Maybe I missed something?”
My fellow lone wolf-you haven’t missed something.
And there is nothing wrong with our friends who rave about things we don’t get.
We are all different.
We build businesses, relationship and lives differently and so when we try to market in the “traditional” way it doesn’t work for us because it’s not us.
I am gently being reminded by my guides that I am here to create what I am here to create. I am meant to be authentic and real, create, share, repeat. I am encouraged to learn and grow and search in my process to build my business, however, I am also meant to be decerning as I do so.
In other words, it’s great that I am taking a class on how to succeed with my online shop (especially because I am taking it with an artist that I love and whose work I enjoy). However, as I am taking the class it is up to me to listen to the material and take it to my heart and determine “yay” or “nay.” We have to determine whether a strategy or approach feels true and genuine to us.
I get it though, it’s frustrating when you have something really great, you create it you share and then-crickets. What I do know is that I am here for my purpose and I want to share that with people who get it and can benefit from it and I need to remind myself that I can do that and be sustained and supported as I do so.
You don’t have to fit the mold or alter your business or yourself to be successful. There are people out there who want to support you and your work and who truly get it.
Just keep doing you, keep being authentic and keep making and sharing your work. The energy of all of us doing our thing is powerful!
I see you.
Until next time…
-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante
I agree! Not everything you create is going to appeal to everyone–that’s what makes us all interesting and unique.
Yes Jen! Thank you for commenting 🙂