If you’ve ever felt like the best-kept secret in your industry, this is for you.
I’d heard it before but in 2017, I printed it out on my wall.
It’s ‘The Deepest Fear’ by Marianne Williamson.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
(It was included in the book ‘A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of ‘A Course in Miracles’…if you wanted to read more)
And I wanted to talk to you today about that little sentence – Your playing small does not serve the world.
You see, I work with business owners who work in competitive environments, where there are umpteen different operators.
I’m often asked when working with clients – how do I stand out?
But the reality is that many business owners follow the marketing of others.
Most times, business owners look at the ‘leader’ or the company that seems to be winning, the Big 4, Big 6 or Big 10 in an industry.
It’s easy to follow what others are doing, but you are hiding behind it.
In fact, I might so far as to say, you’re hiding in plain sight…by modelling your efforts on others.
Are you hiding in plain sight?
Here are some signs to show that you’re hiding in plain sight:
- You’ve got glowing testimonials… but they’re buried on a forgotten page.
- You’ve built frameworks, tools, or services… but nobody knows they exist.
- You’re booked, but not known.
- You keep tweaking the website instead of sending that email.
I get it…I was like that myself and there are times when I fall into that invisibility trap.
You may fear stepping into something where people – your competitors, your colleagues – may say things like ‘who does she think she is?’, ‘who put him on a pedestal?’, ‘we all say that, why do they think they’re different’.
But remember this, if you read no more of this article – these are not your customers.
Let me repeat that
These are not your customers.
The people who will talk like that about you will never buy from you, so why waste energy on them?
Another reason why you hide in plain sight is imposter syndrome. Now people have written books on this…but know this – if you can stand over the service you provide, the difference you make, then imposter syndrome is BS.
Imposter syndrome is real if, hand on heard, you can’t stand over your service or clearly articulate what you do.
Which is it to be?
Exactly!
Stand tall when you stand behind your product or service.
And look, there are lots more reasons why hiding in plain sight appears to be easier, but really it isn’t.
Because here’s what it’s costing you.
The Hidden Cost of Hiding
There are many costs of hiding. Here are two very important ones for you to consider…
1. The right clients can’t find you
Sometimes we take on clients because we have bills to pay, wages to pay and the machine to keep running. Sometimes these clients are the right ones and sometimes they’re not.
But by not owning your difference and shining bright, your ideal clients can’t find you. You need to be like the tribes of old….light a fire and attract the right people to you. By lighting your fire, you’ll attract the right people.
2. You don’t get invited into bigger rooms
You know those rooms, those meetings, those networking groups, you don’t get invited into them and it hurts. You know you’re ready to make an impact in them..but the problem is that the people already in the room don’t know you’re ready.
Because you haven’t shown them.
Owning your difference and turning up the light will illuminate you in ways that allows others to see you.
So you might be asking me….that all sounds fine Denise but how do I step into visibility, without selling my soul?
That my friend is a great question.
How to Step into Visibility (Without Selling Your Soul)
Very quickly, here are three ways that you can do today to take that first step into visibility…
1. Share a win
Share a testimonial, a new client, a new order – something connected to your business. Keep it factual, not fluffy. Don’t add any unnecessary words.
2. Use AI tools
Connected to number 1, use a tool such as ChatGPT or Gemini or Claude, whichever you prefer to stop overthinking your message.
Let’s say you’ve just signed a new client. Instead of staring at a blank screen or writing something cringey like “I’m soooo excited to announce…”, you pop the following into ChatGPT/Gemini/Claude and type:
“Help me write a short LinkedIn post to share that I’ve signed a new client. Keep it professional, confident, and factual without hype or fluff.”
ChatGPT’s Output Could Look Like This:
“This week, I’m delighted to welcome a new client in the industry/sector. They’ve chosen to work with me on [specific service/project], and I’m looking forward to helping them achieve [result/outcome].”
or
“This week, I’m delighted to welcome a new client in the [industry/sector]. They’ve chosen to work with me because of [reason 1, reason 2, reason 3]. I’m looking forward to helping them with specific service/project.”
Can you see how you can do something like that today or tomorrow?
It shows your experience in X industry, gives reasons for why others work with you…a testimonial without doing the work yet. Simple and factual.
You can accompany a simple branded graphic with the words ‘New Client Partnership” or “Welcoming a New Client”….nothing fluffy.
3. Build your YOU Factor
Your YOU Factor, which I coined, is having a message that is distinctly yours. It’s something that nobody can take away from you or copy you. Others may copy a tagline or model or get inspired by, but your YOU Factor is different. It’s your values, beliefs, experience, stories, family, business, career, that’s all yours – wrapped up in your marketing message.
That’s why I say Own your Difference, it comes from you, it comes from your YOU Factor.
This is where you can then share wins and other things boldly – because you’re sharing grounded in your own strength.
You’re not starting from scratch here, you’re starting from strength.
Let me finish with this – The world needs what you’ve build, but they can’t hire you if they can’t see you.
Being visible isn’t about ego…it’s about service. The world needs what you’ve build, but they can’t hire you if they can’t see you.
It’s time to become visible.
If this has struck a cord, then get in touch. DM here or email me at denisefay@achievemarketing.ie
Remember your playing small does not serve the world.
Ready to get more clients, more visibility, and more income?
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