Content marketing is difficult for many small businesses. There are many reasons people give for not posting widely or consistently. That takes too long. I’m not a good writer. I do not know how
But every time I hear someone explain why they can’t (or won’t) do something that would clearly benefit them and their business, I know there’s something else at play… fear.
Yes, many people are afraid of marketing. Maybe they don’t see it that way. But excuses are always a shield to protect us from fear.
And it’s OK. I admit it Marketing is scary.
There’s a good reason for the fears many people have about marketing. For small business owners, content marketing means putting yourself out there. It means putting your thoughts in writing and posting them on the Internet. It means getting in front of a camera or video camera to put your image and voice on your website and marketing materials. It means creating something from your heart to give to thousands of people.
Exposing your thoughts and your image and your heart to the world triggers fears for everyone. The fear of criticism. The fear of failure. The fear of rejection. The fear of the unknown. Maybe even the fear of success or too much attention.
Fear would make us make excuses. Or reduce our content to the size of a tweet and call it a day. Or, go for a clever ad and pay top dollar to have it buried in the middle of a newspaper or magazine.
Fear is normal. But that doesn’t mean it’s right. In fact it’s not!
The truth is, consistently posting good content is the best way for small businesses to attract more customers and increase their exposure. And the more content you post, the more effective it will be.
So how do you overcome fear? Bravely. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to act despite fear. If you wait for the fear to go away, you will never act. The trick is to feel the fear and do it anyway.
We all have the capacity for courage. In fact, courage is essential for entrepreneurs. It takes courage to start a business. It takes courage to work with your first client. And yes, it takes courage to write a blog, send an ezine, or create a subscription giveaway.
So if you find excuses as to why you haven’t done content marketing consistently, know that marketing takes courage. And then do it.