It’s hard to create when it feels like nobody’s interested, isn’t it?
It feels like an ongoing problem doesn’t it? Whatever strategy you follow, there’s some kind of content to be created. Whether it’s social media content to gain trust and build relationships, or longer written/video/audio content to share more in depth thoughts and insights. It’s all a lot of effort, however you choose to do it. Energetic and emotional effort - even if it’s just one thing a month.
And once you’ve shared it with the world, what then? That’s the bit that can be really hard, can’t it? Waiting to see what happens. Does anyone engage with the post so you can add some more thoughts and maybe exchange DMs, does anyone visit your website for a browse, does anyone reply to your email or Substack post, does anyone rate or review your podcast?
The things we don’t see
But perhaps we have to accept that there are also things we won’t ever see. The person who forwards your email or DMs your post to a friend, or tells someone else about an interesting podcast they listened to. We’ll never actually see that happening - even though that may be where a future client comes from.
And that takes trust and patience, in a world where we log onto social media and it looks as if everyone’s got it sorted and they’re selling loads of the thing they’re always talking about.
As freelancers, business owners, selling services and sometimes courses, books, resources, we have to create some sort of content to explain what we’re selling, to whom, why we care about it and why it will help them with their problem. Even if we don’t create daily social media content (which would be exhausting!)
So how can we get used to creating and sharing and just letting it find its way to whoever needs to see it?
And when does that content lead to clients?! How long does it take? Are there other actions that would be more effective, or quicker?
I don’t know all the answers, I’m always figuring out new bits of that puzzle.
But I often find the summer holidays help me step back a bit. Having a total break for at least a couple of weeks. Scheduling content to stay visible, a bit of time engaging in comments - but not having much time to check in and obsess about views and likes, which is a good thing!
It means I have to just share the content and then go and live my summer holiday life, not sit in front of a laptop. It definitely helps focus my mind and my activity.
And sometimes there are nice surprises too
Sometimes when I’m creating and sharing and wondering, someone buys a thing from me, or replies to an email with a thank you for something they’d bought, or sends a lovely testimonial to thank me for my coaching - and those surprises are nice. 🙂
They remind me that it is worth it, I do help people, and I do create things that are interesting or useful.
How do you keep going with your creating and sharing when the world seems quiet? I’d love to know.
About me
If we haven’t yet met, I’m Nina Lenton.
I’m a creativity coach, helping freelancers and business owners to find space for creativity in their working lives, whatever “creativity” means to them.
I create structure and space for creativity and creative thinking through coaching, mentoring, project management.
I’m also planning some creative activities in Maidenhead for the autumn - but more on that one another time!
I totally get it! It's hard to write or create anything at all and not see an immediate response. I learned that trying to back to my old school blog. Even if people may have been reading it, it's hard not to actually see evidence of it. Even a like gives me a dopamine hit! That's why I decided to go back to Substack.