And Use Emotional Intelligence as an Entrepreneur On Social Media
With the lack of trust in the coaching industry lately being a hot topic, more and more defensive content posts have been coming up. I see them every day as I scroll - and it’s not cool. I bet you feel pretty uncomfortable reading these posts because I sure do! I get that there are definitely some bad apples out there, but it’s time to stop posting defensive content and use emotional intelligence as an entrepreneur on social media.
How To Spot Defensive Content On Your Feed
Defensive content is also what I like to call insecure marketing. It is a type of content where you deliberately bash somebody else to sell your offer. I've been seeing a lot more defensive content on my page lately, and it's time to dive deep into why there's content like this. It's become super common for coaches when speaking to your ideal client, tearing others down in the industry when you disagree with them, so you post about why your way is better and why your opinion is more "right."
Create Space For Compassion Instead Of Judgement
The sad part about defensive content is it is still rampant even in a front-facing community of women supporting women. Over the past few years of being in this online space, I've learned that we need so much less judgment in this space and so much more compassion. We need less consumption of other people's content, more creation of our own, and staying in our own lane. It's become too easy to get lost in the obsession with what everybody else is doing that you lose focus of your own message and vision. If we all stop judging everybody so harshly about how they show up and what they choose to share, I am 100% sure that the online space would be so much more empowering.
It's Not Going To Attract Your Dream Clients
Do you want to attract clients who are attracted to defensive types of content? Definitely not! In return, these clients will be the first to probably make the same type of content about you if something were to not go their way in your service or program. As a 7 figure business mentor, I know I don’t want clients in my programs or mentorship who are attracted to drama and bashing because that doesn’t align with my business values. Or when I am looking into hiring a new mentor or joining a program, and I see them tearing others down to sell that offer, I am immediately put off from investing. There are so many more effective strategies for finding new clients rather than tearing other people down.
There Are More Effective Ways To Educate Your Audience
Calling out marketing tactics in an educational way for your audience is amazing, but you don't need to put someone down to be effective. I see too much trash-talking and bashing of the past investment they made or the way others show up for themselves. I get it, you're trying to educate, but there's a better way to do it. Do your research on positive marketing tactics to make polarizing content or to prove a point than throw someone else's business model, a past coach, or a past service provider that you worked with under the bus.
Take Radical Responsibility On The Investments You Have Made
You can educate on a past investment or experience, but it starts with taking radical responsibility and doing the research initially to make the right investments for you. If you are choosing to talk about an investment that you made or things that you would've changed, tell the full story from the perspective of how that investment actually helped you on your journey to get you to where you are.
Making an investment has never been a black-and-white thing. Everything leads you somewhere and has taught you more about your business and different viewpoints. Think about turning defensive content into this empowering lesson and moving forward. Defensive content creates the feeling of lack and scarcity instead of empowerment and excitement – this is what investing in someone is supposed to feel like.
How To Use Emotional Intelligence When Creating Content
Emotions can run high when creating content and trying to speak to your ideal client. Maybe you just got ghosted by someone you really thought was the perfect fit for your 1:1 mentorship, or someone in your container severely crossed your boundaries. I know how tempting it is to write a post about that BS excuse you hear from the potential client and tell her how wrong it is to not invest with you. But when you're in this space, remember this is a projection.
Consider the energy you're using to write that post and how it will land with your audience. Think about how you would feel if someone posted something like that about you. Are you doing it just to express your feelings? Is it to educate and activate your audience? Or are you just bashing to be able to sell your offer? There's a big difference between all of them! Evaluate your content before you share it and see how you would feel reading it. Some posts don't have to see the light of day because we wrote them at the peak of our emotions.
None of us know what it's like to be in someone else's shoes running their business. While you have the right to share your journey and your opinions, that doesn't mean you are right in tearing others down in the process. When running a business online where you are constantly creating and consuming other people's content, it is crucial to be aware of the emotional intelligence of what you are putting out there for your community to consume. If you're tired of creating content from this space, my 365 days of converting content prompts are just what you need to drive sales and help you build a loyal AF and engaged community!