The Art of Growing Your Business with Social Media (Even if You Secretly Hate It!)

So just about EVERYONE knows Gary Vaynerchuk (aka Gary V) and that’s no accident.

He recently said he knows he’s successful when 7-year-olds stop him on the street for a selfie. 

7-year-olds!

That’s freakin’ scary to me but it’s also helped me realize why I’ve been so allergic to social media pretty much since it all began. 

So I know that’s a strange thing to say especially since I teach people how to grow their business online…

But I’m guessing I’m not the only one 🙂

The Space to Be Wild and Daring

So maybe you’re like me and you don’t want to reveal  every aspect of your life on social media or maybe you secretly hate it and you don’t want to be always marketing on Facebook or Instagram or whatever it happens to be.

And so you’re probably wondering… 

How in the world am I ever going to use social media to grow my business? 

Okay so let me explain how you can still use social media in a way that’s aliigned with who YOU are…

Rather than feeling like you have to be a freak of nature like Gary V!

First thing’s first…

There’s only one Gary V on the planet and chances are if you’re reading this you’re not him.

Maybe you have some Gary V tendencies but if you’re anything like me, you’re probably leaning a bit more toward the “shy” side.

The truth is I’m more of a creator than a star. And that means I like to go into my “creative cave,” close the door and work diligently until I come up with something great for my tribe.

When I finally do emerge from the cave I can share what I’ve created with a lot of enthusiasm but I’m just not interested in revealing every single aspect of my life.

I wasn’t sure why until I read this Gustave Flaubert quote in the book Steal Like an Artist:

“Be regular and ordinary in your life so you can be violent and original in your work”

The author, Austin Kleon, interprets this quote as taking the risk in being a total bore in the everyday world so you have space to be wild and daring in your imagination and in your work…

And I absolutely agree!

A Peek Behind the Scenes

The truth is it takes a LOT of energy to be creative and I like to create in ways that are original, daring and imaginative. 

That’s where so much of my energy goes and because of that, my life is kind of boring… I don’t go out of the house that often unless it’s to hike or get food.

So my daily routine goes something like this…

I wake up around 6 o’clock — 7 at the latest — and I get almost straight to work.

I start writing and creating and I work all morning (I take a break to walk to the top of the hill sometime in the middle of the morning but other than that I’m tapping away on the keyboard!)

I have lunch around noon and after that I’m on phone calls, running my business and managing my team. 

I usually stop working by 6 or 7 o’clock in the evening. I have dinner, watch some TV, hang out with the hubs and it’s rinse and repeat the next day.

So my life doesn’t seem super original or interesting but my work is original and interesting.

I Heart Boring

So here’s the thing… 

I LOVE my boring life because it gives me the energy to create these wild, daring, imaginative things. 

And for the longest time, I just wanted you to see my creations and not see what was going on behind the scenes which, on the surface, looks like not much at all.

I believe that’s why so many people aren’t willing to let you see what really goes on behind the scenes on social media because they ONLY want to show you the moments of glory and glamor — the moments they’re on stage, the moments where they’re presenting online or whatever it happens to be. 

But it’s all those other moments — not the “spotlight” moments — that allow people like me to get into creative mode and produce a powerful body of work.

So when you look at social media and you start to feel overwhelmed or intimidated or you just don’t know where to start… start with you.

What your prospects and clients really want is for you to do you.

There’s always room in the world for an authentic voice and the world needs yours…

Not another, Gary V 🙂

So dare to be boring. Dare to be ordinary. Dare to be all that YOU are…

And don’t ever try to be anyone else. 

Over to you…

Do you think you’re more like Gary V, more like me or more like YOU? (Trick question.)

Share in the comments… I read and reply to every single one.