As a coach, you may be intimidated by the prospect of putting yourself out there on social media. You worry that your followers will judge or criticize you—or at least find nothing interesting in what you post.
Although social media can be a frightening prospect for many coaches, it is also a powerful tool that connects you with your audience and allows you to showcase your expertise.
Here are seven tips to help shy coaches feel more confident on social media:
- Start small. If the thought of frequently posting on social media feels overwhelming, start by posting less often—once a week or so. This will give you time to get comfortable with your audience and figure out what works for them (and also make sure that they’re interested in hearing from you). As you become more comfortable with your level of activity, consider increasing it slowly.
- Find your niche. If you want to be successful in social media, it’s essential to know what kind of content will resonate with your audience and build a following around yourself. For example, if you’re a career coach, you might share tips on resume writing, job search strategies, and networking. If you’re a health coach, for example, your niche might be helping clients lose weight or feel more energized. This is the sort of content that resonates with people in this space and will help get them on board with your services.
- Use visual content. If you feel uncomfortable on camera, create visual content such as infographics or quotes to promote your message. Visuals are more likely to be shared and can help engage an audience without having a face-to-face conversation with them.
- Engage with your followers. One of the best ways to build a relevant and lasting presence on social media is by interacting with your followers. Respond to comments, messages and Instagram posts—and be sure to share content from other users that resonates with you. This will help you build a community of followers who feel connected to you and your content.
- Collaborate with others. Collaborating with other influencers or coaches can help you reach a new audience and share your expertise—it’s a win-win. You might consider guest-posting for someone else’s blog, participating in a webinar or podcast, or even offering to work with another person on crafting an online course.
- Use social media to showcase your personality. Sharing your interests, hobbies and personality on social media can help you form stronger connections with followers—making them more likely to want to keep up with what you’re doing.
- Be authentic. The most important thing is to be yourself on social media. Your followers will appreciate your honesty, and it makes the connection stronger when they recognize that you’re being true to who you really are. Don’t try to be someone else—let people get a sense of your personality from what you share with them online.
As a coach, you need to be visible on social media and connect with your audience. By following these tips, you can overcome your shyness and use social media to showcase your expertise. Remember to start small and be authentic, then build upon that foundation as you gain more experience with the platform. Your weak spot won’t hold you back if it’s part of who you are—embrace it!
