1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,120 It's not about creating content and showing up for the sake of showing up, 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,160 posting every day so that you can say that you've posted every day this week. 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,839 But instead, it's about sharing content that is remarkable, content that AI 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:15,000 couldn't generate. That means being human. That means leaning into your unique perspectives, 5 00:00:15,039 --> 00:00:21,039 your unique insights, things that cannot be replicated by artificial intelligence. Welcome 6 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:24,800 to Imperfect Action. I'm Steph Taylor. For years, I read all the 7 00:00:24,839 --> 00:00:29,120 books, downloaded all the freebies, and did all the courses, but it 8 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:33,719 wasn't until I started taking imperfect action that my business had its first million dollar 9 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:40,759 year. Imperfect action is about doing things before you're ready, prioritizing consistent action 10 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:45,359 over perfect action, and moving forward even when you're not sure you're doing it 11 00:00:45,439 --> 00:00:50,240 right. On this show, you can expect mindset advice, actionable marketing tips 12 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:54,560 and strategies to build a business that brings you more profit, more freedom, 13 00:00:54,719 --> 00:00:59,799 and even more joy. Are you on the list to get my daily business 14 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,880 Every day, I'll send you a bite sized prompt designed to help you grow 15 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,879 your business in a more intentional way. Sign up at step taylor dot co. 16 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:14,599 Forward Slash DBB or at the link in the show notes. Hey, 17 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:19,439 welcome back to Imperfect Action. This is episode seven hundred and five. Today 18 00:01:19,519 --> 00:01:25,120 I'm sharing six mistakes slow down your audience growth. What I have noticed through 19 00:01:25,159 --> 00:01:29,640 having a lot of conversations with the students in my courses, through people who 20 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:32,959 listen to this show, through to people who are on my email list, 21 00:01:33,439 --> 00:01:37,200 is that online business owners are struggling to reach the right people and grow their 22 00:01:37,239 --> 00:01:44,439 audience because they're following outdated tactics and advice, and they have limited budget and 23 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,040 not enough hours in the day to do all of the things. But they're 24 00:01:48,079 --> 00:01:51,519 wasting their time on the things that don't actually get their business in front of 25 00:01:51,519 --> 00:01:55,239 the right people. And maybe maybe, as I'm saying that, you're starting 26 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:59,239 to think, oh, that might be me. If it's you, don't 27 00:01:59,239 --> 00:02:02,359 worry. Today, I'm sharing a couple of mistakes that are a waste of 28 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:06,680 your time, and as a waste of your time, they are slowing down 29 00:02:06,799 --> 00:02:12,439 your audience growth. Number one relying on social media to attract new clients. 30 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,560 I have been saying this a lot, but social media platforms are not a 31 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:20,840 great place to reach new people. They want you to spend money with them 32 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,240 on their paid ads, so their algorithms make it a lot harder for you 33 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:28,280 to stand out and reach new people. Every now and then, they will 34 00:02:28,319 --> 00:02:31,719 release a new feature. For example, when Instagram released reels a few years 35 00:02:31,719 --> 00:02:37,000 ago, and because they wanted everyone to use that new feature, they prioritized 36 00:02:37,039 --> 00:02:39,800 it with the algorithm and they would show that type of content to more people 37 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:44,120 in the feed. And that's when you hear everyone saying things like, oh, 38 00:02:44,199 --> 00:02:49,599 you have to be doing reels. But the problem is that as everyone 39 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:53,479 starts doing reels, then the algorithm now has to find a way to distill 40 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:58,400 what is good content and what is bad content. And then after a while 41 00:02:58,439 --> 00:03:02,240 it stops working. And guess what, I have thirty eight thousand Instagram followers, 42 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,120 which has happened over six years, not something that's happened quickly, and 43 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:09,199 it's not because of reels. And I post a few reels a week. 44 00:03:09,319 --> 00:03:13,879 And now if a reel of mine gets over two thousand views from thirty eight 45 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:16,039 thousand followers, two thousand views, that's when I know it's a good one. 46 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,759 Think about that two thousand people out of thirty eight thousand, and most 47 00:03:20,759 --> 00:03:23,960 of the people who are viewing that reel are people who are already following me. 48 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:29,319 It has taken me around six years to grow that Instagram account to thirty 49 00:03:29,319 --> 00:03:32,159 eight thousand followers, and most of this comes from people that I send to 50 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:38,680 that Instagram account from elsewhere, because the content that I'm sharing to Instagram is 51 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:40,639 not there with the goal of me finding new people reaching new people. It's 52 00:03:40,639 --> 00:03:47,039 there to nurture the people who are already following me. So instead of leaning 53 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:51,400 back, a great way to fix this mistake. Instead of leaning back and 54 00:03:51,439 --> 00:03:53,520 hoping that the algorithm is going to show your content to the right people, 55 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:58,759 start to build a visibility plan with the things that are going to actually get 56 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:03,680 your brand and content in front of the right people outside of social media, 57 00:04:03,759 --> 00:04:08,039 and then think about how you can create content that's going to make them stick 58 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:13,240 around and nurture them into buying from you. The second mistake that is slowing 59 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,519 down your audience growth is jumping from tactic to tactic or platform to platform. 60 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,519 So starting a podcast one month, then doing TikTok the next, and then 61 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:25,000 giving YouTube a try and jumping around searching for that one thing that will work. 62 00:04:25,079 --> 00:04:28,639 This is a waste of your time and your energy because there isn't one 63 00:04:28,759 --> 00:04:33,639 magic tactic, trend or platform that's gonna be the solution to everything. And 64 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,759 if there was, everyone would jump on it and it wouldn't be and it 65 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:41,199 wouldn't be as effective anymore. Like with reels, like I was saying before, 66 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,759 as soon as everyone started doing reels, the algorithm then had to find 67 00:04:44,759 --> 00:04:48,360 a way to separate the great content from the clutter, and so people's content 68 00:04:48,439 --> 00:04:54,720 started reaching fewer people organically. Then they brought in reels ads, so now 69 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,040 people can pay to sponsor their content and have it show up in reels. 70 00:04:58,319 --> 00:05:00,800 So then that meant that the free co was showing to even fewer people. 71 00:05:01,199 --> 00:05:06,519 So to fix this mistake, pick the platform or the platforms and the strategy 72 00:05:06,519 --> 00:05:12,519 that you can be consistent with over a long period of time. Consistency is 73 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:16,079 what build momentum. I've been sharing three podcast episodes a week for the last 74 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:19,759 five and a half years something like that. It feels like a very long 75 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:25,279 time, but that is how I've built this show to seventy thousand downloads a 76 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:29,360 month. Right, It takes a long time, but you need to pick 77 00:05:29,399 --> 00:05:32,240 something that you can be consistent with over a longer period of time, and 78 00:05:32,319 --> 00:05:35,240 once you are consistent in one place, then you can build on that. 79 00:05:36,079 --> 00:05:41,439 So because I'm already consistent with this podcast, then it becomes an extra step 80 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:44,839 to just switch my webcam on and record video and turn that into a reel. 81 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:48,160 But we started simple. I started simple. It used to be just 82 00:05:48,319 --> 00:05:53,480 me recording every single podcast episode, and now that I have a team helping 83 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:57,360 me, now I can build onto it and create other pieces of content off 84 00:05:57,399 --> 00:06:00,040 this podcast. But you need to start simple, otherwise you're going to find 85 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:05,920 it really hard to stay consistent. Number three, not being consistent in showing 86 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:11,279 up with your content online. This is a huge mistake. And usually if 87 00:06:11,319 --> 00:06:15,160 you're finding it really hard to stay consistent with your content online, it's because 88 00:06:15,199 --> 00:06:18,720 you're missing one of the three key ingredients. You're either missing a strategy, 89 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:24,920 missing structure, or you're missing systems. If you are stuck on what content 90 00:06:25,079 --> 00:06:28,920 topics to share, it's probably that you're missing the strategy piece. If you 91 00:06:28,959 --> 00:06:31,279 are struggling to create the content or get it in front of the right people 92 00:06:31,319 --> 00:06:35,399 consistently, you're probably missing the structure piece. And if you're finding that it's 93 00:06:35,439 --> 00:06:39,439 taking you way too much time and you don't have enough time to create all 94 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:43,199 of the content and get it all done. Then you're probably missing the system's 95 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,600 piece. So make it easy for yourself to be consistent and make sure you've 96 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,800 got all three of those in place. It makes it so much easier to 97 00:06:49,879 --> 00:06:54,360 keep showing up. And that is how you build momentum. It doesn't happen 98 00:06:54,399 --> 00:07:00,800 overnight. Okay. Mistake number four Sharing content that is unremarkable. Seth Golden 99 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,480 has this beautiful book called Purple Cow. It's one of my favorite business books 100 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:08,319 of all time, and he talks about how when you're on a road trip 101 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:10,879 and you see a cow, it's like, oh, there's a cow, 102 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,399 And then you start to see fields and fields of brown cows and it's kind 103 00:07:14,399 --> 00:07:17,199 of boring after a while. It's not remarkable because they're all looking the same. 104 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,360 But then if you saw a purple cow, you'd be like, oh, 105 00:07:20,439 --> 00:07:24,439 wow, there's a purple cow. But then if you started to see 106 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:29,199 fields and fields of purple cows, suddenly it wouldn't be remarkable anymore. And 107 00:07:29,279 --> 00:07:34,759 that's kind of what content online is like. Okay, there is so much 108 00:07:34,759 --> 00:07:40,399 content out there online, so much free content, so much how to tips 109 00:07:40,399 --> 00:07:44,319 and tricks and all of that, and now AI and chat GPT have made 110 00:07:44,319 --> 00:07:47,399 it even worse. Anybody can share a post on the five tips and tricks 111 00:07:47,439 --> 00:07:53,000 to get your dog to stop barking or whatever, and that's no longer remarkable. 112 00:07:53,199 --> 00:07:56,399 So now it's not about creating content and showing up for the sake of 113 00:07:56,399 --> 00:07:59,319 showing up, posting every day so that you can say that you've posted every 114 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:03,160 day this week. But instead it's about sharing content that is remarkable, content 115 00:08:03,199 --> 00:08:07,879 that AI couldn't generate. That means being human, That means leaning into your 116 00:08:07,959 --> 00:08:13,439 unique perspectives, your unique insights, things that cannot be replicated by artificial intelligence. 117 00:08:13,199 --> 00:08:18,079 Okay, mistake number five not being crystal clear on your ideal client, 118 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:22,759 your messaging, or your content pillars. In other words, you are probably 119 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:28,519 missing some fundamental parts of your content strategy. And without a content strategy, 120 00:08:28,279 --> 00:08:31,720 your online presence is going to be pretty blah. Right, You're going to 121 00:08:31,799 --> 00:08:37,600 be following that spray and prey approach where you are wasting time by putting content 122 00:08:37,639 --> 00:08:41,159 out there that's not going to resonate with or attract the right people. One 123 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:45,320 of the easiest ways to stand out online is to get crystal clear on your 124 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:46,879 messaging, Because if you can get the right message in front of the right 125 00:08:46,919 --> 00:08:50,240 people at the right time. That is when they will stop scrolling and pay 126 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:54,279 attention. Back in episode six sixty two, I shared seven questions to help 127 00:08:54,279 --> 00:08:58,639 you get crystal clear on your messaging. If you want a direct link to 128 00:08:58,639 --> 00:09:01,919 listen to that episode, send a DM on Instagram. I'm there at step 129 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:05,360 Taylor dot Co. Send me six six two, six hundred and sixty two. 130 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:09,279 Just the number and I will send you a direct link to that episode. 131 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:13,840 Okay, and then number six. Looking at to others for what to 132 00:09:13,919 --> 00:09:20,399 do and what to share online if you are looking around for inspiration and if 133 00:09:20,399 --> 00:09:26,879 you're in search of the solution for what topics to talk about online the right 134 00:09:26,039 --> 00:09:28,480 thing. If you can just talk about that right topic, that's going to 135 00:09:28,519 --> 00:09:33,159 catch the attention of your ideal clients. You're going to struggle to stand out 136 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,399 because how can you expect to stand out when you are doing exactly what others 137 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:39,639 are doing? Right? Think about the purple cow. If everybody else is 138 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:41,879 a purple cow, just being a purple cow, it's not going to make 139 00:09:41,879 --> 00:09:46,440 you stand out. If you're in a crowd and everyone is wearing black, 140 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:48,960 are you going to stand out by wearing black as well. No, so 141 00:09:50,039 --> 00:09:52,639 instead, how can you be creative? How can you bring in some of 142 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:56,120 your own personality, your own creativity. How can you share something that is 143 00:09:56,159 --> 00:10:01,720 different and unique, a fresh perspective take on something that has been talked about 144 00:10:01,879 --> 00:10:05,759 to death. Okay, so there you have at six mistakes that slow down 145 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:11,080 your audience growth. If you haven't already left a rating and a review on 146 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:15,159 this show, please take thirty seconds to do so. I read every single 147 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,159 one of them. It takes a lot of work to produce this podcast. 148 00:10:18,519 --> 00:10:22,120 My team and I put a lot of love into every single episode, So 149 00:10:22,159 --> 00:10:24,879 if you could please just take a little bit of time leave us a nice 150 00:10:24,879 --> 00:10:28,240 little note and we will be eternally grateful for it. Thank you so much 151 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:30,639 for listening. Catch you next time.