Procrastination from ism studios on Vimeo.


 
Some many weeks ago I started this post on getting engaged online with your audience, starting steps 1 to 5. I intended to publish the rest of it sooner but what can I say… procrastination isn’t pretty, unlike what you see in the video above. So without any more procrastinating, here are the rest of the steps: 

6- Don't be afraid to step into unfamiliar grounds: It’s known that we’re creatures of habit, and we seldom like change for our fear of the unknown, well I say have some guts! Don’t get stuck in a circle of doing the same old things when they aren’t working for you anymore, and really start thinking outside of the box. Go wherever your target audience is, even if it’s a new territory for you. But don’t go in there blind, learn from experts and observe those who have already succeeded then embark in a new adventure. Worst case scenario, it might not work for you and you’ll fail, and that’s always an opportunity to learn something new. 

7- Don't just chase what's popular: This might seem to conflict with the previous point but it actually doesn’t. You need to figure out where you’re supposed to be, and not just assume where you want to be just because everyone else is there. An example would be businesses using social media. There many social networks out there with Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Youtube, etc. being the hottest. There are tons more that are quite popular, and you find businesses joining these every day with no sense of their target audience or how to reach them properly. So you see many business failing on one media or the other. Point is don’t go for something BECAUSE everyone else is going for it, go for it because it is right FOR YOU! 

8- Be persistent but not desperate or aggressive: So success doesn’t happen overnight. You need to do what you can in the best way you can, you might not reach your goals as quickly as you expect but don’t let that get you down. Enjoy any little achievement you make, and if you make none, still don’t quit. However, learn when to back off and have a little break, and be careful not to show up as desperate or aggressive. Don’t BEG people to notice you, allow it to happen naturally, or even plan for it to seem natural, but NEVER show you’re too desperate for attention from your audience or show aggressiveness and hostility why not so many people give a damn about you. No one wants to be around a whiny kid! 

9- Don't be afraid to show your vulnerable side: No relationship is formed on the perception of perfection or on deception whether a friendship, a romantic relationship or a business relation… sooner or later the relationship will fail once the truth is uncovered. The thing is: we all know no one and nothing is perfect so might as well own up to your problems. Don’t try to show yourself as an example of perfection by hiding your flaws and your problems, the smart ones will know there’s something fishy, and even if you fool the stupid ones, trust me those aren’t the ones you want on your side! What I’m saying is that as a corporate brand or as a person, don’t be afraid to show your weaknesses and actually take advantage of that by showing strength in owning up to your weakness and even trying to overcome it. 
Still, don’t this as an invitation to hang your dirty laundry for the world to see. Don’t confess of any murders you’ve committed or things that would label you as a freak (unless it’s the sort of thing your audience would love!), be smart about and only show the damage you know you can control. 

10- Get committed! And you’re finally there. I believe that going through the last 9 steps will prepare you to make a true commitment to your cause and get engaged with your audience! It isn’t something easy to achieve and the work doesn’t stop here, here is where it actually starts. This is the hardest step which will take much of your efforts and might tend to drain your energy, so make sure you learn how to avoid that. Commitment is a responsibility that involves hard work, patience, and diligence. But you know what the secret to it is?! It’s purely passion… If you’re passionate about what you’re doing or what you’re after, then you’ll enjoy every second of it and there’s no doubt that you’ll succeed! 

I hope my 10 steps prove useful to you, and as always I’d love to hear your feedback whether you have steps to add to this or whether you think I’m right or wrong (but don't tell me I'm wrong! LOL)


P.S. If you're wondering where the witty cartoons are like in the first part, well I don't have much free time now :P