I made the mistake of scrolling the news first thing this morning and it’s honestly not put me in the best space to start the week. I think to say that a lot of us have been feeling down lately would be putting it mildly given the state of our country and the world. It makes it tough to show up on social media even though we know it’s important as a small business. I’m having a tough time even finishing this post if I’m being 100% real.
There are a few things that have been helping me to keep showing up though, maybe they’ll help you too.
First, be authentic.
If you’re struggling, say so. Talk about it. If you’ve been around my corner of the internet for a while you know that I recommend sharing more than just strictly your business. People want to know the person behind their favorite small businesses, and that extends even when times aren’t so great. If you’re regularly sharing on social media, this can feel easier than other times. We’re social creatures and we naturally want to connect. You’ll likely find that you’re not alone and that by posting about how you’re feeling you’ve encouraged others to reach out and connect too.
Think about your why.
I mentioned in my instagram stories today that this one really helps me. When things feel blah and meaningless in light of the news, I’m always reminded that my world would be so much worse without this community of amazing small businesses, and that I am so grateful that my work means that I get to help small businesses reach the right people every day. So while your work might feel like you’re “just” selling clothes, cutting hair, or taking photos, you’re part of something so much larger. There’s a reason you do what you do, help the people you help. You’re part of a larger community and that community is glad you’re there. Thinking about that usually helps me find a way to show up that feels right for me.
Focus on connecting outside of making content.
This one nearly always helps me find something I want to say but it’s also a great thing to do in general. I’ve curated my social feeds to have lots of my fellow small businesses in all kinds of different areas. Scrolling through their posts, seeing what they’re creating and putting out in the world and just feeling gratitude for the makers & creators determined to bring us a bit of goodness In our day never fails to give me a tiny spark back. Scrolling through my feed with the intent not to post content of my own, but to comment, like, and share the work of others never fails to put me in a better place when it comes to trying to figure out how I want to show up on social media even when I’m not feeling it. Seeing my fellow small businesses show up authentically & imperfectly never fails to inspire me.
Have a routine.
If you have a routine of posting, it can be a little easier to get through times where you simply don’t feel like showing up. If you always film a little chat while you brew your morning coffee, or like me you share a snip of your morning dog walk, those things feel like the extra ice breaker you need on days where its harder to get over the initial resistance to post.
This also applies to having a content calendar and batch creating at least some of your content on a regular schedule. I’m a big fan of a hybrid approach where you’ve got content that you created & scheduled ahead of time alongside more off-the-cuff content when it feels right or is relevant. Sometimes having your content already ready for you can help you have some time to step back when you need it, or give you inspiration for ways to show up when otherwise you wouldn’t be feeling like it.
Ultimately, sometimes we’ll all need a chance to step back and take a break when things feel too heavy. Give yourself grace when this happens, especially if you’re a one person marketing team that’s also focused on all the other things your business needs to do to make it through the week.
