60 | The Power of Showing Up by @Camille Freeman

60 | The Power of Showing Up

7 Plays

1 year ago

Why bother to show up when you can watch the recording?

Today, I'm sharing a simple yet often overlooked strategy for building your visibility and relationships within your community.

Finding clients and getting the word out about your practice can be a real challenge, especially when you're just starting out. It's easy to find yourself stressing over sending cold outreach emails to other practitioners or spending lots of time on social media in the hopes of building your referral network.

But there's another option that can make a huge difference: just show up for programs and classes that you're already interested in or signed up for.

What do I mean by "just show up"?

Here's an example:

If you sign up for a training or a webinar, don't just watch the recording later on at 2x speed. (Yes, I am guilty of this sometimes myself 😂).

Show up to the live sessions and participate actively in the chat or forum. Turn your camera on if you can. Engage with the presenter and/or the other attendees. Ask questions, share your thoughts and ideas, and be visible.

Instead of thinking of this merely as a way to obtain information or knowledge, understand that it is also an opportunity to build community.

When you are actively present at these kinds of events, you start to become known as an individual. People can get a sense for who you are, how you engage with people, and what work you do. When they feel comfortable with you, they are more likely to work with you personally and to refer clients who are a good fit.

But Camille, I'm too busy! I can't show up live.

Of course. I get it. You can't show up to everything.

Here's my advice: choose wisely and don't sign up for 100 things.

Only sign up for the things you're truly interested in and know you can make time for. Put them in your calendar and make them a priority. And when you do show up, be present and engaged.

Here's something you can do even if you can't attend live (or when there isn't a live option):

This is an easy one that surprisingly few people do: follow-up.

After the session or training, send a thank-you email to the presenter or other attendees you connected with. Take the initiative to stay in touch periodically.

This same idea applies for non-event situations. If someone's newsletter is a bright spot in your day, hit reply and let them know. Podcast episode blew you away? Leave a 5-star review. Cool YouTube video that answered your question perfectly? Give it a thumbs up and leave a kind comment. Using what you learned from a specific teacher every day? Email them to say hi and thank them, even if it's been 15 years.

You can easily make someone's day by doing these things, and it really does go a long way toward building relationships and community, which are at the core of a thriving practice.

The short version

Your presence matters. Signing up for classes, events, newsletters, videos, etc is not only about extracting information but also presents an opportunity to build relationships. Use it.

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