Many of my clients come to me because they feel like they’re in a bind. Either they follow the lead of marketing gurus but get burnt-out and overwhelmed marketing in ways that go against their quieter, introverted natures. Or, they believe that marketing is not for them, and struggle to build the business they dream of.
I used to feel exactly the same.
I thought that as an introverted, quiet and easily overwhelmed person marketing just wasn’t for me. That maybe I’d never even build the business I secretly dreamed of because I just didn’t have the energy or brain space to “show up all the time”, make reels, go live and be “everywhere my audience was”.
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Then I discovered a solution. An alternative where I can be who I am, attract amazing clients and customers and make my business a success.
And I want to share this way with you.
I believe that the way of marketing I developed has absolutely led to my business success.
I don’t think I would’ve surpassed my financial goals for the past two years without it. Or that I would’ve been able to scale down from four days a week at my part-time teaching job to two.
In today’s post, I’ll give you ideas about marketing for introverted, quiet and easily overwhelmed small business owners, freelancers and creatives. I’ll share what best works for me, and encourage you to try for yourself.
Marketing for the quiet, introverted and overwhelmed ones
There is a slower, gentler and more profitable way of running your business.
Discover your way of doing your business with my 1:1 mentoring support.
No hacks, no hustle.
Instead: marketing and launching that is slow, gentle and gets results. Clear boundaries and priorities that encourage you to live a life next to your business. Accountability and support to help you create the live and business you crave.
Strategy #1: Scheduling, scheduling, scheduling
The number one thing I struggled with when I tried conventional marketing was having to be ‘on’ a lot.
I don’t do well with marketing platforms on which I’m rewarded for my time and attention, on which I have to spend a lot of time.
I do well with marketing platforms that allow me to be intentional, to be present when I choose to, rather than feeling pressured to be ‘on’.
(Recognise this feeling? Take my free marketing quiz and get a PDF workbook with 3 easeful strategies to try in your inbox.)
Scheduling my marketing content allows me to create content when it suits me, and to not be present (or awake ;)) when it’s posted. Scheduling also allows me to be truly present with comments when I have deliberately set aside the time and energy to do so.
Scheduling is the thing that prevents the kind of marketing overwhelm I used to feel, and I love the calm being intentional like this brings.
Being intentional is central to my marketing philosophy, and it’s something I encourage you to do too in my marketing programme Grow. If you’re craving more intention, to feel more confident and calm about your marketing, I’d love to invite you to check out Grow.
Strategy #2: Being brave enough to leave channels that don’t work (and embrace those that do)
Without exaggeration, one of the things that still feels magical about my current way of marketing is that I get to market only in ways that feel good to me.
When I changed up my marketing in 2021, I was thoroughly fed up with conventional marketing. I decided to start focusing on the things I enjoyed, on my strengths and talents—rather than trying to force myself to market another way.
I stopped forcing myself to market in a way that I couldn’t sustain.
For me, that meant focusing on writing and rebuilding my marketing around it.
I began to make my newsletter work harder: to make sign-up easier through my website, to add banners to my blog, and make the description of my newsletter (and why people should want it) clearer.
I began repurposing my newsletter posts as blogposts, which I then pinned to Pinterest (another platform that allows scheduling and doesn’t reward being ‘on’).
And I did all of this even though at the time, in late 2022, my newsletter list was less than 200 subscribers big.
But it paid off.
One of my favourite parts of Grow is when we explore your strengths and desires. What is it that you’re good at, and what do you enjoy? How can you make that work harder in your business, without adding more channels or working harder yourself? How can we build your marketing ecosystem around your strengths?How can we make marketing feel as organic as possible to you, your business and your life?
Strategy #3: Take time off from your marketing
I’ve written before about how as a newish business owner I had a very detailed marketing spreadsheet.But even though I’m someone who is generally good at sticking with plans, I was never able to stick with my spreadsheet for more than a few weeks.
Because it was relentless. Because it left me with no room at all.
Marketing for the quiet, introverted and overwhelmed ones is marketing that allows you to take time off.
It’s the kind of marketing that is long-lasting rather than ephemeral.
Many social media posts have a lifecycle of barely two days. My most popular blogpost is two years months old, and my top three pins are from 2023 and early 2024.
Of course you don’t have to use blogs and Pinterest if you’re looking for evergreen, longer-lasting marketing. The beauty of Grow is that I support you to explore which ones best fit your strengths and business needs in Grow, putting together a marketing ecosystem and strategy that is all you.
I’d love to know what resonates with you from this post.
Please feel free to share this post it with business friends, in your newsletter or elsewhere. 💛
I’d love to support you in all phases of your business. Providing clarity, focus and next steps is something that my clients tell me I’m really good at. If you’re curious about how we can work together through 1:1 mentoring, check out what I offer or send me an email–no strings attached. I have payment plans available, and flexible options for mentoring calls.
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Sign up with your email address to receive strategies, experiments and tips to create a slow, gentle and profitable business–no hustle, no hacks.