When I started my business in 1998, I arranged to have myself listed in the local telephone books, Sydney White Pages and the Yellow Pages. Wherever you live, there will be a local version of the same. There was KatieMac Publicity, proudly in bold (purchased at an extra cost) on the greying ‘white’ page.
Anyone who had a business wanted to be in those phone books. This was very important. People needed to be able to find you. Occasionally we’d see a TV story about people who went out of business, because their listing didn’t run in the local phone book.
It was death by invisibility.
Today, the phone books don’t matter so much. We have online. But, I hear people say, “I’m not online. There’s too much out there already.”
Really?
I’m thinking about how many people I know who have left jobs, even reluctantly, and struck out alone in the past year. Australia has become the land of the self-employed. Every one of us needs an online presence or our businesses will experience death by invisibility.
And the magic – or peril – of this online world, is it’s interactive. You’re not just a phone book listing any more. You’re a photo, you are your opinions and you are knowledge and wisdom. You are also how you relate to others.
I speak every day to solo self-employed people and small business owners. I notice they are especially values driven.
And yet, as we create an online presence, we seem to hide who we are, what we believe or know and the experiences we’ve had. We don’t know how to bring our authentic selves, our knowledge and, especially, our values online. It’s as if the very thoughts and actions that would demonstrate our wisdom and potential industry leadership, are the very things we hide.
Paul Gilding, an Australian, is former CEO of Greenpeace International and author of the influential book, The Great Disruption, How the Climate Crisis Will Transform the Global Economy. Paul is a man who acts powerfully on conviction, supported by his values. I was extremely proud to publicise this book.
Paul has this famous Ghandi quote on his email signature, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
I would now add to that, “First they hear about you on the internet…”
I’m pleased Paul Gilding didn’t think, “There’s too much out there already.”
For anyone tired of invisibility and ready for a dangerous and authentic online presence: KatieMac Publicity presents The Dangerous Blog Workshop.
Three weeks ago I wrote here about Dangerous Voice. Two weeks later I presented my first The Dangerous Blog Workshop.
Here’s the feedback from the debut workshop:
“Katie gets to the essence of your ‘why’. She challenges you to feel the fear and do it anyway. I am grateful for some timely guidance that has allowed me to define my future mission and find my Dangerous Voice.” Kim McGuinness, Solo CEO
“Katie Mac is a genius at asking the right questions to get my Dangerous Voice out,” Maree Lipschitz, The Feminine Pathway.
‘Katie Mac shows us how the world is too full of dull to pull your blogger punches. Go dangerous, develop your out-of-left-field hook, get read!” Murray Hogarth, Wattwatchers.
“This workshop was engaging and inspiring. I got what I came for, confidence and determination to write very well.” Timothea Goddard, Open Ground and MTIA.
“Not just an inspiration, but a great source of information,” Nicola Robinson.
“Much more powerful than I ever imagined! Katie has the rare ability to bring her experience, skill and heart to serve people and their businesses,” Theresa Miller, Orange Media.
Click for Information and Bookings.
Thank you for reading and thank you for sharing with someone who needs to find their Dangerous Voice.
Love Katie x