Last week I was sitting on the beach reflecting on some of the client relationships that I’ve had over the past few months. As I’m sitting there staring out at the ocean I suddenly got hit with a bolt of clarity and the truth of what my clients’ really want came to me…they want to be known. They want to stand out in a sea of online coaches, they want to rise above the noise. They want to revel in the pleasure of being known.
But sometimes being known can be confused with being seen and the being seen part is what leaves people feeling like a nobody in a crowd of somebodies. So what does is really mean to be known?
Here’s 3 reasons why it’s more important to be known than to be seen.
Being known means your audience knows what you stand for.
For me being known means something deeper than simply being seen. It means that you have an audience that knows who you are and what you stand for…and they are all for it! When you are truly known you develop an engaged community of fans that are ambassadors for your brand.
Being known means that you are connected to the heart of who you truly are and have authentically expressed that to your audience through online platforms.
To be seen is surface level, to be known is to be revered for what you do.
When you’re revered for what you do you have greater influence and more impact.
Being known means the numbers count far less.
Being seen is a lot about the numbers. You know it. In fact, maybe it’s the first thing that you think of when you think about what it means to be known. But being seen is something entirely different. It’s about your follower count and how many likes you get on a given photo. It’s the popularity contest that is determined by the numbers on your Instagram or Twitter profile.
Being seen is a surface level experience in which people are more connected to your sexy hair, your big muscles or your svelte body more so than your essence.
When you are known however, the numbers count far less.
Being known is characterized by an engaged community, meaningful conversations and lasting impressions. Which means stronger collaborations and more opportunity.
Being known means your work is recognized and valued (which means more business!)
You’ve probably heard a lot that it’s important for you to be visible in order to build your presence in the online space, and that is totally true. Common sense will tell you that if you don’t show yourself to the world you’ll never be seen.
But being known occurs when your energy makes people want to look beyond your pretty pictures and your fancy words all the way to the heart of your work.
To be seen is one viral video making an ass of yourself or doing something outrageous, being known means you are doing the hard yards to connect with your people on another level.
