For many of us, the thought of putting ourselves out there in the marketplace can be as appealing as jumping out of an airplane. That was certainly what it felt like for me back when I started promoting my coaching business in 1999.
However, it turned out that knowing WHAT to do was only half the journey, because every time I tried to step out more fully, whether online or in real time, I had to walk through another inner wall about feeling really safe to be seen.
One of the things that helped me along the way was that every time I found (and applied) some good, clear advice on how to make my marketing materials look and sound better, I got a little boost of confidence to help me take action.
That’s why I’m very excited to introduce Pamela Wilson to you, and to feature this interview so you can get to know her a little better.
Pamela and I have spent the last several months creating a new program that combines confidence building with business branding and I have to say, I wish this program had been available for me when I needed it!
We decided to interview each other for our respective blogs so both our audiences can hear how our unique journeys have sown the seeds of this unusual program.
Click here to get our report, “9 Hidden Confidence Busters & How to Vanquish Them Once & For All.”
Susan’s Confidence Journey, and What to Expect on Yours
PAMELA: It’s unusual for a marketing expert and a personal development coach to band together to create a course. What made you realize this combination would offer something special?
SUSAN: What I learned from my own personal business journey is that confidence and self-promotion go hand in hand. Since childhood, one of my deepest instincts has been to hide or be invisible. So the whole process of building a business and realizing that I needed to market and promote it has been an inner call to come out of hiding — and in my work I believe that our soul always calls us down the exact pathways that will uncover our fullest, most essential self.
What I’ve seen in myself and in the many others over 14 years, is that every time there’s an increase in confidence and self-esteem, our comfort level and willingness to be seen and known goes up as well. And not just our willingness changes, but we start to experience a safety inside that tells us we won’t get the reactions that we used to fear from being so visible, or that if they do come they won’t shatter us after all. We’re OK no matter what.
PAMELA: Is the process of moving past these inner blocks painful?
SUSAN: I don’t see it as a painful process at all. I think inner work has gotten a bad rap in general, because people have gotten stuck in their emotions or haven’t had a process and structure to move them out of the past and into a chosen future.
Yes, there can be some emotion that comes up, but my process specifically trains people in how to identify with their larger “authentic self” or heart, and that’s a very spacious place. The blocked places in us feel small and painful, but our larger Self knows how to make space for every part of us and bring kindness and compassion to it and that’s what actually does the work of resolving the old blocks and limitations.
PAMELA: What kind of transformation should people expect to experience from the work they do in your part of the course?
SUSAN: The most important change in people who do this kind of work is that they gain the ability to be a best friend to every single part of themselves that’s hurt or afraid. When that happens, they cease to be afraid of their own fear and emotions and they actually have the ability to work with them constructively in any moment when they come up.
“They won’t be at the mercy of their own procrastination, self-sabotage or resistance anymore …”
That means they won’t be at the mercy of their own procrastination, self-sabotage or resistance anymore and they’ll actually have the awareness to first see it and then compassionately work through it to keep going on any path they choose, whether it’s promoting their business or skydiving.
Pamela’s Branding Obsession, and How You Can Benefit From It
SUSAN: What does going through the branding process actually do for people?
PAMELA: The branding process allows a business owner to crystalize the vision they have for their business, and communicate it in a way that it will resonate with their target market.
In some cases, a person may have a business brand already, but they know it’s not communicating their offerings as well as it could be. They’re simply not seeing the sales they’d like, or they’re attracting the wrong audience.
In other cases, they’re starting from scratch. They want to create a brand that will have a long “shelf life,” and will represent their company now and well into the future. But they don’t know where to start!
Once they’ve done the work, they feel great about promoting their business. They’re happy to get out there and spread the word, invite people to their website and pass out their business cards.
SUSAN: How does building a strong brand help a business grow?
PAMELA: Well, all the promotion that naturally happens when you’re happy with how your marketing materials work is good for business!
“Well-designed and well written materials tend to attract the right kind of customers …”
Well-designed and well written materials tend to attract the right kind of customers, too. When your business looks polished and professional, it’s seen as trustworthy, and you can usually charge more for your products and services.
SUSAN: What has made you care about branding so much?
PAMELA: I’ve been helping people brand their businesses for almost 25 years now, and I never tire of seeing the transformation that happens when good marketing materials are put into place.
Employees sit up a little straighter, you know? And owners feel great about getting the word out about their business. It’s just amazing when the message and the way it’s delivered align perfectly. It’s very powerful!
All these years, I’ve offered this service to larger organizations at a high price. But through programs like ours, I can work with people in a group format so they can benefit from this information without having to pay thousands of dollars for it.
Click to get our report, “9 Hidden Confidence Busters & How to Vanquish Them Once & For All.” You’ll find first about our Brand New Confidence course, and you’ll get first dibs on the limited number of spots available.
Many thanks to albany_tim on Flickr for the perfect photo.
