Showing Up As Your Best Creative Self

No matter how talented you are, somebody else is being hired over you simply because they present themselves better than you. This has been the case for some time now. I was just sharing with someone earlier this week about how acquiring the technical skills to do things isn't that hard or special anymore. There was once a time that only the elite could gain access to relevant courses and training, but now anyone can with the few clicks of a button. This equalised the playing field in many respects as people now have more access to education and knowledge than ever before. However, opportunities still remain finite, so you have to have more than just the bare skills.

Here's how you can start showing up for yourself, so you can get paid what you're worth:

👉🏾 Showing up means being present

Social media is both a blessing and a curse for creatives. It's a blessing because is provides a platform whereby you can reach out to so many people, and most importantly, potential customers. On the flip side, however, with social media being more accessible than ever before, it's become so much harder to stand out. Here's the deal though, people need to know that you exist. People don't hire people they don't know exist; it's literally impossible for them to do so. Now, personally I don't trust a creative that isn't present on social media, because I rely on social media as a gauge for figuring out what sort of person you really are. However, this is bigger than just being present on social media. You can be present via your online portfolio by updating it regularly or a website, through well-functioning SEO. Show up by letting people see you, step right into that spotlight.

👉🏾 Showing up means being consistent

You've heard a million times that consistency is key, and that's because it really is. Not many creatives that I've met are as consistent with their online/digital presence as they could be. This is usually because they are far more concerned with getting on with the work, that they neglect their platforms completely. However, here's the danger in doing that. The less you post, the less people will see you when you do post. It's a catch-22. Again, though, this is not just about being consistent on social media. This is about being consistent with all the processes that help your run from initial enquiry to project completion. If you struggle with consistency, I always tell people to take their attention off the quality of the content to begin with and just focus on posting once a week at the same time, and slowly build up from there. It's a habit that has to be learnt. Some of you post your services just once and expect people to come running- people need to see it at least 7 times before they act on it, so be consistent with it!

👉🏾 Showing up means being confident

I love to work with creatives that exude confidence, because it helps me to instil confidence in them too. Confidence can be found in a lot of places, but I know that I personally feel the most confident when I'm talking about something that I'm particularly expert on. For others their confidence comes from the clothes that they wear or the tone that they take when on the phone. Make sure you're tapping into what makes you feel the most confident, because potential customers can really sense that. Plus, if they're going to be giving you their hard-earned money, then they need to have some assurance that you know exactly what you're doing.

Show up or shove out. The choice is yours, but just don't complain when someone less qualified than you gets hired.