I often get asked why I don’t use YouTube, Instagram, TikTok or the like to promote my coaching.

And there’s a couple of reasons why.

First up, I’m still not convinced that social media is the best way to promote coaching.  I know this might be a crazy idea (after all, social media seems to be the way to promote EVERYTHING).  

But coaching is somewhat unique, and I’ve found that simply having conversations with people and getting to know them has a much bigger impact than sliding into their DMs or posting a selfie of me on a beach.

Second, over the last couple of years I’ve discovered that I really enjoy writing (hence my emails and my LinkedIn posts).  And I want to keep doing what I enjoy (writing) rather than start to dabble in areas which I suspect I won’t enjoy as much (video production, being on camera etc).

And thirdly, the emails and LinkedIn already take up a good chunk of time.  Broadening out to other social media platforms means using up even more time – time I could be using to coach, or write, or even do nothing to let the next new ideas come through.

But let’s be real.

These reasons are a little bit wishy-washy.

And, if I’m being honest with myself, there’s a bigger reason at play.

Which is this:

I simply don’t feel like getting myself on other social media platforms.

And this isn’t me being lazy.

Instead, I’m simply recognising and honouring a feeling within me.  A feeling that tells me to stay off other platforms, at least for the time being.

I’m trying to learn to trust this feeling, so that’s what I’m doing. 

It takes some discipline of course.  It takes some chutzpah to ignore what people are suggesting.

Especially when some people say NOT being on YouTube or the like is missing a trick.  Especially when the big boys and gals use YouTube, Facebook or TikTok and do very well from it.

But just because other people use them doesn’t mean I’m going to use them.

The bottom line for me is to trust yourself to know what’s right for you…

To have the confidence that following your own knowing is more than enough…

And to go your own way with things, even if it’s an unusual way or other people are going a different way.

I’ve found that when I do something just because other people are doing it (or other people are telling me to do it), I tend to be less engaged with that thing anyway.

And it doesn’t go so well.

Food for thought perhaps?

That’s all for today.

 - Tom