5 Influencer best habits

Hi there! This is Johanna, your friend & Fairy Talent Manager, checking in. I know you’ve been busy with the many demands of being an influencer, but let’s be honest. Time is whizzing by & I’m fully confident some parts of your business need your attention. I know you don’t want to hear it, but it’s probably time for a little business housekeeping. 

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it (and trust me, you should) is to complete the following tasks:

Task #1: Update Your Media Kit 

As a creator, your Media Kit is essentially your CV. Your resume. Now is the time to give everything a good sprucing up so you can put your best foot forward.

Make sure to include  your most recent projects and social media statistics. Think of this as your carte blanche opportunity to do a real humble brag. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you start fiddling around:

• Does your introductory summary still describe the services you provide? (Is it the best up-to-date description of who and how you serve?)
• When was the last time you adjusted your social stats? Better yet, are they hyperlinked?
• Have you learned any new skills or created any new partnerships that are desirable to future clients? Sing about them from the rooftops! Showcase them and include links to view the content in real-time.
• Does it  look attractive? Are your logos, colors, fonts, and taglines consistent with where your brand is now? Would you want to hire you — I mean seriously?!
• Did you pick up any new social handles?
• What new testimonials can you add?

Remember, you want to be concise, so be ruthless as you separate your personal wheat from the chaff. The marketing managers you’re working with are short on time, and this is a competitive business. Keep it clean, keep it tight — and make sure you’re shining bright!

Task #2: Audit Your Social Channels

I want you to take a deep breath and recenter yourself. This one can be a little touchy. It’s not going to be easy. But I just know you can do it. Inhale, exhale. Ok. Let’s do this.

Every time you create something, you are gifting a part of your inimitable self. I get that. It’s part of what makes me respect the profession of influencing enough that I’ve made my career about supporting you and other incredible women like you.

But, as Patricia Fuller put it, “Writing without revising is the literary equivalent of waltzing gaily out of the house in your underwear.” As an influencer, you need to revise your work just the same as an author. This is your craft!

As you prepare to “kill your darlings,” the questions to ask yourself with EACH AND EVERY POST are:

• Is this photo (and caption) still on brand?
• Is this post representing me and my brand in the very best light?
• Do I love it? Is it a hell yes? 

If not, it’s time to archive it. Don’t delete it, but put it off your feed. Dorothy Parker put it beautifully: “Creativity is a wild mind and a disciplined eye.” Be disciplined in this part of the creative process.

Then, in another year, if you’re in need of a real confidence boost? Go back. Look at the graveyard of all the things you created to get where you are today.

Task #3: Send (Preferably Handwritten) Thank You Notes To Past Brand Partners

In this business, even more than in most other businesses, relationships are everything. As we enter the season of gratitude, take a moment to show your appreciation to the people who gave you a chance to pay your bills doing the thing you love.

Write a handwritten note. Or at least a personal email — make sure you mention something specific about the project you worked on, and not just copy and paste! 

At the end of the day, you’re helping yourself by keeping that warm lead list a little toastier in the chilly first months of the year.

Task #4: Compare Your Beginning-of-Year Goals To Your Progress YTD

Ok. Last one. It’s time for you to check the math. How close are you to your goals? There are lots of ways to measure what that means to you personally, but we can’t know if we’ve hit a target if we don’t state what the target is. 

And, if you didn’t do any written-down goal-setting last year, now’s as good a time as any to start. Here are some metrics to examine:

• Financial Goals – Too many women don’t talk about $. As a businesswoman, you need to talk about $. How close are you to where you expected to be at this point in your life? What do you need to do to fill the gap? If you’ve exceeded the gap, a.) AMAZING! And b.) what are your plans for the surplus? 
• Work-Life Balance – Part of this also comes down to $. Are you making enough per job to make the time-for-service transaction worthwhile? If not, how much of a raise are you going to need? Do you have the skills to command it? If not, how do you get the skills? 
• What did you want your social numbers to be in January? What are they now?
• What awesome client projects did you add to your portfolio?
• What new relationships do you have that you can leverage?
• What did you learn about yourself as a businesswoman?

Task #5: Pour yourself a glass of something celebratory. You did it!

Doesn’t that feel better? Now you’re primed and ready to start a new year on the very best foot possible. Cheers to you — for having the sticktoitiveness to make it through this housekeeping list, for being your own boss, and for always 👏making 👏 progress. That’s no small feat!

Until next time, friends. I’m rooting for your success!