Showing up online is something many of us struggle with. And as product business owners, it can feel easier to hide behind your product. 

Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Helen Williams, a coach and the founder of Hey Helen Williams. Helen helps entrepreneurs to move online and overcome visibility blocks to get seen by the right people and increase their income. 

Today we are looking at something I struggle with myself, putting your face on social media. Many of us find it terrifying, so I wanted to find out why Helen thinks this is something so many of us struggle with and what we can do about it.

We talked about why it is important to show your face online, even as a product business owner,  and, importantly, practical strategies to achieve this in manageable, less intimidating steps. This episode was particularly enlightening for me, and I hope it offers you valuable insights as well.

The Bring Your Product Idea to Life Podcast  - Best Business Podcast Award, Independent Podcast Awards 2023

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Welcome to the Bring Your Product Idea To Life podcast.

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This is the podcast for you if

you're getting started selling

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products or if you'd like to

create your own product to sell.

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I'm Vicki Weinberg, a product

creation coach and Amazon expert.

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Every week I share friendly practical

advice as well as inspirational

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stories from small businesses.

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Let's get started.

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So today on the podcast, I am

delighted to speak to Helen Williams.

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Helen helps entrepreneurs to move

online and overcome visibility

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blocks to get seen by the right

people and increase their income.

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So what Helen and I talk about

today basically is getting visible.

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So we mainly focus our conversation

on social media and Helen talks a lot

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about the importance of putting your

face on social media, which I have to

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be honest, it's something that terrifies

me, although I have done it a few times.

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Speaking to Helen, um, why we need to

get more visible and importantly, I

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think ways that we can get more visible

online in really tiny baby steps so it

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doesn't seem so scary and overwhelming.

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Um, so I took personally took

a lot away from this episode.

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I really hope you do too, and I would

love now to introduce you to Helen.

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So,

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hi Helen.

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Thank you so much for being here.

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Helen Williams: Hi Vicki.

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Lovely to be here.

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Thank you.

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Vicki Weinberg: Well,

thank you for joining me.

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Can we please start by you

giving introduction to yourself,

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your business, and what you do?

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Helen Williams: Absolutely.

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So my name is Helen Williams.

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So I run a coaching business.

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So I work predominantly on Instagram.

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So I coach people who want to set

up online and get more visible.

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So, um, it's kind of two aspects to it.

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So it's a kind of mindset behind getting

visible and the actual practicalities of

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how our dear friend Instagram actually

works and how to get it to work for you.

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Vicki Weinberg: I'm so excited to

have this conversation because I am

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sure I'm not the only person listening

who, you know, uses Instagram, but,

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you know, terrified to put a face on

there or, you know, show it too much.

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I'm sure that you hear this.

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sort of thing all of the time.

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And that's actually quite a, maybe

a good place to start, Helen.

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What are some of the sort of common

reasons you hear from your clients

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as to why maybe they're not showing

up online and some of, you know, the

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concerns or fears they might have?

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Helen Williams: Yeah, it's funny.

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It's usually exactly the same things

with the, cause I do work predominantly,

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predominantly with females and it's

usually the things, you know, which

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we all have going through our heads.

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So, you know, what do I look like?

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Like, is my, you know,

am I having a bad day?

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Or just my skin, like it's

those, it's those concerns.

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And it's such a shame because

it's stopping that as kind of fear

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is preventing people from, from

doing something that they know

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will benefit their business and

they want to get closer to their

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audience and show more of themselves.

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But I think day to day, it's the kind

of, I mean, I feel it, I feel it myself.

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You know, I mean, I've got friends who

are like in Dubai and in the States

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and in lovely places that have the

warm weather and it is, it's easier to.

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To show up, you know, with a, you know,

a bit of a tan on your face and a sort

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of summery top that is when it's gray

and dreary in the UK and you do feel a

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bit like, you know, maybe huddled under a

blanket at home or something, it's harder.

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So, you know, then we all have these kinds

of things and, and I'm not sure if it's.

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you know, sometimes they're

excuses, aren't they?

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It's quite nice sometimes if

there's something that's pushing

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you a bit and you can think, Oh, I

won't go live today on Instagram.

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I won't do a, you know, talking

to camera because, and you've

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got a couple of reasons.

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Oh, my hair's not looking great or

I'm due a haircut soon or something,

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you know, maybe the little bits of,

of that, but it does tend to be.

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A lot of it is just purely the

physical stuff, which of course,

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nobody, you know, nobody would notice.

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The people that say things to me, I

look at them, I think, are you kidding?

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Like you look amazing.

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You know, just, we're so self critical.

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Vicki Weinberg: We are, you're right.

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And also I'm fairly sure as well

that nobody's actually, as you

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say, judging how we look because

I've never watched somebody's.

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story or live and gone, Oh,

I don't like their hair.

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And I'm sure that's not just me,

but I just think as people, we're

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so much more critical of ourselves

and other people are of us.

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The things we noticed like

nobody else probably does.

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Helen Williams: No, I

know it's crazy, isn't it?

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It's um, because as you say, if people

were really that offended by the fact

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that you needed your roots doing or

something like that, they, you know,

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if they, they were that critical, they

would, they wouldn't listen to you.

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You know, you, you tend to.

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With Instagram, you have choice of

who you follow and who you know.

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Our time is precious, so people aren't

gonna, you know, I don't think many

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people are going to give up their

precious time just to, you know,

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pull someone, , pull some poor person

apart who's put themselves out there.

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So, but it, it is just these

things in our head, isn't it?

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Vicki Weinberg: Yeah.

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And also I'll be very honest.

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I don't want the people to watch me.

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If that's, you know, if people who are

going, who are watching just to say,

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well, your hair doesn't look nice.

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They're not kind of the people

I want to attract and work

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with anyway, if I'm honest.

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Helen Williams: I know.

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That's it.

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Yeah.

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So you want, you know,

obviously people, um.

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If you're using Instagram for business,

you want the people who follow you

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to be, you know, supporting you and

perhaps, you know, work with you.

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Maybe you'll work with them, whatever

that is, but it's a positive union.

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So yeah, you're right.

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You don't, you know, if they want

to unfollow you, that's amazing.

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If they're the kind of person who's

judgmental about haircut, then good.

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Vicki Weinberg: Yeah, absolutely.

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Okay.

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So we've talked a little bit about

why we might, we might be all a bit

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afraid to get on Instagram and show our

faces, but why should we be doing it?

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What are some of the benefits

and the reasons that we should

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need to be a bit braver?

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Helen Williams: Yeah.

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So it's, it's such a key thing with

Instagram because, um, obviously we

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see a lot of, a lot of the big brands,

you know, you expect in advertising

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marketing, you expect to see a polished

product, you know, but over the years.

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Where you've had like models and it's very

unrelatable and obviously it gives people

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sort of body, you know, disform, you know,

uh, coming with a word, dysmorphic, you

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know, kind of issues around seeing these

perfect models in advertising now, you

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know, even the big brands are using more

relatable models and real, real people.

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So it's kind of filtering down from

a higher level, but particularly

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with small businesses on Instagram,

you know, single, single people who

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are just running a business like

coaching or selling a product, a

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small, typically a small business.

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It's, it's so important.

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People want to see them.

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They want to see that face.

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They want to get to know them a

little bit, and there's only so much

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getting to know somebody you can do.

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Through, I mean, a photo is okay.

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It's better than just a graphic, for

example, you know, but actually hearing

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somebody's voice, seeing the expressions

that, you know, there's a lot that comes

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across in people's expressions in their

face, their mannerisms, their, you know,

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whether they talk with their hands,

whether they get quite excited and sort

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of show disappointment, there's, there's

so much emotion that comes into it.

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And that is what ultimately

people will buy into, because

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with your product or your service.

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It's, it's not just that, you

know, they, people want to

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get to know a story behind it.

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They want to get to know

the person behind it.

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And you can only really do that by

layering these kinds of like storytelling

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and, you know, a bit of your personality,

you know, if it's, if it's a product, they

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want to see how you're using it, you know,

because that's, that's really relatable

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if it is a product and the person is

using the product or wearing the product.

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That's, that's when we automatically

as humans kind of see ourselves using

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that product or wearing that product.

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If it's, if it's just on a, on a

shelf, it's, it's, there's a step,

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there's a step in between you imagining

you've got that product yourself.

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Vicki Weinberg: That makes sense.

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And I think you're right.

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I've, I've definitely noticed a

shift towards more seeing more, I'm

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putting real people in air quotes,

real people, you know, using products

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online, which I think is amazing.

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And even, um, like the whole influencer

thing, I'm seeing a lot of what I

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would consider smaller accounts sharing

products that they're working with.

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So it's not just.

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How do I say it?

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It's not just, um, like you say,

the models and the people who

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feel really removed from us.

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Helen Williams: Yeah.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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I've noticed, um, I've noticed that

recently, actually just, um, sort of

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scrolling on, on Tik TOK and Instagram,

like some of the like sweaty Betty.

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They're using influencers now and

they're, they're not even influencers.

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I've just done a bit of research

on this actually, just because

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I suddenly noticed Mark and

Spencers are doing it sweaty Betty.

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I'm sure there's others.

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Um, but it just occurred to

me that they're normal people.

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They're kind of, and as I

say, they're not influencers.

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They're just people like almost

trying clothes on just in front

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of the, you know, the camera.

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And I've like, Oh, I've just bought this,

you know, jumper from Marks and Spencers.

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It's 22 pounds, but

look how amazing it is.

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You know, just like you

might almost, if you were.

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showing a friend, you know, if

it's, if it's a friend that you

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can't see in person, you might sort

of do a video message for them.

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For example, it's very

much got that feel to it.

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It's very, very friendly

and very relatable.

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And I think that's

getting bigger and bigger.

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That's the UGC, the user generated

content of seeing so much more of that.

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Vicki Weinberg: And I think I

really like that sort of content.

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I've seen the same examples.

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that you're mentioning.

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And like, as a woman in my forties, I

really like seeing other women in their

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forties, like showing, Oh, I bought

this from M& S or whatever, because

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to me, that's more relatable than a

model in their twenties or late teens.

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If you see what I mean, not saying that

I can't wear the same clothes as those

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people, but I think it's more relatable

when you see like a someone who.

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to you feels more like you.

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Helen Williams: Yeah, absolutely.

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I know what you mean.

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Um, because I think there was a, when,

when it first started coming in, it

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was all of a sudden all about sort

of plus size models because obviously

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traditional models were stick thin.

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And for a lot, a lot of people that

was, they couldn't relate to that.

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So I think that it went the other way.

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big sort of push on the curvy

women and, you know, the larger

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plus sizes, which again was great.

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But I think now it's kind of finding

a steady pace of just very normal,

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not the extremes, but just very normal

and a really good mixture as well,

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because I'm, I'm quite naturally thin.

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Um, so again, if there's like.

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plus size curvy.

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I can't really relate to that, you

know, so it's quite nice that you've

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got this mixture so you can see

somebody, you know, everyone can

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sort of find, find one of them that's

aspirational that you sort of want to

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look at without it just being a very

polished, airbrushed, you know, model.

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Vicki Weinberg: Yeah.

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That makes sense.

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And also just to build on everything

that you've been saying, I was

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having funny enough a conversation

this morning and I have a podcast

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interview and it was about PR.

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And in that interview, the lady that I

spoke to, and I won't give too much away

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because obviously that's another episode,

but she was talking about the fact that

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there's research out there that says

that people are more likely to buy from

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brands when they feel like they know the

founder, not know them personally, but

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you know, be able to put a face to the

brand or know a bit of the backstory.

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And apparently this is

becoming really important.

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Now, when people have lots of us, not

everyone, but lots of us have a bit

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less displaceable income and we're

thinking about where to spend it.

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And she was talking about the importance

of knowing there's a person behind the

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brand and how that is actually making

people more inclined to buy them from

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a brand that's maybe more faceless.

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And so I think that ties in.

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Really nicely to what we're

talking about here as well.

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Helen Williams: Yeah, it does.

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Yeah.

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I think, I think there's

so much more about that.

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It's, it's a deeper connection, isn't it?

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And I don't know if it's like a, just a

natural progression after the COVID years,

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you know, in that we want to get a bit

closer, you know, I know much in my sort

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of field of work with the coaches, you

know, there's much more about networking

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and in person events is, you know, really

big people are really craving, you know,

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I think there's also this kind of um,

thought of, you know, particularly because

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it's the winter now, you know, or I

hope that never happens again, you know,

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lockdown is everyone's worst nightmare

that that would ever happen again.

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So I think people are much more up

for getting out there and building

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relationships in case it sort of

got taken away from us ever again.

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So I think there's just this

longing for this kind of deeper

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connection on, on all levels.

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And when we're making those

buying decisions and absolutely

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it comes into that as well.

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Vicki Weinberg: Yeah, I think so.

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And they'll say, you know, the drive

to buy from small businesses as well.

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So I think lots of us are choosing

to buy from small businesses

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rather than the big corporations.

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And I think as part of that, I know that

I, I remember the brands more when I

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feel like I know something about them,

whether they've been on the podcast, I've

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spoken to them or whether I've watched a

story or heard them on another podcast.

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I just think it's, you kind

of relate to and remember them

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because there's something.

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that kind of makes brands stand out a

little bit because you can be selling

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the same products as someone else.

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So maybe what's different is

the founder or is the fact that

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they give money to charity or

whatever, you know, whatever it is.

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But I think there has to be

something, doesn't there, that

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distinguishes you from other people

selling very similar products.

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Because for lots of us, what we sell

might not be a hundred percent unique.

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There'll be someone who sells a.

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Helen Williams: Yeah, definitely.

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Yeah, absolutely.

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I think it's, uh, and it's, it's finding

your, it's kind of finding who your

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people are as well, you know, because

like you say, there's people selling

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the same things and it's like with

coaching, you know, there's people

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coaching the same, the same things,

you know, not everyone has a completely

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unique edge, but what, what it is, they,

their personality is their unique edge.

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So it's, you know, it is like the

tone of their voice or perhaps the way

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they look, it's just something that.

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people will kind of gravitate

towards what, what they like.

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So the more you show of that, the

more chance you have of finding,

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you know, finding your people.

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Vicki Weinberg: Thank you, Helen.

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I think you have convinced everyone

that we need to be more visible,

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whether that's on Instagram or TikTok

or wherever we're choosing to be.

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Um, but how do we do that in a

way that's not quite so scary?

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Because I think if you've gone from,

um, filling your grid with Pictures of

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your products or whatever it is, and

you've never done a live or never even

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maybe done a story with your face on it.

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This is probably sounding

really, really daunting.

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So what are some easy

ways we can get started?

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Helen Williams: Yeah.

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So really, I think a really nice kind

of easy way that I do to encourage my

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clients to do is just to do a really

simple introduction post because.

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It builds so much, um, so much trust,

you know, just, it can be a photo if

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it, you know, if you want to start kind

of small, because obviously photos, you

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can, you know, choose your best one.

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And, you know, it's not, not as

daunting as a video, um, but just some

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key facts, you know, and you can, if

it's on Instagram, you can run it as a

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reel, by having this sort of the facts,

bullet points kind of coming up to

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keep the movement flowing because reels

do perform really well on Instagram.

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People like to see something.

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Um, moving, um, so yeah, just a, you

know, flat photo of yourself and just

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some things that you're interested in

or the, you know, the weird things about

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you, just not too weird, but you know,

the things that people will just, you

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know, maybe your, you know, your favorite,

your favorite foods or your pets or just

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things that you're interested in that

kind of, that you like to talk about.

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Like you might, when you meet a new friend

and you're getting to know each other,

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the kind of things you might share in

that conversation, because again, there

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will be Things that you say, it's like,

are you a dog person or a cat person?

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You know, so it's those kinds of

things that if somebody is like a

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dog person and you're a dog person

immediately like, Oh, have you got a dog?

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You know, it just gives you

that, that thing, doesn't it?

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That next sort of opener

for more of a conversation.

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So I would say every time it's a photo

with some, just start, just start

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sharing a little bit and you'll see,

you know, particularly on Instagram,

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you can, you can kind of say.

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You know, this is me, blah, blah, blah.

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And then, um, you know, I'd love to get

to know you, you know, a lot better.

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I mean, I've done that before and,

you know, people in the comments

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then all start to interact with you

and say, Oh, I've got a dog as well.

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And, um, you know, and then they

share a bit about themselves and you

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kind of find out if they're you know,

like again, if they're your kind

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of person just by, just by sharing.

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So just to, you know, it doesn't

have to have to be right.

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You're going to go live on Instagram

on a Saturday morning and all your, you

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know, maybe all your friends from school

or something might be turning up and

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judging you, you know, those kinds of

like big, ah, I'm scared to do it moments.

322

Um, can just be a photo, some music

and some key, key bits about you.

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Vicki Weinberg: That's really nice.

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Thank you.

325

I think that's a really

great place to start.

326

Um, From there.

327

So particularly with the audience of

the podcast is product businesses.

328

How can we continue to share

a bit about ourselves online?

329

Because I think when you sell products,

it's really easy to not hide behind a

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product sounds harsh and I don't mean it

in that way at all, but to make the focus

331

of your social media very product led.

332

What are some ways other than, um,

sort of doing introductory posts

333

that we can kind of get ourselves

into that, if that makes sense.

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Helen Williams: Yeah.

335

Yeah.

336

I think it's really good to, um, to

start with the story storytelling.

337

So depending on what the product is to

start showing videos, because, um, again,

338

it doesn't have to be straight, you

know, you talking to camera and sometimes

339

they're not always the best anyway.

340

Sometimes, um.

341

these kind of videos where you just see

somebody, you know, using that product,

342

it's that kind of day to day relatability.

343

So, um, yeah, as I said earlier, with

that product in your hand, you know,

344

if it, if it's clothing, you know,

obviously it's sort of easier, more

345

obvious, I suppose, you know, you wearing

those clothes, if it's you know, you,

346

I don't know, kitchen utensils, you

know, you're cooking with those it's,

347

it's you using them so that people

can see you like you and then imagine

348

themselves using that product as well.

349

And, and then you can kind of layer

in that, that kind of storytelling.

350

So what you love about the products,

why you started to sell them, you

351

know, just your, your journey.

352

So again, it's not, it's not

hard content because it's.

353

You're not making anything up.

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It is literally your, you know,

is literally your story, but not

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being afraid to, you know, like

when, why did you start the company?

356

You know, when did you get founded?

357

What was your journey?

358

Has it been quick, easy?

359

You know, did you intend

it to be that way?

360

Um, you know, how did it unfold?

361

I mean, as, cause I'm coming on your

show, obviously I've listened to some

362

of, um, some of your previous podcasts.

363

And it's so interesting to, I

think there was a guy who's been

364

doing journal and writing journals.

365

Yeah.

366

Um, and it was so interesting because

again, if I'd just seen, um, you know,

367

seen the journal, it's, it's a journal

it's, you know, whether it's for me or

368

not or for a gift or something, that's it.

369

But to actually hear the story

behind it, that really makes

370

you really interested in it.

371

And, and in him and, you know,

just, just building those sort

372

of layers and depth to it.

373

So I think the more you can bring

that, bring that in and start showing

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yourself using it and why, you know,

why you're using it, you know, pictures

375

of yourself, just bringing it in.

376

It's, it's, um, it just builds

up because people, you know,

377

people won't just see something.

378

Well, I suppose they do sometimes,

but generally it takes, I think it's

379

like seven times or something for

people to see something, be presented

380

with it before they decide to buy.

381

So the more you can do it, it, it

just adds in more depth, more depth.

382

And then, you know, that's when

people will be like, right, I'm

383

going to, I'm going to purchase.

384

So these different kinds of

ways of doing it is quite, I

385

mean, I, I plan my content out.

386

And I think if you, once you

kind of get structured in

387

that way, you can consciously.

388

Decide sort of how, you know, it could

be one week you're going to focus on

389

how your product benefits like family

life or mothers or whatever it is,

390

but try and be more sort of deliberate

about how you're, how you're using it.

391

Vicki Weinberg: Thank you so much.

392

And that leads me on really nicely

to my next question is like, how

393

often do we need to be showing up?

394

Um, I mean, it's not around how often do

we need to be posted on social media, but

395

how often do we need to be visible, um, on

396

Helen Williams: Yeah, I mean, I think

really because, because of the algorithm,

397

particularly on Instagram, but I guess

all social media, um, they don't, you

398

know, it's not like it used to be where

everything would get shown to everybody.

399

We only get, you know,

drip fed some bits of it.

400

So you're not, you're not

going to see everything that

401

somebody is putting out there.

402

So I think sometimes.

403

If you're creating content on Instagram

or social media, it can feel that you're

404

perhaps talking about the same thing

all the time, but you know, you do

405

need to because repetition is, is king.

406

So it's like, you know, the more

people hear it, it sinks in.

407

So I think, I mean, It shouldn't, it

shouldn't overtake your, you know, if

408

you're, if you're all day putting content

out, cause it can be very time consuming.

409

Um, I think you need to find something

that fits, fits with your, your lifestyle

410

and, you know, doing other things as well.

411

But I, I think really, I mean, I

try and go for like three to five.

412

Kind of decent reels or decent pieces

of content and then stories on Instagram

413

are like so important because that's the

real quick bits, which, um, people love

414

to just tap, tap, tap across stories.

415

It's all, you know, this, this is it.

416

Social media and TikTok is so

popular because it's such quick form.

417

It's, you know, it's just really

quick turnaround, isn't it?

418

You just tap and you just

swipe or whatever it is onto

419

the next one very quickly.

420

So I think it's a key to like

not overthinking it, just.

421

Just getting out there and getting

more familiar with thinking it's,

422

it's not a really massive deal.

423

You know, it's like people

aren't going to be analyzing your

424

content, like you're analyzing it.

425

They're going to either like

it and swipe on, or, you know,

426

it's, it's a very quick decision.

427

So the more, the more you do it, the

better, the more chance you've got people

428

actually seeing and connecting with you.

429

Vicki Weinberg: That's really helpful.

430

Thank you.

431

And in terms of stories, I mean,

for stories again, do you recommend

432

that people show their faces or

is it enough to show a bit of

433

your life and what you're doing?

434

Um, because I feel, I feel like,

again, lots of us now, I think I'm,

435

I'm including myself in this, I'm

much more comfortable with stories and

436

quick photos of I'm doing this or that.

437

Um, but there's still the barrier about

actually You know, maybe going live on

438

stories or showing your face on stories.

439

I see a lot less of that, if I'm honest,

and I look at stories all the time,

440

because as you say, it's great to just

tap through and see what everyone's up to.

441

Um, is stories another place

where we should actually be

442

showing ourselves, our faces?

443

Helen Williams: Yeah.

444

I mean, stories, that's one of the

things that I will always try and get

445

people to do is one of the first steps

because stories only last 24 hours

446

and then they disappear unless you put

them in your highlights on Instagram.

447

They're gone forever.

448

So it's quite a nice mentally, you know,

it's not like you think it's going to be

449

on your Instagram grid and people can see

you talking for, You know, forevermore,

450

it's sort of set in stone stories that

it's just, again, it's just throw away.

451

And, you know, I think 30, I think it's 30

seconds or has it gone up to 90 seconds?

452

It's still quite short if you

were going to talk to camera.

453

So if people don't like

what you're saying, they'll

454

just tap on to the next bit.

455

So it's again, just, um, I find

it quite easy talking to them.

456

I find it easier talking to them on my

stories because I know that it's so quick.

457

And I know people will just tap on

if they're not interested in it.

458

And if they are interested,

they'll, they'll listen.

459

So it feels, it feels less like

you're taking up space, you know,

460

like I'm, I'm like uber polite.

461

I hate to sort of think I've taken

up too much space or too much time.

462

That's something I'm always

kind of like working on.

463

But with stories, it

doesn't feel so intrusive.

464

It is very much like.

465

Yeah, you've just got, you've got

a platform to talk for, you know,

466

a minute, a minute and a half, um,

and people will listen if they're

467

interested in what you've got to say.

468

And you can, it's, it's really important

to put, um, subtitles onto Instagram

469

stories as well, because a lot of

people think research has been done

470

that most people listen to stories.

471

Um, without the sound on.

472

So you need to have

captions, captions on there.

473

I think it's a sort of first thing in

the morning or at nighttime kind of

474

scrolling, scrolling in bed things.

475

So someone's just talking,

but without captions, you're,

476

uh, you're going to miss out.

477

Vicki Weinberg: Well,

that's used, that's used.

478

I'm thinking about it.

479

You're right.

480

I almost never have sound on for

stories and I will swipe through

481

something without subtitles.

482

Is there an easy way to add those?

483

Sorry to ask a technical question.

484

Helen Williams: Oh yeah,

no, it's really easy.

485

So at the top you have like stickers,

um, and text, so you can add your

486

own text and links and all like

hashtags and things like that.

487

It's just, it's under the stickers one,

I think actually, um, it's just one

488

of those options there and there's a

caption, so it will just translate it

489

and you can very easily just change,

change the font and size and color.

490

It's all very customizable.

491

So it's, and they look

good, you know, it's nice.

492

It's a, it's a nice looking piece of

content, you know, just you talking to the

493

camera about something, you could put a

link to a product there, whereas you can't

494

do that in a reel or a post on Instagram.

495

You can only use the bio.

496

So that's a nice feature as well.

497

Vicki Weinberg: Oh, you

know, I really didn't know.

498

So you can see how

little I talk to camera.

499

I really didn't know that you could

add captions from within Instagram.

500

I thought it was because

it used to be the case.

501

You had to record your videos, didn't you?

502

And then you had to add

them in and then you had to.

503

Yeah.

504

Wow.

505

I think that's.

506

Hopefully, I mean that to be honest

will make me more likely to do

507

videos, the fact that I don't have

to go through all these steps.

508

So hopefully that's really

useful to anyone else who

509

didn't realize that was there.

510

Helen Williams: Yeah.

511

It's a really quick, easy way to just,

as I said, like without overthinking it.

512

Cause if you, you know, if you are

having a bad head, you can put.

513

You can put a filter on as well.

514

You know, you can put a nice

black and white, black and

515

white is quite flattering.

516

I find normally, and it looks quite nice.

517

You can have a colored text on it.

518

You know, it's quite quick and

easy just to, you know, just

519

to get your face up there.

520

And as I said, like it's so

quick and 24 hours it's gone.

521

So, you know, it's, it's not,

it's not one to overthink.

522

It's just nice to jump on, say a few words

and, uh, yeah, they're really effective.

523

Vicki Weinberg: That's really useful.

524

Thank you.

525

So as well as talking about sort of

ourselves and how we maybe found the

526

stories and how and why we use products,

is there anything else that product

527

businesses in particular could be sharing?

528

Helen Williams: Um, I think really

it's just that like building up the

529

story, showing that their backstory,

showing a bit about them and, and

530

their products and how they use it.

531

And even, um, You know, like

kind of comparing it to coaching

532

it, but like success stories.

533

So, you know, talking about customers

who have bought that product and,

534

you know, why people are buying

it, maybe sales trends as well.

535

Just giving people a bit more depth

behind the product and the, you

536

know, whichever sort of area it's

in, um, that there's so much you can.

537

If people are interested in what you're

selling, they'll want to know that stuff.

538

And again, if they're not, that's fine.

539

They can, you know, they can unsubscribe

or whatever, but the ones who are

540

interested, you know, there's, there's

a lot they can kind of build up if

541

there's a sort of heritage to your

brand, or if it's a family business.

542

You know, there's some, again, some really

nice techniques you can use just to, um,

543

like with, with the stories again, that

can be your sort of behind the scenes.

544

So you can almost have your, you

know, your grid as your sort of

545

official, um, posts, but then the

people who are really interested will

546

be clicking through your stories.

547

And you know, with Instagram

stories, you can see who's.

548

We've been looking at them.

549

So that's really nice as well.

550

You don't get that on Instagram,

obviously, you know, how many views your

551

reels have had, you can get insights,

but on the stories, you can actually

552

see the people that are looking.

553

So when you see those names, um,

you, you get your kind of people

554

that are looking every day.

555

You know that they're people

that are actually interested.

556

So it gives you a kind of hot, hot buyers

list as well, which is really good.

557

Vicki Weinberg: Yeah, that's right.

558

I hadn't thought of that.

559

That's really useful.

560

Thank you.

561

And I also really like just coming back

to something you said a while ago, but I

562

didn't want to not, um, acknowledge this.

563

I really like what you said about the

fact that not everyone sees everything

564

and it's okay to be repetitive,

because I think that's another concern.

565

It's something that definitely I have,

and I'm sure I'm not the only one, where

566

I feel like, oh, I said this a few weeks

ago, or I'm always saying the same thing.

567

I'm always, bagging on

about the same old topics.

568

So it's really nice to hear you say

that actually most people aren't

569

going to see everything you post.

570

And so it's okay to, because I think

all of us are only going to have

571

so many things we can talk about.

572

Um, so that's really nice to hear

that we can just keep putting

573

out the same messages and surely

there must be a benefit as well.

574

I'm talking almost to myself

here about being, you know,

575

having a consistent message.

576

I think.

577

If I think as a consumer, I think I

would rather see someone talk about

578

the same messages over and over than

feel like actually they change what

579

they're about every couple of months,

because that's actually quite confusing

580

and doesn't really build much trust.

581

Helen Williams: Yes, exactly.

582

It's, it's coming, it's building, um,

it's building your name as the expert.

583

So.

584

It's if you're, if you are talking about

a particular thing, as long as you, as

585

long as it's not exactly the same, you

know, as long as you up slightly, um,

586

but yeah, if people aren't, people won't

see it and think, Oh, she's like you

587

said, sort of banging on about the same

thing or be like, Oh, she's the expert

588

because she's talking about that again,

but she's added a bit more depth or

589

she's added, you know, this it's, it's

like, Oh, there's that person talking

590

about that thing, and then that's how

you become the sort of go to person for

591

that thing that you're talking about.

592

So it's, it is really important to,

to, to stop thinking that you're

593

boring or talking about the same

thing because that's, that's you

594

projecting that it's not actually

how the consumer will be viewing it.

595

Vicki Weinberg: Thank you.

596

That's really good.

597

That's really good to

hear that as well, Helen.

598

And I guess my final few questions,

thank you so much for all you've

599

shared so far is, have you got any

advice for, um, how you can sort of

600

appear more confident online, perhaps

even if you're, even if you're not?

601

Helen Williams: Yeah.

602

Um, Yeah, definitely.

603

There's a whole, I mean, really with,

with sort of going, you know, either

604

going live or showing your face, you

know, kind of talking to the camera.

605

It is one of those things, like

most things in life, the more you

606

do it, the easier it will become.

607

And you, you get sort of used

to hearing your own voice.

608

Don't you get used to sort of saying the,

like saying the same things effectively,

609

because that's what we were just

talking about what you need to do, but

610

there's, there's lots of different ways.

611

So, um, Because Facebook

you know, very similar.

612

Facebook has like Facebook groups.

613

So you can set up a private group and

not give anyone else access to it.

614

So it's only you in it and you

can go live in that group and it

615

saves it so you can watch it back.

616

So that's a really nice like practice.

617

area to do it.

618

You know, you can

actually, actually go live.

619

You feel that kind of almost that

adrenaline surge of, Oh my gosh, I'm live.

620

Um, but no, no, one's going to see it, you

know, and then, and then you can do those.

621

And then if it, if it did go well, you

can then put it public, you know, so

622

people can see it, but it's really,

it's really is just practicing.

623

Um, I mean, there's, there's also There's

an app called Captions, um, which has this

624

AI feature on it where you can be looking,

you could effectively be reading a piece

625

of piece of paper or have some notes.

626

As long as you've got your face kind of

more or less face on, your eyes can be

627

going over to the side and it will, it

will put your eyes back to the front.

628

Vicki Weinberg: That makes sense.

629

That's clever.

630

Helen Williams: As you move, and

it's really, it's very, very good.

631

Um, so there's, you know, there's

things you can do if you're worried,

632

because I think that's another concern

people have is they're going to start

633

talking and like lose this thread

or, you know, forget or not sort of

634

give some of the key messages out.

635

So it's, you know, there's ways

of getting around that, you know,

636

or you can just have a piece of

paper and glance down occasionally.

637

You don't have to be staring right

into the camera all the time.

638

It's quite anyway.

639

So, um, or actually another one

I've, um, I really like is if you.

640

Either get someone to interview you

or pretend someone's interviewing you.

641

So you're looking off

camera as if somebody's just

642

asking you these questions.

643

You can always say, you know, like repeat

it back to yourself and then answer it.

644

That's quite a nice way to just break up

the kind of sitting, the pressure of sort

645

of sitting you looking down the camera.

646

So there's different ways, but it's

just really doing it and getting,

647

getting more comfortable with it.

648

And then you'll start to

get feedback from people.

649

And that gives you the

confidence to do it more.

650

Vicki Weinberg: That's really helpful.

651

Thank you.

652

Really, really helpful.

653

And I really like the thing

about the camera because I always

654

struggle with knowing where to look.

655

Like, do we look just intently

down the lens or do you

656

look just to the side of it?

657

And I've spent way too much time

thinking about how my eyes look and where

658

they're pointing, which is really silly.

659

But I think we all have

these really small.

660

that are possibly a bit silly things.

661

Um, but it just comes back to

the excuses we were talking

662

about at the beginning, I think.

663

Helen Williams: Yeah, it does.

664

But you know, if you see interviews

that we watch on the television or

665

podcast, you know, diary of CEO podcast,

you know, when you actually watch it.

666

They're not looking at the camera,

they're having a conversation

667

and you're, you know, your list,

you're listening and watching it.

668

It's not somebody just sitting there,

like, as I said, staring down the camera.

669

So it's quite a nice, um, you know,

kind of breaks it up, doesn't it?

670

And it's, it's maybe not as salesy

as well, because you feel, you feel

671

like you are listening in, you know,

you're listening it to get something

672

from it, to get some knowledge from

it, or to learn more about a product.

673

So that's another kind of nice way

without having to sit there with this

674

sort of old fashioned kind of, you know,

big advertisement to sell, sell, sell.

675

It's, it's just trying to make

it a bit more friendly and a

676

bit more, um, approachable.

677

Vicki Weinberg: That's really useful.

678

Thank you.

679

And thank you for

everything you shared Helen.

680

I have just one more question.

681

I promise this really is the last one.

682

What would your number piece of number

one piece of advice be for anyone who

683

wants to show up a bit more online?

684

Helen Williams: So the number, yeah,

number one piece of advice would be To

685

not overthink it, just have a rough,

you know, have a rough idea of your

686

purpose, what you want to talk about, if

it's a particular thing you're pushing

687

or trying to sell at a particular time,

obviously have that as your guide.

688

You know, you always

need to have a purpose.

689

I think sometimes people go live on

Instagram and you, if you don't know what

690

they're talking about on the purpose,

that's when I sort of switch off.

691

So it's good to know what

somebody is talking about.

692

But, um, yeah, just, just do it, you

know, just start doing it because no,

693

every, everybody, even the big, you

know, the big hitters, like if we're

694

talking about Stephen Bartlett, you know,

he, he would've had a first podcast.

695

He probably looks back

and cringes on it now.

696

I'm sure, you know, you yourself,

when you look back at your earlier

697

ones, you wish, you know, you may

have done them a bit differently.

698

Um, but over the, you know, over the

time things perfect themselves, you know,

699

you reflect on what you like and what

you didn't like, then no one is going

700

to turn up with their first time, you

know, their first video, getting their

701

face out there and, and it's a hundred

percent perfect, but unless you have

702

that first time, you're not going to

have your hundredth one that was perfect.

703

So it's just getting started.

704

And, um, you know, you don't even

have to watch them back to you.

705

It's kind of, that's why

stories are quite nice.

706

You're never going to see them again.

707

So, you know, if you fluff your

words, no one else would have noticed.

708

And, um, you know, just don't, don't

let these things prevent you from doing

709

it because you're, you know, you're.

710

you're preventing your potential clients

or getting your product or your service,

711

you know, that that's why you're there.

712

You're providing a service or a

product to someone and they, they

713

need it and they want to hear, you

know, they want to hear from you.

714

So yeah, get out there and

do it and quit the excuses.

715

Vicki Weinberg: That's really good advice.

716

Thank you so much, Helen.

717

I really like what you said as well

about lots of over thinking it.

718

And actually I will let everyone into

a secret that I stopped fairly early

719

on listening back to podcast episodes

after I've recorded, I'd recorded

720

them because I found that when I.

721

first got started and I would then,

you know, I would record an episode

722

and then I used to listen to it back.

723

I used to be so critical.

724

And in the end I just thought

this is not doing me any good.

725

If anything, it's just

slowing down the process.

726

Um, I'm actually just going to stop.

727

And now I never listened

back to a single way.

728

I mean, obviously I have someone who

edits it and takes out any mistakes,

729

but I personally do not listen because

I think if I did, it would be just

730

another barrier, another way for me

to criticize myself or, um, and that's

731

not to say that I don't want to get

better, but I feel you get better by

732

doing and not just by overanalyzing.

733

So if that's helpful for anybody, I

think there's a lot to be said for

734

just doing it and then moving on.

735

Yes.

736

So post your video and then just almost

forget that you've done it almost,

737

I think that works for me anyway.

738

That may not be the thing for everyone,

but I find that if I don't think so

739

much about what I've done, if I do it.

740

You know, have some thought beforehand,

obviously, but then afterwards,

741

just almost put it out of your mind.

742

It becomes a lot less scary.

743

Helen Williams: It does.

744

Yeah.

745

Cause you, you immediately sort of take

that pressure off, don't you, by granting

746

yourself that permission almost to, to

just do it without having to go back over

747

it because you'd probably end up deleting

stuff or not publishing stuff if you were.

748

if you were so hypercritical of it.

749

Um, so yeah, it's just, it's

just doing it, isn't it?

750

Getting it out there.

751

And as you say, the more you hear

yourself talking, that is, you don't

752

have to listen to it back and pick holes

in it because you wouldn't naturally

753

do that in a conversation anyway.

754

You know, we have conversations with

our friends and we just speak, don't we?

755

And then the conversation's

over and, and that's it.

756

So it's kind of applying that just

living, you know, being in the moment

757

with it, with that message and, um,

not, not picking it apart afterwards.

758

Nobody, nobody would.

759

Nobody else would do that.

760

Like you said, you know, going back to

the beginning, nobody else is going to

761

look at something and pick it apart.

762

They're just interested in hearing what

you've got to say and, you know, what

763

you're teaching them or showing them.

764

Vicki Weinberg: Thank you so much, Helen.

765

And thank, I really think, honestly

think that's so reassuring,

766

you know, to hear you talk.

767

And I think you've definitely

taken a lot of the fear out of it.

768

Helen Williams: Oh good, good.

769

Vicki Weinberg: And given

some really nice suggestions.

770

Yeah, and I really like the suggestions

given for people to get started as well.

771

So I really hope to see lots of you

more visible online after this and

772

myself included, I could definitely

put my face out there a bit more.

773

So yeah, well, let's do that.

774

Yeah.

775

Well, I think it's,

it's the time to do it.

776

I think it's needed.

777

Like people want it from us as

service and product providers.

778

Helen Williams: So, um, it's, it's just.

779

Becoming comfortable, finding a

way that you can do it that doesn't

780

feel too daunting and, um, and

just doing it and enjoying it.

781

You know, it's, it's nice.

782

It's building those relationships and,

you know, that's what it's all about.

783

Vicki Weinberg: Thank you so much, Helen.

784

Helen Williams: You're welcome.

785

Thank you.

786

Vicki Weinberg: Thank you

so much for listening right

787

to the end of this episode.

788

Do you remember that you can get the

full back catalog and lots of free

789

resources on my website, vickyweinberg.

790

com.

791

Please do remember to rate and review

this episode if you've enjoyed it

792

and also share it with a friend

who you think might find it useful.

793

Thank you again and see you next week.