If you have a personal brand, you already know that connecting with your audience is easier said than done.

But is it really that complicated to form relationships online?

Here’s some tough love—it’s actually very simple. Making a connection is as easy as leaving a comment, sending a DM, or giving someone a shoutout.

The catch is that so many people fall into the same common marketing traps, and they stay stuck without even realizing how trapped they are!

With so many clashing voices and conflicting sources of information online, it can be easy to wander off the path and go down a rabbit hole of hollow strategies and growth hacks.

Here’s the thing, though. At its core, marketing is all about understanding your dream clients and using that knowledge to develop messaging that resonates deeply with them.

It’s not about selling products or services—you’re really offering a solution to a specific challenge your dream clients are facing.

Here are 13 common marketing traps to avoid as a content creator or service-based entrepreneur with a personal brand:

Trap #1: Ignoring your intuition.

Your intuition is that little voice inside your head that tells you what to do. It’s the part of you that knows things without knowing how you know them. And it’s important to listen to your intuition because it can help guide you to make the best choices for your brand.

Your inner wisdom can offer you so much more than gurus on the Internet ever will. If you have a full-bodied F YES feeling about something, trust your intuition and go for it.

But if something doesn’t feel right or you have a feeling that something isn’t going to work, trust your instincts and don’t do it.

There are many times in life when we second-guess ourselves and our decisions. But if we take a step back and listen to our intuition, we may find that it was trying to tell us something all along. Our intuition often knows what’s best for us, even when we don’t realize it ourselves.

Regardless of whether you are a spiritual person or not, your intuition will give you unparalleled insight into how you should show up online.

Always go with your gut. It will guide you in the direction you are meant to go in.

Trap #2: Treating your platform like a news broadcast instead of a thriving community of humans.

You’re not a news anchor. Don’t treat your audience like they’re sitting in front of a TV watching CNN.

When you treat your marketing platform like a news broadcast, you’re more likely to push out content that’s focused on selling and promoting your products or services.

This approach doesn’t give your audience anything of value and it certainly won’t encourage them to engage with your brand. Instead, focus on creating content that will start a conversation and build relationships with your dream clients.

When you create content from a place of community and connection, you will be much more likely to attract your dream clients and build a tribe of loyal followers.

Trap #3: Relying on luck instead of planning.

Don’t leave your marketing up to chance–create a solid plan and breathe life into it.

You don’t form genuine connections by chance or luck. Instead, you create marketing content that connects with your dream clients on a deep and meaningful level.

To do this, you need to know who your dream clients really are and what they want.

To start, think about what your dream clients are struggling with. What issues do they face day-to-day? What are their fears, hopes, and dreams?

Once you know what your dream clients are dealing with, you can start to create marketing content that not only addresses their challenges but also resonates with them on a soul level.

Trap #4: Not allowing yourself to try and fail.

Once you have your grand marketing plan, don’t chicken out and ghost your audience.

Times will get tough and you may feel like giving up, but don’t let fear hold you back. Instead, allow yourself the freedom and space to experiment with new ways of showing up.

This may mean trying out a new marketing strategy that you’re not entirely sure will work, or it may mean putting yourself out there in a new way.

Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to fail. The only way to find out what works is to try new things and see what sticks.

Trap #5: Focusing too heavily on tactics and not enough on strategy.

With new trends and tools emerging all the time, it can be easy to get shiny object syndrome and lose sight of the big picture.

Instead of leaning into tactics, focus on building relationships. You will always be able to get results by forming genuine connections, regardless of what’s trending.

Trap #6: Refusing to show your face on video.

I see you hiding behind that screen! It’s time to put your pretty face on display.

I know, I know. You’re not a fan of being on camera. But the truth is, video is one of the best ways to connect with your audience on a personal level.

When you show up on video, you are giving your audience a front-row seat to your life and your business. This helps them to get to know, like, and trust you–which is essential if you want to form lasting relationships.

So, if you’re not already using video in your marketing, it’s time to start. Trust me, your audience will love you for it.

Trap #7: Automating literally everything.

OMG, I think robots are taking over the world.

Just kidding. I love automation just as much as every marketing gal, but it’s still no substitute for a real-time human touch.

When you automate everything–from your marketing to customer service–you miss out on the opportunity to connect with your audience on a personal level.

So, before you hit the “automate” button, make sure that you’re still taking the time to connect with your audience in a real, authentic, and HUMAN way.

Trap #8: Chasing instant gratification rather than striving for long-term results.

Quick wins are great, but they don’t always last.

When you focus all of your marketing efforts on short-term results, you miss out on the opportunity to build a solid foundation for long-term growth.

Instead, focus on marketing strategies and tactics that will help you to build solid relationships with your audience and establish yourself as an authority in your industry.

These are the things that will help you to attract a community of raving fans and dream clients!

Trap #9: Not knowing who your dream client is.

If you’re stuck in this trap, I want you to stop everything you’re doing and clarify who the heck your dream client is.

Why? Because knowing who you’re marketing to is essential for creating content that resonates with them on a soul level.

So, stop trying to be everything to everyone and focus on your dream clients!

Trap #10: Not looking at data… ever.

Not a numbers person? I hear ya.

But that doesn’t mean you can escape the metrics. (Dun dun dunnnnn….)

You see, marketing is a lot like science. And data is the key to understanding what’s working and what’s not in your marketing efforts.

So, if you’re not already taking a data-driven approach to marketing, it’s time to start. Make sure you establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for each marketing campaign and track those KPIs over time to ensure you are achieving your desired results.

Trap #11: Worrying about what other creators in your niche are doing.

If you consume more content than you create, you might fall into the trap of trying to be someone else instead of just being your authentic self.

After all, you want to stand out and share your own voice, creative ideas, and unique perspective.

Want to know the easiest way to stay true to your brand? Ignore what everyone else is doing and drive in your own lane.

You might be able to draw inspiration from other creators at times, but the deepest insights will come from within. So, don’t be afraid to put the blinders on.

Trap #12: Conveniently forgetting to promote your offers.

This trap is easier to fall into than you might think.

I see so many creators launch an offer and then seemingly forget about it. (And by “so many creators,” I mean myself! LOL)

Your audience can’t buy your offer if they don’t know about it. So, make sure that you’re marketing your offer on a consistent basis to encourage sales.

Whether you do this through email marketing, social media, or paid ads, make sure you have a plan in place to keep your offers top of mind for your audience.

I recommend planning multiple touchpoints. For example, you could launch an email campaign and then run a retargeting campaign on Facebook with a custom audience that consists of your email list.

That way, they see your campaign messaging at least twice, which increases the chance that they will bite and sign up for your offer.

Trap #13: Not telling your audience what to do!

The CTA reigns supreme.

Your marketing campaigns should always have a clear call to action (CTA) that tells your audience what they need to do next.

Seriously, don’t assume that your followers can magically read your mind. Without a CTA, your audience may not know how to take advantage of your offer or how to get more information about your product or service.

Make sure your CTAs are clear, concise, and relevant to the campaign you’re running. And like I already said, promote that sh*t more than once!

Anddddd that’s a wrap! Are you currently in any of these marketing traps? If so, it’s okay. This is a judgment-free zone.

DM me on Instagram @samanthaleewarren if you wanna chat all things marketing and business!

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