Hiya 🌊,
I've written about why I want to try and hype my business without social media here.
Checking my Brick this week, I'm nearly halfway through the challenge and tbh, the results so far have not been what I was expecting.
I didn't promote elsewhere instead (yet)
It has been a huge relief to not be constantly thinking about filtering a family moment for an Instagram Story to keep my engagement up.
But I did expect that with all this free headspace, I would test out other promo opportunities.
I wanted to create something to post, maybe book in some calls with the community, answer a few things on Reddit & Quora or post a bit on Pinterest.
I've done now of that as yet.
Instead, I realised just how tiring constantly promoting online was making me and have been leaning into the exhaustion from having done it for seven years.
Lots of naps.
It's also very hot here and I'm deep in the solo-parenting trenches with the cofounder of my kids away this week, so there is also an element of I'm just focusing my energy and time on family stuff.
I've flexed the reading & writing muscles
I've read more fiction and non-fiction books in the last month than I could have imagined.
I've started journalling again after a long hiatus AND I've even started a notebook for my fiction book.
None of these are likely to see the light of day but it's made me fall back in love with why I do the newsletter in the first place.
I'm also a slight closeted Medium fan and I don't really know why. I've been a paid reader over there before Substack even existed. I just prefer it as a long-form reading platform and I've been discovering a tonne of new writers.
My friendships are better
For the first time since I've lived in France, I've had friends texting me to check in.
I can honestly say this has not really happened before and I think it's in part because maybe before they felt like they knew what I was up to because of the para social nature of Instagram.
I've also had more time to think about people I would like to reach out to more and instigated conversations.
My ego wanted to share sometimes
There have not been many, but I've had the oddest moments when I've thought about sharing Stories and then had to check my ego afterwards.
1. When I drove to my Nice event last month, I thought about how normally I film packing my bag and getting into the car and I wasn't telling anyone what I was doing.
2. I was hosting a workshop for Made By James' Super Duper Academy and was seriously thinking maybe I need to go back on so I can share a Story about it and then maybe he would reshare it and I could get some followers
In both instances, as I had explained I was on a social media sabbatical a lot of people came straight to sign-up to the newsletter. Which is ultimately what I want.
I do wonder if only giving the newsletter as a calling card is actually more interesting.
I do risk losing further income potential
For some of the existing brand partnership work I do, I'm expected to post on Instagram rather than my newsletter. It is hard as I know the click-through and engagement on my newsletter supersedes my Instagram, but I can't pull through the stats in the way they need for reporting.
If I do decided to come off long-term that's cutting off a reliable income stream, but it's not just about those two posts. It's all the other content I have to create to continue the engagement
A lot of signs point to offline
When I first moved to France I bought Slow Seasons and Maia Tolls Herbiary. Next, I started to noticed the moon and the seasons in ways I had never before.
And my mental health is never better than when I get to do long walks with my dog Arlo.
I do think there is a more slower (never fully slow living I'm not built for it), magical and creative work that I want to do. And maybe it's just about pausing for a bit whilst I evolve into this next era of work.
Lots of people run perfectly successful businesses without social media
I know. I was one of them.
I only grew social media as a channel as I wanted an audience to sell my book too. I spent a year posting every single day on Instagram before my first book came out.
During the pandemic and subsequently, a lot of us have pivoted to using social media as our main sales tool, but after my summer reading and wanting to champion the world of small business, I do wrestle a bit more so with being in Instagram that LinkedIn.
People forget I'm doing a challenge
I've been on a few panels, workshops, speaking opportunities and, of course, the people I'm collaborating with want me to share stuff on my socials.
Because I don't like to let people down, I've been finding it a bit hard to say. actually, sorry I'm not there right now.
I've also had friends who keep messaging me, tagging me, or forwarding stuff. Despite saying it is literally blocked on my phone with Brick, it's like they think I'm still checking.
Have I checked social media?
Not properly, I did a very quick scan on my computer for DMs to check I wasn't missing anything urgent. But I've not checked new followers, comments or likes.
I have actually checked LinkedIn for #journorequests for my newsletter but ignored everything on my own feed. Checking in on my computer is way less of incentive to stay on as going online.
Am I going to continue after 100 days?
Honestly, I don't know. I'm really taking this time to think about what I want my next visibility era to look like.
My feeling is perhaps I might dip in and out and face the wrath of the algo gods. Will see how things go by the end of the challenge.
Got any questions? Meet ya in the comments.
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