Token Posting on Social Media can be Damaging

History is constantly being created and there have been a huge number of events that have created a sea of token social media posts. We’re living in unpredictable times, and we’re bombarded with the news of wars, natural disasters and injustices. In the UK we had the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and now the Coronation of Charles III. Add to this the endless list of sporting and cultural events - the opportunities to churn out token social media posts are endless!

These events create a lot of extra noise on social media and for some holistic practitioners, confusion over what to post and when. I know from speaking with my clients, they often feel the pressure to post when they see everyone else posting, but should they?

Token posting on social media can damage your brand and upset the relationships you've worked hard to create with your clients and your audience. 

If you find yourself posting as a knee-jerk reaction, or for the sake of it – consider the following:

Your Brand Values

As a holistic practitioner, you are your own personal brand. Your brand creates meaning for your clients - it's how you make them feel. It includes every interaction with you, including how you present your business through your marketing.

Your brand is based on people’s perceptions of you and the values they associate with you, so it’s important that your marketing reflects these.

Revisit your values as a person and as a holistic business owner – what values are important to you? How do you want to be perceived?

For example, if you’re a coach and known for being non-judgemental, would sharing your political or religious values be appropriate to the work you do? These topics can be divisive and distract from your coaching session - they jar with your clients if they don’t fit with their expectations of you. A prospective client may even avoid working with you because of your political preferences.

If, however, you’re a coach for Christian women – you would absolutely share about your faith because it fits with your values.

Know Your Clients

Understanding who your clients are, what makes them tick, why they chose to work with you and what they stand for will help you to navigate making good decisions in your marketing. Understanding their expectations of you will help you to decide whether something is in keeping with your brand.

Ask Why?

All marketing should be done for a reason and be intentional. If you're doing something because everyone else is - that doesn't make it a good business reason for you. So, if you find yourself creating token posts for your social media (or in any other marketing activities), stop and ask yourself:

• Why am I doing this?
• Does it fit with my values?
• Does it help me achieve my goals?
• Does it make my clients happy?

Knowing the answer to these questions will help you be intentional about what you do and don’t share.

Set Marketing Boundaries

Identify the topics that don’t fit with your values as a personal brand and set boundaries around what you do and don’t post. This will provide you with a filter to run your decisions past and help you work out if a topic is right for you to talk about.

I believe everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and it’s not my place to judge or criticize them. I respect my clients’ beliefs as individuals and I want to create a space where they feel safe to express themselves - because of this, I made the decision not to discuss religion, or politics amongst other topics in my marketing.

So, the next time there’s a historical event and you feel the need to share because everyone else is, take a moment to assess if it’s the best thing for your marketing. And if it is, how to share in a way that is congruent with your brand and the expectations of your clients. Remember every post you share should be intentional and considered.

If you struggle with your marketing, let’s have a chat about how I can help you.