“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
~ African proverb
I have had the privilege of working with IPMI Australia from the get go and as a foundation member have had to get rid of any and all crappy limiting concepts I have had about what I can and can’t do. Of my likes and dislikes because if I did not do something that needed to be done, it was not done – there was no one else volunteering to help, the other members had other projects to fulfil, so there was me, myself and I.
I have learnt that I can do anything, and that YouTube is a wonderful resource to teach me what I need to know and how to do it. I just have to ask the question and sift through the options until I find one that works for me.
I can ask more experienced leaders for assistance, but they are not always available when I am working on a project so YouTube etc has been my go to place because it is available 24/7.
IPMI is all about creating the pivots or platforms to enable us all to be visible. I say this with respect, we have been invisible as both an association of organizations and the leadership affiliated with them, with the exception of a few, who have pioneered this area for themselves. We (the royal we) have been absent from the main places where people are now connecting, being educated, where other individuals and organisations are and have been actively promoting what they have to offer.
Social media, and Facebook along online events listings are full of them. Full of organisations, groups and individuals using and keeping up to date with all the tools available to them.
We are getting our act together to put our brand, our name out there and the best way to do that is to post the events from our organisation as well as those of our membership who are independent contractors, affiliates of PCCI etc.
No more hiding who we are and what we have to offer. The Wayshowers Alliance (the college and the not for profits internationally) recognise that by building the bridges within social media platforms, we will network and create pathways for people to find us, to find you and your events and services.
To get started, No $$$$ required, just some creativity and time and effort.
Step 1: if you have not done anything for a while, contact IPMI and check out being part of the Free Talk team. Free talks are a great way to meet people who are interested, some may be ready to take the next step, the Intro because they want what you have.
Step 2: Put together a simple bio or dust off your old one, get an updated photo – maybe get together with other leaders in your area and work on bios together, take portrait shots of each other in various styles.
Step 3: Create a separate Gmail account that you will use for your social media correspondence. This will be your business contact address to list with your bio.
Step 4: Submit the final draft of your bio, your image to the College, and all the not for profits you are affiliated with so that they can list you on their online membership list.
Step 5: Using your new Gmail account create a business Facebook page. You can create a page from your personal page, but correspondence will be going into your personal email address so recommend that you keep them separate.
You don’t have to publish or go live with this Facebook page until you are happy with it. Check all the features available to you. Look at other people’s business pages to get some ideas. Make a list of what you like, what you want on yours. Do as much as you can yourself because you will feel more confident managing it once it goes live. You can approach IPMI or another experienced leader to help you to polish what you have already put together, add the things you found more than you could cope with.
Work out what are the essentials that need to be on your Facebook page and focus on those. The rest you can add as you go.
So, you see, to start getting yourself out there, visible to your apprentices and potential customers is not hard. If I can do it, you can. I was a complete no nothing and Facebook resistor. I am still very much a novice but don’t let that stop me.
I have come to realise that my business Facebook page is like an ad, that listing myself with the organisations I am affiliated with, benefits me and the organisation. That I need to schedule/offer events to share with the organisations and my page.
Step 6: Three-month plan- start with the Free Talks one a month unless you feel inspired to do more. Schedule an intro that you can direct people to, after the free talk date or after the second one, Maybe add a healing circle or a fellowship? Keep it simple to start with until you feel more confident with what you are doing.
Step 7: Cleanse your plan, cleanse your area and let Spirit know that you are ready to be of service and ask them to send people to you and your events.