What's your secret for keeping your network engaged with your ideas?

To be the obvious choice, you must go beyond the obvious. You need to show your audience that you understand their preferences, challenges, goals, and interests better than they do. → Where have they misunderstood their obstacles? → How have they missed the mark on the best possible outcomes? Help them see that they need MORE than the answers and solutions that already exist – then provide them with it. Knowing your audiences is about understanding which ideas, information, and opportunities aren’t yet accessible to them, and connecting with your audience means clearing the path for them.

A point related o knowing your audience, is just that -- who exactly IS your audience? One challenge that experts deal with is trying to be everything to everyone. That approach can keep you spinning your wheels and not serving anyone. You have experience and expertise to share. But that won't resonate with everyone -- even though you think it could or should. Narrowing down who you can relate most closely to is a tough first step, but an important one. Once you know who you are targeting -- likely the you, you were once in your career -- be curious, ask questions as Erica Bruer suggests below, and find out what's keeping them up at night. You probably know already but hearing their perspectives will help you hone how you can help best.

To keep my audience engaged and connected with my ideas, I like to put myself in their shoes. By understanding their needs, interests, and aspirations, I can create and curate valuable and unique content. I also like to provide value by offering a fresh perspective on topics my audience may not be familiar with. People are drawn to novel ideas and viewpoints that broaden their horizons. That's why I approach ideas from different angles, adding my experiences and insights. This allows me to present ideas that truly resonate with my audience and ultimately spark their curiosity!

A double-sided relationship with value will keep your content authentic and sustainable for the long-haul. As you support your audience with what they desire, ensure that the content you’re creating aligns with what you envision for yourself. It’s easy to get deliciously lost in the process of delivering value to your audience, a situation that is not always to your benefit. You’re not a saint or a martyr. You're a content creator. That means you can and should operate at the intersection of your goals/best interest and that of your audience.

Whenever I can, I share a story -- a framework, approach, or experience that solved a problem. In doing that, I can help others in my network see themselves in the story and consider trying a new approach to solve the same time of problem. How I handled the situation could validate the approach they're grappling with now, which could be the ticket for them to keep going. It's also helpful to share where you have received third-party validation -- adds credibility -- or other resources to look into. Share key takeaways from a book you just read or a podcast you love. Sharing what you know freely is a gift your network may not even realize they need.

I agree with Erica Bruer. Your network needs reasons to know, like and trust you as a person, as a human being, before they're going to want to follow you more closely or work with you. Relationships take time to build and even more time to nurture, especially in today's digital world. This is an area I've been focusing more on in recent months and I'm already seeing the benefits. Posts turn into online conversations, which shift to direct messaging, phone calls or online meetings, to coffee or lunch chats, which lead to opportunities to work together. Getting personal takes work -- but it is work that is so worth it because not many people do it. That makes you stand out. It differentiates you, and that's a good thing.

Total uniformity, "all business, all the time," actually places a barrier between you and your audience. You're a human first, a thought leader second. Give your brand room to breathe, to be more than Wikipedia with a face, even if it's as simple as including a link to your favorite music playlists, or your Goodreads account. Embrace the fact that your audience doesn't actually crave ALL of your advice and insights, all of the time. Find the intersection of your humanity, your audience's best feedback, and best practices. This sweet spot will take you from scheduled and consistent, to connected and habit-forming.

While "stealing like an artist" has its benefits, remember that imitation isn’t flattery — it’s a sign of uncertainty. Your audience wants to hear from YOU. They’re waiting for you to show them how they can achieve possibilities they haven’t even considered before. Established thought leaders (the people you’re tempted to emulate or copy) give us something, good things, but they haven't given us everything. Break free from their brands by getting fear out of the way. Ask yourself: → Why am I playing it safe? → Which ideas have I hidden away? → How can I bring them to light and elevate conversations? Your audience is waiting for you to show them how they can achieve possibilities they haven’t even considered before.

"All I have is my integrity." That was a quote from the 1993 movie, "Dave," where the Vice President of the U.S. was talking to the man standing in for the President of the U.S. when the VP was falsely accused of wrongdoing. I remember hearing that for the first time thinking, that is one philosophy I will by. Be your authentic self always in every situation. That's how you build integrity and character. That's how you build and retain trust. That's how you never have to worry about which version of the story you told to whom because you're always telling the same story -- the one that's true. People want to network with and relate to other people and learn something new from them. Stay true to who you are.

Your audience's ability to feel like a part of your brand that will make or break you. Be relational. Not transactional. The fact that we all loathe cold outreach demands that you warm things up first. Don’t just use the human touch – use several, over time, mimicking the way we build relationships in the real world. If your dogs both have the same name, tell them about it. Show them you care. Connect them with who they need to know. Recommend a book. Remind them of their talents. Celebrate their big wins and the tiny ones too. Continually find a way to speak to the points of connection they find impossible to forget.

Which party would you rather be at? The one where you're standing in a corner by yourself wishing you could leave without being seen? Or the one where you are engaging with others, asking questions, in respectful debates and discussion, playing a game together, meeting fascinating new people, and sharing mixology tips? If you see a situation where someone is not interacting, now's your chance to be inclusive and invite them in. People love talking about themselves and sharing what they know. Ask questions, get them involved, and they'll remember you as that woman who made them feel special, important and engaged. "People won't remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel." Maya Angelou.

A picture is only worth a thousand words if your audience hasn’t seen it used again and again. Translation: Pairing that stock photo of a guy summiting the top of a mountain with your article about goal setting isn’t the way to go. He’s curiosity repellent on your otherwise great piece of content, and you don’t have time for that. Lazy metaphors and easy jokes fill space, but they don’t win hearts or open wallets — they just induce snoring. Keep your thought leadership free or tired old angles and platitudes.

Anyone can share thoughts, but when you're focused you know to avoid the ineffective ones. Keeping your audience engaged is about saying no. No to quick wins, clickbait, and cheap tactics in general. The longer you play with cheap tactics, the harder things get. The longer you play using a strategy, the bigger the rewards. Beware of "hacks" that seem too good to be true, because they come with small disconnects that make growth harder. Your goal is to create small connections that stack up, making your future with your audience stronger and easier.