Our panel sits down to chat about the importance of sharing your personal story and getting over the fear of opening up.   The Episode: Why You Should Definitely Share Your Story   You may be forgiven for feeling like you always have to show your best side on social media and when interacting with clients. We are here to remind you that showing flaws, vulnerability, and failures can actually positively impact your coaching business and gain you more clients. When you humanize yourself through personal details about your journey and struggles, it makes you more relatable and approachable. In fact, you may say that it is hard to truly respect someone with that sort of perspective of them. It will take some time and practice, but the sooner you can get comfortable opening up to the public, the sooner you will reap the rewards.   In This Episode  The fear that exists of sharing personal things [0:11:02] Natural progress in getting comfortable on different platforms [0:17:01] The humanizing power of details specific to your circumstance [0:20:49] How personal information impacts getting hired by clients [0:23:32] An exercise in sharing something sensitive on social media [0:27:29] Human connection is often missing from coaching businesses [0:32:47]   “That's what we mean when say share your story, share how your current life circumstances shape the decisions that you make with your health.” — Carolina Belmares   Getting Past the Fear of Sharing There is a noticeable hump that we have to get over in order to properly share our true story. Doing this will become easier after every time, but the bottom line is you need to get comfortable telling people about the different parts of yourself. Doing this can definitely leave you feeling exposed, but it is also the best way to connect with others, so get accustomed to letting your guard down.   Avoiding Comparisons and Humanizing Yourself No matter your line of work, honesty makes you more approachable, and the sharing of your story can make you less intimidating to clients. You need to be talking about how your current circumstances are impacting decisions to do with your health, this coupled with a less than perfect picture of yourself will build rapport. There are reasons that people choose coaches, and trust and connection are usually high up on that list.   Authenticity and Vulnerability Do not be afraid of vulnerability, it can really count in your favor. Getting hired is reliant on respect, respect is reliant on understanding, and your story is the quickest route to understanding. You can test all of this out very easily by posting something vulnerable on social media, and using it as a means to start a conversation. You may be surprised just how much engagement you receive on this kind of content. We all share insecurities, so why not use them to connect?   Already at $1,000/month online and want to scale? Apply for OTA 2 here: www.thePTDC.com/OTA2   SPONSORS Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota   Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055 Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=zMWTLmtISMm1XrU-4Q8oxA YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC