Can We All Agree to Stop Saying This?

Embrace the cringe.

I’m sure you’ve seen this phrase popping up online, heck, I’m even guilty of saying it myself. But can we collectively agree to stop saying this in 2024? 

What if, instead of embracing the ‘cringe’, we stopped thinking that we’re cringey at all? 

I know. Revolutionary. But hear me out. I know that the concept of embracing the cringe comes from a place of loving the parts of you that make you feel uncomfortable, but what if we venture to understand where this discomfort comes from instead? Understanding this inherent reaction allows us to call it out and spin it on its head. 

A lot of my PR clients are a bit dismayed when I tell them that a big part of their publicity success will come from their Owned Media channels, predominantly, maintaining a consistent online presence on one, or several, social media channels. High engagement rates on social media typically derive from content that is relatable, something that forms a connection or resonates deeply with your audience. And oftentimes, this means stepping outside your comfort zone to put yourself out there.

Me? I’ve always been a writer. So when I started my business, I had hoped that I’d be able to market my brand exclusively through the written word. I mean honestly, maybe I would have been better suited for entrepreneurship in the 1800’s. Long-winded social media captions and carousel graphics felt like a ‘safe’ approach, but I wasn’t growing a following or making any headway selling my service on social media. It was so frustrating, but I knew that when I got in front of potential clients, I almost always closed the deal immediately, and that’s because they were attracted to me and my personality. But I needed to get in front of more clients.

So I slowly started to dabble in creating Instagram Reels. I started with the safe stuff – you know, B-Roll, Time Lapses – video that allowed me to show my face to stimulate a more personal connection, but I still maintained a firm boundary between my personality and the internet. 

And then, I was left with no choice but to leap directly outside of my comfort zone. I was invited to speak at an event, and one of the asks of each speaker was an IG Reel introducing ourselves and our topic as promotion for ticket sales. I spent like an hour recording several takes. I Facetuned the living daylights out of that thing. I may have even adjusted my tone of voice. Looking back it was the most tepid representation of myself but hey, we all start somewhere. 

I quickly realized that content filmed in this format allowed me to reinforce my positioning as a brand and publicity expert because it gave me a way to speak at length on the topic, in a medium that is proven to get more views than a caption. It also made me a more confident speaker when it came to future events and podcasts. I started to filter in a few more glimpses of my personality – a little shoulder shimmy here, a sip of a cocktail there – but I was still cringing every time I hit the post button. 

This past Holiday season, a dear friend and colleague of mine, Lena Sesardic, hosted a 10-day Instagram Reel challenge where each day, she provided a prompt or template for participants to incorporate into their own content. The first couple days were focused on using B-Roll, and I was nailing it. But slowly, Lena introduced concepts that required more creativity and personality than I was used to putting out online. At first, I thought I could just skip the days that felt like too much work or expression, but the group chat was blowing up with other business owners stepping out of their shells and creating amazing video. I was inspired AND supported, and changed out of my sweatpants several times to film once inspiration struck. 

The best part? None of it felt cringey at all. I reached a point where I was being comedic, leading with creativity, and creating content that I was actually proud and excited to post. There was no cringe to embrace, and that’s because I had stepped into a version of myself that knows these parts are crucial elements of my personal brand.

I love to make people laugh. I don’t take myself too seriously, and I do my best to maintain an energy that allows others to feel comfortable around me. Those have always been key pieces of personal brand, but I needed the support and insight from others to understand that it was safe to incorporate these elements into my business in a public forum. 

This exercise also reminded me why my Personal Brand Discovery is such an important service offering for business owners feeling the same way. It is very challenging to step outside ourselves and call out the aspects that make us unique and different from our competitors. A lot of my clients don’t even think they have competitors when we first start working together (spoiler alert: you absolutely do, and I will happily show them to you). A Personal Brand Discovery helps you understand how your human characteristics contribute to the success of your business and attract your ideal client, and best of all, I help you realize that your so-called “cringe” isn't so cringey at all. It’s probably the quality that a lot of onlookers wish they had themselves. 

 So who’s with me? Here’s to a new year. A fresh start. We’re not embracing the cringe, we’re celebrating our unique position in the marketplace. And if you’re still not convinced, consider which option is going to pay your bills.

Psst. If you want to learn more about how you can dial in your personal brand this year, book your free Discovery Call here. I can’t wait to connect with you!

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