What’s a Platform and Why Is It Important?

This email landed in my inbox this week:

Hey Jill! I finished reading your No More Perfect Moms book this week and it has changed every aspect of my normal thoughts. Also, when I listen to your No More Perfect Podcast episodes, I find myself yelling at the radio, “How does she know I’ve thought/felt that way!?”

Anyone who desires to speak or write feels a calling to influence others in some way. We want our words to make a difference for someone. We hope to disrupt thinking in a way that helps others grow. We long for people to know they’re not alone. We want our story to give someone encouragement in their story.

The email I received this week told me that had happened! She’s thinking differently about comparison and expectations of perfection. She also knows she’s not alone in the challenges of life. I’m so grateful
my words reached her on two of the platforms I use.

In the past, if you wanted to influence a group of people you needed a stage to stand on and a megaphone or a microphone to amplify your voice. These allowed you to be both seen and heard.

However, things are different now. With the advances of technology and the invention of social media, it’s never been easier to have a stage and a microphone as it is right now. In fact, you can stand on a stage and have your voice heard without ever even leaving your home! When you assemble your own virtual stages, you are creating a platform. It’s your platform that will increase your reach and your influence.

Every influencer needs to understand what a platform is and how to grow it. Your platform consists of all of the stages you stand on in the social media/online/in-person world. These stages might include:

Blog
Website
Podcasting (your own or being a guest on one)
Email List
Facebook (including Facebook LIVES)
Instagram (including Instagram LIVES)
Twitter
Products
Courses
Speaking engagements
Books
Guest-posting (like I’m doing on the Speak Up Blog today!)
You Tube
Tik Tok
Speaking opportunities
Bible Studies you teach
E-books
Books

Building your platform is key to getting your message out there! The message that’s burning in your heart and ready to burst out of you is desperately needed in this world. You don’t need to publish a book or be
invited to speak to make that happen.

Want to write a book? Build a platform first.

Want to start speaking. Build a platform first.

As a platform and speaking coach, I’m often asked how to write a book and how to start speaking. What I tell people is to build your platform first. It can start as your practice run for speaking and writing. As you’re
honing your communication skills, you’re also gathering an audience who wants to hear from you. This opens the doors to be invited to speak. This sets the stage for actually putting the book you want to write
into the hands of readers who need to read it.

If you want to speak, get active on social media. Start doing Facebook LIVES. Begin making mini videos (3-5 minutes on your phone) with mini messages, posting them on social media where they can be shared. Launch a podcast. Start a website with a free resource that people can access in exchange for their email address and then begin building a relationship with those on your email list by sending out regular emails with helpful content or an email newsletter.

If you want to write a book, start sharing meaningful written content on social media. Guest post on blogs. Start your own blog and let people subscribe. Write a short (less than 10 pages) ebook and offer it
for free in exchange for an email address so you can start growing your platform through an email list. Once you start building a list, send out emails with helpful content on a regular basis.

Your platform gathers people who want to hear what you have to say. It establishes your credibility. It gives you opportunities to influence. It introduces people to your message, your voice, and the things you
are passionate about. Your platform is the stage and megaphone you get to stand on and use every single day!

So you want to write, speak, or influence others in some way? Start building your platform today!

Question: Which social media tool is your favorite? Why?