The illusion of showing up


Hey Reader,

When I first started building my personal brand 5 years ago, even with my 15 years of marketing and branding experience, I somehow developed marketing-best-practice-amnesia and decided the best approach would be to treat my content like a cosmic vending machine.

Post a reel.

Drop a LinkedIn thought.

Send an email.

Then wait. Refresh. Obsessively check who viewed it.

(32 views. 3 likes. One was my mom.)

But no discovery calls. No DMs. Just silence.

I’d spent years crafting brilliant brand campaigns for big names with million-dollar budgets... and now I couldn’t get a stranger on the internet to click a Calendly link?

It was maddening.

I thought I was doing everything “right.” I was showing up. I was adding value. I was being consistent.

So why wasn’t it working?

The Messy → Magical Shift

Here’s what I learned when it comes to personal brands vs mega brands with mega bucks to spend: Consistency is not the same as connection.

And content, no matter how regular or polished, isn’t a marketing strategy.

It’s just one tactic.

Marketing that works–like actually moves people to buy–is built on relationship, relevance, and resonance. That means you can stop trying to win the algorithm lottery and start focusing on human strategy:

What do they need to hear to trust you?

What’s the next micro-step that moves them closer to saying yes?

How can you show up authentically where it counts, not just everywhere?

✨ 3 Steps to Connect Like a Pro

1. Build a Relationship Engine (Not Just a Content Calendar)

A pro doesn’t just post, they seek to connect.

Don't rely on passive broadcasting. Start building intentional pathways:

→ Warm up new leads with an intentional nurture sequence. Tell a story.
→ Start real conversations in the DMs, not just surface level fluff.
→ Invite your audience to interact (polls, replies, live discussions).

The purpose? Get your dream clients from scrolling to trusting.

2. Map the Journey to Your Offer

Marketing isn’t about what you post. It’s about why you post it.

→ Does this piece address a common objection?
→ Is it helping them see their problem more clearly?
→ Does it bridge the gap between awareness and action?

Plot your content like tasty breadcrumbs that guide others directly to your offer. Every post, email, and story should have a helpful role.

3. Focus on Depth Over Width

As we know, you don’t need a million followers. You need the right 20 people to feel seen.

→ Personalize your outreach.
→ Ask better questions.
→ Respond to replies like it matters (because it does).

We've chatted on this one before, but this is a friendly reminder: a tiny, engaged audience outperforms a big, silent one.

A Spark of Inspiration:

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” — African Proverb

Let your marketing be a conversation, not a monologue.

If you're feeling like you're doing "all the things" and it's still not landing, maybe it's not about doing more.

Perhaps it's about doing it differently.

Effective marketing isn’t about volume–it’s all about alignment.

Right people, right message, right timing.

💬 Your Turn
What’s one shift you could make this week to deepen your marketing connection with those you want to serve, not just your consistency?

Reply and tell me. I’d love to hear what’s landing.

To more clarity, confidence, and ease—one messy step at a time.

Grateful for you.

Thank you for being here!

I want you to know I'm proud of you for continuing to learn, and I believe you have what it takes to make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality.

If this resonated, share it with a friend who might find it helpful.
Was this forwarded to you?
Subscribe here
I'd love to connect with you on social, too!

Rebecca Eve Studios 3300 NW 185th Ave Suite 1014, Portland, Oregon, 97229
Unsubscribe · Preferences

✨ Messy to Magical

I help first-time entrepreneurs turn the hot mess in their heads into magical, purpose-driven brands—with clarity, confidence, and without the stress. Get mindset shifts, brand strategy, and marketing tips to grow a business (and life!) that feels aligned and fulfilling. Don't worry—messy beginnings are how all magic starts. 2x Founder | Join 32,000 others following along in releasing self-doubt and bringing their vision to life!

Read more from ✨ Messy to Magical
shadow of a woman entrepreneur

Hey Reader, A few months ago, I was working with a new entrepreneur who was so thrilled to finally have escaped the corporate world, but she kept stalling on writing her About page. We'd made progress everywhere else–defining her offers, setting sound pricing, even the homepage was pretty dang solid if I do say so myself. But every time she sat down to describe herself, she froze. "I just don’t know what to say. It feels fake," she told me. After a few coaching calls and a few tears, we...

Hey Reader, When a client of mine first heard me use the phrase “lead magnet,” she rolled her eyes, picturing a clunky PDF with a bland title like “10 Productivity Hacks for Boss Babes.” 🥴 She said she had previously downloaded a few, but they all sat unopened in her inbox like forgotten leftovers in the back of the fridge. So wouldn't you know it, when it came time to create her own lead magnet, she froze. What would she even offer?Would anyone care?Would it feel… scammy? She admitted she...

Hey Reader, I used to think if I visualized it hard enough, you know, lit the candle, journaled the vision, closed my eyes and really felt it—I’d become the person I dreamed of being. Entrepreneur. Author. Someone who was free, lit-up, and living on purpose. And don’t get me wrong—I love me some good visualization. Heart-centered embodiment. I’ve got vision boards that could win awards. But here’s what I learned the hard way:No one else can see what’s in your head. You can sit in meditation...