Why I trolled my troll on LinkedIn (and don't regret a thing)

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:: 00:00

Most business owners worry about negativity when they're posting content online, which is why I want to reshare it. Or what rehash should I say? This popular episode of the Courageous content podcast throughout may. I am sharing some of the most listened to episodes. And I loved this interview with Jo Britton on how she trolled her troll. And I think you will love it.

:: 00:22

Take enjoy, You know, that feeling. You're getting stuck in the stomach, like the knocks. I felt sick. What would you do if you posted a video on social media and someone made a nasty comments about your appearance, would you delete or ignore it? Would you feel sorry for yourself? Maybe even cry? Well, this stuff goes round.

:: 00:45

You have buy, maybe you shouldn't do video. And that turn from the sick thing into a more defiant feeling. Would you have the courage to stand up to someone who told you online? Well, that's exactly what leadership coach Joe Britton did. In fact, she didn't just stand up to her bully. She created a piece of content about him. The more I thought about while I was on the more I thought I need to stand up here,

:: 01:20

stand up, put your head above the parapet and do something about it In this interview, your hair, how Joe stood up to her online bully with very unexpected consequences. You're listening to the courageous content podcast. I'm Janet Murray. And I love helping coaches, creatives and entrepreneurs create super engaging content that generates leads and sales for their businesses. No one starts a business and just knows how to create engaging content.

:: 01:48

It's a skill that has to be learned from practice, and there's always something new to learn, no matter how long you've been in business. And I know running an online business can feel messy, perfectionism, fear self-doubt and other mindset stuff can stop you showing up online in the way that's best for you. So you'll get help with that too. Where do you to get courageous with your content?

:: 02:11

Let's get started. You Used to feel afraid of video. Why was that? I was so scared doing video mainly because I really cringe at myself on camera. I'm not very confident about my parents. There's a whole regional thing that goes on for me as well. So I'm from Manchester, England. I don't mind communion. And whilst I'm really proud of being a main,

:: 02:43

you know, I still feel really so conscious about my accent and also just how I sound like I really hate the sound of my invoice, but also there's this thing that I think about C then like you're going to be judged. What will people of you right here is sheets go and video gushy boring. And then maybe, I mean, this sounds really ridiculous,

:: 03:10

but that the whole thing, we just think you're gonna create a video on Instagram for instance, and it's going to go viral straight away, and then you're going to get all these comments. And it's ridiculous really, because now when I say started out on Instagram, I mean, I don't have a big following now, but like I had like six family members following me.

:: 03:31

So he was going to see it anyway. But yeah, it was just a terrifying prospect of doing video work. It's interesting about the accent thing, because as you might know, I'm from the north originally, but moved to the south as a child. And I feel so sad that I lost my accent. And so if you move to Kent, which is in the south of England,

:: 03:51

when you're seven with a Scouse accent, it doesn't last very long. So I feel like envious that you've got your lovely Northern accent. Isn't that funny If you're not from the UK, you may not have heard of a Scouse accent. This isn't affectionate term for people who come from Liverpool in the north of England. You've also talked about feeling self-conscious about your appearance.

:: 04:16

Can you talk more about that? Yeah. I've never been particularly confident about my appearance. So for me, the thing I did to build my consequences, a a, you know, it's the thing that is like a mask to the world, probably if I'm honest, and if I put my trademark red lipstick, that's kind of me. I feel,

:: 04:36

I feel more confident and it just helps me like navigate the day. If you like, I agree. I am exactly the same, but despite being nervous about it, you did start to create social media videos. And then you stopped. What changed When the pandemic hit? The rock was really pulled from corporate clients that I had. I mean, they had other priorities.

:: 05:02

They sent at the time and they, Y my contract, you know, things that I had in the pipeline was with Joan. And then there were organizations that didn't pay me and everything. Pretty much spirals kind of went from all this stuff in the pipeline to literally nothing overnight. I totally lost my confidence. I have huge panic attacks and anxiety. I felt that I couldn't sell because I felt it would be inappropriate to be like putting myself out there and selling at the time of crisis.

:: 05:40

You know, you actually sent an email out that really changed things for me to sort of say, don't be embarrassed, you know, about doing this. And then I kind of thought, well, I need to find it in a way, this sounds terrible, but in a way, I kind of fell out the corporate side of the business and I thought I need to innovate.

:: 06:02

And I listened. And one of my condemn, it walks I'm. I can remember exactly where I was listening to one of your original podcasts about how to grow an Instagram audience. And I feel that's what I needed to do. And he's found a new or a new community, and I've never really been on Instagram and bit by bit. I still connect with people who thought there was like no pandemic with a lot of people watching you.

:: 06:32

And also she lives with people thinking, you know, these people are doing this and they show it off having conversations and connecting with people. Maybe I can do this as well. And then I started to recognize that there was a people obviously out there around that time that were really feeling the stress and the strain as a pandemic, seeing anxious, trying to navigate,

:: 06:53

but not very productive. They are healthy, like sharing tips and documented my journey, really just to share it with people. So in the run-up to troll day, shall we call it? You'd posted maybe up to about 20 videos on Instagram, you will finding your feet. You are getting more confident. Tell us about the video you posted that morning.

:: 07:17

What was it about? It was, if you are struggling to make some sales and new business and this whole mindset thing where they don't be afraid to help you with this and shamans tip, because that gives me energy. You know, it's like a confident color. So if I think I'm not seeing in particularly brave red, because it feels quite confident.

:: 07:44

And I have my red lipstick on, I've kind of tried to get out of this habit, has to be perfect all the time. And I've noticed I've missed a bit of my lipstick on color of my mouth. And I thought, should I be recalled that video? No, one's going to see it. They're going to have to be really paying attention.

:: 08:03

If I notice this little bit of lipstick on the side, Other than the Ms. Bit of lipstick, how were you feeling about that video? So I was rocking in that video know, I felt quite comfortable with any conflicts. I jumped quite a few by this stage thought, okay, You hit post. What happened next? Yeah. Great. And then there was a nasty comment.

:: 08:31

Wasn't there from someone called Adam, what did he say? He's so ellipsed about emojis. You know, the I, and then there was another chap who jumped on it with I Roman emojis. I just thought, how do you, I'm trying to help people and Haley you to jump on my feed. I don't know. I go and check your profile now.

:: 08:56

And you pretty anonymous and I can't connect with you because part of me thought, I'll just send him a diamond message. Because he, he was, when I approach a private profile, you know, that feeling, you're getting stuck in the stomach, like the knots, I felt sick. All this stuff goes around. You have like, maybe you shouldn't do a video.

:: 09:20

And that turned from the sort of sick feeling into a more defined failing. What was it in particular about this comment? Which meant you just couldn't let it go. I think the unfairness of there, I was thinking today, I'm not going on social media, doing hateful things. I sharing value. And you don't have to take time out of your day to comment on my parents.

:: 09:54

I'm not doing anything wrong. I really hit my values about fairness and that emotion just gathered more and more momentum. The more I thought about, and the more I thought I need to stand up here, you know, like stand up, put your head above parapet and do something about it. I was thinking about it. And then between clients Coles,

:: 10:21

I just thought, right? I'm like, I just decided I was going to bright red lipstick all over on my face and do a risk-off. It was not planned. It was totally harness in the moment. It's not perfect. It's done in little chunks. So it's not even one full piece. It's not neatly edited. I just did it. Cause I was feeling it in that moment.

:: 10:47

I know you're dying to hear Joe's video. So here it is. While you're listening, remember that Joe has lipstick, smeared or wild her mouth like a clown just as she described, are linked to the post in the show notes. Joe starts off the video, addressing her troll Adam directly. Then she turns it into a tips video for women who are afraid of showing up online,

:: 11:09

then it gives a call to action. This message is for Adam, who kindly took time out of his day today to comment on one of my paints and tell me to sort my lipstick out. I don't know whether it was the color that offended them or the fact that I had actually missed a bit, but kudos to you, Adam, you've got great attention to detail.

:: 11:33

Now, less than up, if you are a woman, like the women that I speak to every day who wants to grow her business and knows that she needs to show it more on social media and be more visible, but is afraid to do so, because she's worried about the kind of Adam comments or the hate comments that you think that you might get,

:: 11:57

then keep watching this because I've got few things to share with you. Point number one, I'm assuming that you're not posting anything hateful. When you post on your social media account. People like Adam who make these sarky comments or nasty comments, have the inability to emotionally regulate their projects in that lack of confidence, their self doubt and their fear onto your feed.

:: 12:24

Point. Number two perspective is Effie said, Adam is one person and about 8 billion people on the planet. Point number three, I'm not going to let somebody like Adam dictate my confidence and my business results come point number four, when Adam commented on my pace, that was engagement. So the algorithm and the algorithm thought, Ooh, engagement, I'll show it some more people.

:: 12:52

I'm point number five. When Adam commented, he left a digital footprint to the world, showed everybody in public. So anyway, listen, if you want to grow your business and you're using social media to do it, don't be afraid to get out there and get visible. In fact, try and find more items. It means that your posts are getting more visible and you're going to benefit as a business as a result.

:: 13:28

Look, if you're struggling with any of this and you want to build yourself belief and confidence, and I'm helping women like you every single day, do this and get incredible results. So please do send me a DM and reach out. I answer all of them. Totally. No pressure Nearly didn't post it because I made this assumption that it wasn't appropriate for me to post looking like a clown on a professional platform.

:: 13:59

So good about how they perceived or the corporate connections of people that I worked with in the past and stuff, my corporate clients. And you know, if I post this, I look really down. It went totally not something 10. So it shared it on Instagram and shared it on Facebook. It totally bombed. But on LinkedIn, it went absolutely not.

:: 14:18

There was so much positive support really. And I think people were telling me it was really relatable, but also that it was like a balanced and measured this bonus. And also that it was quite funny. And I had 2000 video views, which is pretty good. I think certainly the, my context, I've done videos on that four and got 500 a thousand games at the most.

:: 14:43

I couldn't keep up with the inbound connection requests. I lost count to best deal. So inbound connections and people just wanting to talk to me and my messages, Yours are generating business from it. Didn't you? I just made loads of connections and it gave me the opportunity to talk to people. And then people were saying, oh really? Like, what would you work with me?

:: 15:08

I need to build my confidence. It was lead generation. And I hopped on calls and great conversations with people. And as a result, I generate 10,000 pounds of new sales within a month. So Adam did me a massive, Did you ever hear back from Adam? Did he respond? I did do a second follow-up video, which is why my best filings,

:: 15:29

the really weird thing, but I didn't realize what happened was that lots of people message me saying that they couldn't wait to see what I did. Oh yeah. So pressure. So it was like having a, a hit single on people expecting you to have, or having a first grade album and people expecting you to follow up. And then I froze and it was like,

:: 15:50

oh my God, would I disappoint people and actually create anything or post anything for a few days or add to do that is reframe and like, say, gosh, not having post is going to perform like that. It's just keep going and be consistent. Would you do it again? A hundred percent? I would do it again. I'm so pleased.

:: 16:11

Jo stood up to her online bully. Well, they can be upsetting incidents like this are thankfully were. And the support she received is a reminder that most people are decent human beings. I hope this interview has inspired you to feel more confident showing up online and assured you that there are good people out there. Who've got your back. It might even inspire you to challenge negativity in the online space.

:: 16:38

If you need help with confidence around showing up online, this is something Joe can definitely help with. I'll link to her website and LinkedIn accounts in the show notes. Thanks for listening to the courageous content podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on apple podcasts or share the episode on social media. That way more people can benefit from the free tips and strategies I share and be sure to tag me in when you do I'm at Jan Murray on Instagram,

:: 17:06

Twitter, and TikTok.