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Hi Reader,

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…audience growth used to be easy.

Post on social media consistently or run dirt-cheap Facebook ads and Viola! Instant audience.

Nowadays, your audience grows at the speed of sloths.

It’s not your fault. Marketing has changed.

People are skeptical of ads and guard their email addresses like dragons protecting treasure.

Let's face it: Growing an audience is a pain in the buttocks!

Last week, I introduced you to the GEO framework (Grow, Engage, Offer) as a way to make marketing suck less.

Today, we're diving deep into that "G" - and it's about way more than just growing your list.

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You could feel like you're doing everything RIGHT.

Post regularly on LinkedIn. Be interviewed on podcasts and send an email every week.

It feels like NOTHING IS HAPPENING!

❌ You get a handful of likes on your post
❌ A trickle of new subscribers from that podcast interview
❌ No one ever responds to your email.

Here's the rebel truth: Something IS happening.

It's called brand awareness, and it's the most overlooked part of marketing because it doesn't give us that sweet, sweet dopamine hit of instant results.

Back in my corporate market research days, we measured brand awareness constantly. Think about it – if I say "Cheerios" or "Nike," there's 100% recognition.

But your business? That's a different story.

I've been in business for 13 years, and I'm finally at the point where people come to me because they know of me. Maybe they read my book, heard me on a podcast, or their coach mentioned my work.

Finally, *some* people know my name.

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Meet the S-Curve Theory of Growth.

The brilliant folks at IttyBiz explain it perfectly:

Someone hears you on a podcast or sees your helpful comment. They think, "Huh. Good point." Or, "That was funny." Or, "I should try that."

And then... THEY DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT ALL.

They move on with their day. They don't think about you again until...

Flash forward. They see you answer another question on LinkedIn. Or hear you on another podcast. And guess what happens?

STILL ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

This cycle repeats about 10 TIMES before they finally take action.

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You might be thinking, "But Michelle, my one client heard me on a podcast, binged my content, then hired me!"

I've had that experience, too. That person is wonderful, amazing, and is also an outlier.

They're an exceptional exception to the rule of 10.

This is why brand awareness and reputation building are such a long game.

You're not just collecting email addresses – you're becoming known in your industry. And that takes time.

When people know about your work (even if they're not on your list or following you), opportunities start flowing:

• Referrals from people you've never met
• Clients who "followed your work for years."
• Speaking invitations
• Collaboration requests

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The Real Truth About Growth

Once you understand the S-Curve and brand awareness, you realize that even when it looks like nothing is happening—it is.

Your job isn't to force instant results. It's to keep showing up consistently, sharing your expertise, and trust that people will remember you when they need you.

Because they will. Even if it takes 10 touches to get there.

Keep going. You're playing the long game, and that's exactly where you should be.

Yours in rebellion,
Michelle

P.S. Want to make your marketing more effective while doing less? Grab my free Market Like an Expert email course. Because life is too short for marketing, that sucks the life out of you.
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​ Dr. Michelle Mazur Message Strategist & Founder of The Expert Up Club ​Podcast / 3 Word Rebellion Book​ ​

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