Impostor Syndrome: Ghost it in Your Marketing

Walking into a room filled with important individuals, the voice of doubt echoed loudly in my mind. “I DON’T BELONG HERE,” it screamed. My heart started beating faster as I looked around the room. Elected officials. CEOs. Executive Directors. Community Leaders. Despite my inner turmoil, I pushed forward, reminding myself of my own accomplishments. I am a CEO too. “You’re a FAKE one,” the voice lied back (gosh it can be brazen).

The truth is…I think I’m an imposter. You think you’re an imposter. Most of us think we are imposters. A student was once shocked to hear me say that—so much so that in class she immediately remarked, “You?” “Of course,” I said right back. “I’ve been an imposter for as long as I remember.” Another student chimed in, “How can YOU have imposter syndrome?” I said right back to him, “How can YOU have imposter syndrome? You have a great job, you attend a top business school, and your resume is top notch.”

Impostor syndrome is ubiquitous. Despite our achievements and qualifications, we often feel inadequate. Even when surrounded by accomplished peers, the feeling persists. Which takes me back to my first point. We’re all impostors battling impostor syndrome. I can’t tell you how many articles and books I’ve read that try to cure my impostor syndrome, but no matter what I do, it sticks around. So instead, I’ve learned to never let it hold me back, and I want you to do the same because it’s amazing how much it waters down your marketing.

Here’s what it sounds like in meetings:

• “We have to do this before we can say that.”
• “Once we achieve X, we will be in a better position to Y.”
• “In the future, we’d like to be known as X.”
• “[Insert competitor here] is a threat because they [insert fancy way you don’t measure up here].”

Next time you hear yourself saying these things about your business, organization, or personal brand, recognize these patterns and challenge them. Reframe your narrative to highlight your strengths.

Here’s a few examples of how it changes your marketing:

• Instead of saying you are “the expert,” you say you are “one of the best.”
• Instead of saying you have a “novel process,” you say you have a “unique” one.
• Instead of saying that your business is “leading” the industry, you say your business is “up and coming.”
• Instead of saying that you are “solving” an industry problem, you say you are “contributing to a solution.”

The list goes on and on… and when you read these examples side-by-side, I hope you see how much weaker the second phrase is than the first in each sentence.

If you’ve successfully cured impostor syndrome, I’d like to hear from you, because I personally think it’s hard to do. So rather than curing it, improve your marketing by NOTICING impostor syndrome, and don’t let it water down your claims.

I’ve actually grown to like some parts of my impostor syndrome. It makes me reach for nothing but excellence, keeps me on my game, and keeps me humble. It’s a catalyst for continuous improvement. But when it comes to my marketing, I ghost it. Call me selfish but I only want it around when it helps my business. You should do the same. Be bold… use the words that catapult you to the top and resist the urge to water then down.