Crash Course on Engagement

Welcome to part 2 of this 6-part crash course to help you get on track with your business.

1. A way to reach people ✅

2. A way to keep them engaged

3. A way to earn and maintain their trust

4. A way to genuinely help them

5. A way to monetize the help you're giving (aka get paid)

6. A way to keep it going and evolving

   
   

At its core, business is simply answering the question: "What can I provide to a large number of people that genuinely helps them?" 

The caveat?

You also need to ensure recurring, sustainable income to support and grow your efforts.

Now we’re diving into Step #2: A Way to Keep People Engaged.

One of the easiest things to get—and hardest to maintain—is attention. In today’s digital age, we’re spoiled for choice with platforms and tools, yet many entrepreneurs feel lost in a sea of noise. So, how do you break through, hold attention, and build genuine engagement that keeps people coming back?

Engagement is the foundation of your business.

If your audience doesn’t feel connected to your brand, you don't have one (not a sustainable one anyways). Engagement isn’t just about a quick like or comment—it’s about creating a community that resonates with your message and feels personally and emotionally invested in your journey.

So how can you do this as a beginnner?

1. Know Your Audience Like a Friend

Your content is only as strong as your understanding of who’s consuming it.

The better you know your audience, the more you can tailor your content to their needs, desires, and pain points.

Tangible Steps:

• Survey your audience: Use tools like Google Forms, Instagram polls, or email surveys to ask your followers about their biggest struggles or interests. This not only shows you care but can open the forum for more meaningful conversation.

• Create personas: Imagine your ideal customer, or audience member, and outline their habits, frustrations, and goals. Who are they? What TV shows do they watch? What references will they relate to? What's their social status? Economic status? Career? This isn't John Doe.

• Join conversations: Dive into comment sections, forums, or communities where your audience hangs out to see what they’re talking about. Not only will you gain valuable insight but you'll also show them you're genuinely trying to build something by contributing to it.

  • Example: If you’re launching a wellness brand and notice your audience struggles with burnout, focus your content on small, actionable ways to combat stress or provide personal anecdotes to relate to their struggles or ask them questions about what they feel would be helpful to receive from you.

2. Start With a Hook

The first 3 seconds determine whether someone engages or swipes away.

We all know people have developed the attention span of a goldfish nowadays, a strong hook sparks curiosity, compels your audience, and interrupts the quick dopamine hit cycle they're trapped in as they doomscroll.

Tangible Steps:

• Ask a question: “What if everything you know about X is wrong?”

• Lead with emotion: “You’ve tried everything to feel better—but nothing works. Here’s why.”

• Use movement in videos: The first frame should show action to grab attention, this can look like jumping towards the camera, a flash of color, a beautiful landscape (or face), animation, or sound effect.

  • Example: Instead of starting a post with, “Here are some tips for better focus,” try, “This is the one productivity mistake the separates you from Elon Musk —here's how you can fix it.”

3. Be Genuinely Helpful

Your audience is investing their time in you—make it worth their while.

We have no patience for frauds, neither do you, neither does your audience. When your content solves real problems, your audience sees you as a trusted resource and goodwill compounds.

Tangible Steps:

• Educate in bite-sized pieces: Break down complex topics into digestible tips. No one cares how smart you sound if they can't relate, they'll chalk it up to you showing off or, even worse, feel inadequate after watching your content because they realize how much they don't understand.

  • Remember to KISS -- keep it simple stupid.

• Provide tools or resources: Share free downloads, cheat sheets, or guides. No one likes paying for things, if your audience can 'buy' into you at a low perceived risk (because it's free of charge) and leave with genuine value, they're going to trust you and what you bring to the table which will help when you eventually do have a thing to sell.

• Share relatable stories: Show how you’ve overcome the same struggles they’re facing. No one wants a detached person spewing nonsense from his mansion balcony, show your audience you're on their level... but elevated, and that if you can rise they can too.

  • Example: A post titled “How I Beat Overwhelm With a 5-Minute Morning Routine” that includes actionable steps is far more engaging than a generic “self-care tips” post.

4. Create Opportunities for Interaction

Engagement thrives on interaction.

Make it easy for your audience to connect with you, the more they feel they can interacts, the more invested they feel—and the more visible your content becomes thanks to algorithms.

Tangible Steps:

• Pose questions: “What’s the biggest goal you’re working on right now?” And then either react to their responses or respond!

• Use interactive features: Leverage Instagram’s Q&A, polls, and stickers. Again, show the people you're looking at what they're providing. They're taking time out of their day to give to you, appreciate that gift.

• Respond to comments: Every reply is an opportunity to deepen the connection, show your audience you're real, care, and are congruent with your content's messaging.

  • Example: If you post about journaling and end with, “What’s one question you’d ask yourself in a journal today?" like or comment to the responses you get -- show people you genuinely want to hear what they have to say and, over time, they'll start showing up in surplus.

5. Leverage Storytelling to Build Connection

Stories are how humans connect.

Storytelling evokes emotion, and emotion creates loyalty. This is IT.

Tangible Steps:

• Share your journey: What inspired your business? What challenges did you overcome? Why is this important for people to know? How does your story help them? How can your journey help them? Ego aside, why are you the person who has the best solution and how will you care for your audience because of your past?

• Use the Hero’s Journey framework: Position your audience as the hero, and your product/service as the guide. Everyone loves a good underdog movie and if we're all the main character in our own life movie... why wouldn't we want the same for ourselves?

  • No one wants to imagine themselves as the villain or side character, make your audience connect by positioning your content as a way for them to feel important.

    
    

6. Test, Refine, Repeat

We're humans, we evolve. There's no shame in pivoting, embrace it.

What resonates today might not tomorrow. Consistently analyzing your content keeps you ahead of the curve and shows your audience you're willing to adapt. It also makes you seem more human because then they can literally watch you grow over time.

Tangible Steps:

• Use analytics: Check what posts get the most shares, saves, or comments, and replicate that format.

• Experiment: Test new content types like live videos, stories, or long-form blogs if you're noticing you're not having the same impact you once did.

• Ask for feedback: Directly ask your audience what they want more (or less) of. It's fine if you had an idea and it bombed, what's not fine is doing it again and again and disregarding what your audience wants.

  • Example: If your audience loves behind-the-scenes content, make it a weekly feature. If they’re skipping over static posts, consider shifting to reels or carousels. Just because you have them today doesn't mean they'll stick around tomorrow.

Final Takeaway on Enhancing your Engagement

At the end of the day, keeping people engaged isn’t about tricks or trends—it’s about building relationships.

When you focus on creating a two-way connection, the “sea of noise” fades away, leaving you with a loyal, engaged community that supports you, your business, and your vision for the long haul.

Engagement isn’t easy, but it’s worth it.