You are about to hit send on your monthly newsletter and you feel like you just might lose your lunch.

It happens, doesn't it? That moment before you release a new ezine or click start on a Facebook live video is nerve racking.

It's part of the "fear and loathing in content marketing" that most people don't talk about.

I used to get that clenched feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I released a CEO message to thousands of employees during my corporate communications days. Back then, I worried about the message being typo free and the content being understood.

When we are running our own business, the nerves compound.

Part of it is worrying about the typos and clarity. Most entrepreneurs aren't 100% confident in their writing ability because that lies far outside their genius work. (Which is a root cause of writing procrastination (a recent Well Said Wednesday topic.)

But it's not just that. There are also subconscious and completely insidious thoughts that can stymie us when we're about to put ourselves out there:

"What are they going to think about this?"
 

"What are they going to think about me based on this?"

If you ever hesitate to turn up the volume on your business's messages, consider that those questions might be holding you back from communicating clearly about the outcomes you deliver for clients.

Then ask yourself:

• Who exactly is this "they" you are worried about?
  

• Does this mysterious "they" even matter to your business or the audience you're trying to reach, or is 'they" populated by old bosses or family members?
  

• On the off chance that one or two of the "theys" did have a snippy or negative reaction, would their opinion cause your entire enterprise crumble?
  

• Writing (or not writing) for "they" is catering to the lowest common denominator. I can say with absolute certainty that that's not the target market of your small business.

Instead, think of your best customer or the ideal client of your dreams. What is she going to think about this? What is he going to think about you based on this?

Feels different, doesn't it?

Now go hit "send."

FYI : This post originated as a content in 4.23's monthly newsletter, The 23rd. Not a subscriber? Fix that right at this link.