How to Market Yourself as a Human Design Projector – The Art of Invitation

human-design-projector-jakob-owens-980x653

You are a projector. You have the inner authority to communicate with and influence people worldwide by inviting them into your life, vision, and business.

The more intentional you are about how you do it, the better success you will see in return.

Yet, some of the methods you’ve been using to grow your business haven’t worked. And if you’re anything like me, you don’t love the idea of having to sit around and “wait for the invite” either.

In this article, I’ll be going over some of the strategies that have worked well for me and others as human design projectors when marketing ourselves or our services.

I hope you’ll be able to use some of these strategies to sell your gifts and share your inner authority.

This article will be a good introduction if you’re new to human design.

Prefer to listen to audio? Click play right here:

Table Of Contents
  1. The Challenge for Projectors
  2. What is Human Design?
  3. What is a human design chart, and how does it work?
  4. What are the five Human Design system profiles?
  5. Manifestors
  6. Generators
  7. Manifesting generators
  8. Projectors
  9. Reflectors
  10. Human Design in Business: Leveraging Your Strengths
  11. Mastering the art of projection
  12. Strategy and authority
  13. What is the ideal Projector strategy?
  14. Why does a Projector need to wait for an invitation?
  15. The challenge of being a Projector in business – stop giving unsolicited advice!
  16. What is attraction marketing?
  17. 15 Ways to Get Recognized and Invited as a Projector
  18. Stories of client attraction from Projectors running businesses
  19. A final word of advice for Human Design Projectors
  20. Marketing Yourself as a Projector FAQ
  21. Where to from here?

The Challenge for Projectors

Have you ever wondered why it often feels icky or awkward to promote and sell your services?

Have you observed that the methods and tactics that many marketers and sales trainers teach don’t seem to resonate with you, no matter how hard or often you try them? Maybe you’ve failed miserably with cold outreach tactics as I have. (by the way, if you’re a Projector who has mastered cold outreach I’d love to hear from you!)

You’ve read all the books, watched the videos, and listened to all the podcasts, but it doesn’t seem to do as much for you as you’d like. Don’t worry! 

I know how frustrating it is to feel that no matter what you do, your services and business aren’t getting the traction they deserve– but there’s a reason behind this, and we’re going to find out together what that is and what you can do about it.

What is Human Design?

Human design is not an ancient science, and it is based on several different schools of ancient science.

Human Design synthesizes five systems: Western astrology, Chinese I Ching, Indian chakras, Judaic Kabbalah, and quantum science.

Meet Human Design’s Creator Ra Uru Hu

The story goes that in January 1987, Alan Krakower, who was working as a school teacher in Ibiza, had an unusual mystical experience followed by an encounter with “a Voice, ” who revealed to him the ancient wisdom of Human Design.

He then took on Ra Uru Hu’s name, meaning “the one who carries the light,” and devoted his life to revealing this wisdom.

The belief is that Human Design helps us understand our identity and understands how we came into being to best navigate what’s ahead– which includes everything from relationships with others, careers, financial success, and more.

What is a human design chart, and how does it work?

A human design chart is a map that shows the relationships between your physical and personality traits. It also includes how they interact with other people’s charts to create an effective relationship.

The human design chart is broken into 18 different types, and each type has its strengths. You can get your Human Design chart for free here.

What are the five Human Design system profiles?

Each Human Design profile is unique and has a specific set of challenges that need addressing to live true to its design purpose. When it comes to decision-making, these profiles will have a different approach to going about it.

The five Human Design types are:

  • Manifestors,
  • Generators,
  • Manifesting generators,
  • Projectors, and
  • Reflectors.

Manifestors

Manifestors are the creators. They are the organizers, directors, and managers of life. They’re responsible for making things happen through their powerful energy – manifesting positively.

Generators

Generators are the producers of all that is physical: money, food, clothing, and shelter. These resources come from them because they can quickly turn ideas into reality. Generators are best known for their support roles of providing help and strength.

Manifesting generators

Manifesting generators have an easy time turning thoughts into manifestation but also find it difficult to control what they create when other people’s needs get involved. Manifesting generators produce through action and generating momentum.

Projectors

Projectors project themselves into their lives to shape them from within (examples include artists and entrepreneurs). If you’re a projector, your job is to help people understand themselves better by making accurate observations about them that they may not have been able to see in themselves. You might also find yourself drawn to careers like teaching or coaching as a way to help other people achieve their potential.

Reflectors

Reflectors are the observers who can take in information and reflect it back with empathy or support others through problem-solving.

They are good at drawing out the nuances of a situation from multiple perspectives, making them excellent consultants because they can see problems coming from different angles before anyone else does.

Because they have such strong intuition about how things will play out, reflector types may well be drawn to careers like counseling that involve helping people find solutions for themselves or organizations where accountability is necessary (examples include doctors, and lawyers).

Reflectors reflect everything in life back onto themselves and do not try to change what is happening outside of them- they can be seen in nature as a mirror or a still body of water. 

Learn more about each energy type on the jovian archive website and check out Fiona Wong’s epic Human Design guide too.

Human Design in Business: Leveraging Your Strengths

“The power of Human Design is that once you become aware of your strengths you can practice using them & stop the madness of living through your not self.  This in turn removes resistance in your business, allows a deeper sense of trust in yourself, removes energy leaks, & opens your channels to receiving inspiration/ the correct invitations/ things to respond to/ something to initiate you into your process.” 

~ Ashley Briana Eve

Mastering the art of projection

The art of projection related to these five categories can be broken down into several parts; self-projected authority, projector strategy, and invitation & recognition.

Self-Projected Authority comes with self-discovery and understanding of how your power (aka. “inner authority”) emanates outwardly, so you know how best to direct it towards others.

The key takeaway point for marketers interested in human design as an advertising strategy: you should focus on attracting clients who resonate most strongly with your talents to use them to guide the prosperity of your business.

What separates Projectors from other energy types in human design?

Projectors are energized by invitation and anticipation. They thrive in environments where there’s a sense of being welcomed, important, or desired. A projector energy type will create the perception that they have been chosen to be an entertainer for some special event or purpose.

When projectors feel this kind of recognition, they will build themselves up into all sorts of strengths and qualities to not disappoint their audience when it finally arrives.

Strategy and authority

If you’re new to human design, strategy and authority, refer to how you can best direct your inner power outwardly.

If, for example, a projector-type person is in an environment with many reflector types people, they should use their projecting generator to lead the conversation and introduce themselves first.

Then invite others by asking questions that will get them both talking about what’s happening around them or wait for the invitation to be offered.

A projector-type person in a group of projectors will usually be more outgoing and talkative than when surrounded by reflector types, who are better listeners.

Projector strategy also comes into play regarding how you position yourself relative to others – for example, an authority type should always stand behind their desk or podium while acknowledging the audience. In contrast, someone asking questions of another speaker might sit in the front row if they’re less authoritative themselves.

You should also use your projecting generator at work as often as possible to choose what projects get done next (even if it’s just assigning tasks).

Projectors are like Lighthouses

lighthouse

(Photo by Nathan Jennings on Unsplash)

A great analogy for describing Projectors is that of the lighthouse. I first saw this on Evelyn Levenson’s blog post The Truth About Projector Recognition and Invitations

Its ability to guide ships through the dark is valuable and useful. Projectors are like lighthouses that guide others to their highest potential in human design.

A lighthouse offers safety to all ships, even if none of them need its light. For those that do, it’s a lifesaver. Not everyone will require or desire the assistance of a Projector, yet those who do will be thankful for the clarity and direction that is provided.

“A Projector does not need recognition and invitations from others in order to feel good about themselves and about what they have to offer. Period.”

– Evelyn Levenson 

What is the ideal Projector strategy?

The Projector strategy is essential to understand as it’s a great way to help others recognize their gifts (or you want them to see). When others can realize their talents and use them positively, it can only benefit everyone.

To step into your power as a Projector, you must first understand what it means to be invited.

Why does a Projector need to wait for an invitation?

According to the human design system, the Projector strategy is to wait for recognition and invitation. 

The invitation may come in the form of a person, an opportunity or event, or even a problem. The Projector sees that they have something to offer and waits for the invite before actively stepping into it.

How do you know when your time has come? When are you ready to step up? You’ll recognize this by being engaged with what’s happening around you–you can’t be invited if you’re not present.

READ  Why Case Studies Are Better Than Testimonials (Plus Our Free Case Study Template)

Constantly ask yourself: “Do I want more?” If so, then open up to inspiration and possibility!

The art of invitation recognizes the potential for greatness and how that can be used to help others.

Self-projected authority is about knowing who you are as an individual and projecting this into your work, which will generate recognition for yourself or your business. 

Listen for the internal call: “This information can help the world, and I’m going to be the one to share it.”

Remember that you do not need an invitation to live your best life and do the things that call you.

“KEEP IN MIND that Projectors do not need an invitation to follow their personal bliss and what calls to them. It is actually really important for a Projector to follow their bliss and the call of their talents and interests, and to develop them deeply because when the big invitation comes, they will have reached a level of mastery in their unique areas of expertise. They will be that much more valuable. Projectors are gifted at taking in information, and for understanding systems.” 

– Gloria Constantin, The Human Design Projector: Guides and Directors

The challenge of being a Projector in business – stop giving unsolicited advice!

coaching

What happens when you don’t wait for the invitation to advise somebody? In my experience, it doesn’t work out too well. I remember giving my Manifestor wife some tips on how she could be more successful in her career.

It didn’t go so well because I didn’t wait for her to ask me first – I just started giving her advice without being invited. As a result, she got defensive and didn’t want to hear what I had to say.

The same thing can happen in business if you try to offer your services or products without first being invited by the potential client. It’s important to remember that, as a Projector, you need an invitation to step into your power.

As a coach, one of the most aggravating things is to put in a lot of effort to pass on your knowledge and experience to someone who doesn’t do anything with it.

One way to ensure that you’re regularly invited is by becoming known for something specific. When people know what you do and see you doing it, they’ll be more likely to invite you into their lives or businesses.

People don’t value unsolicited advice, so let them come to you when they’re ready to receive it. And pay for it. One of my mentors once said, “those that pay, pay attention,” and I agree.

Now, do you need to sit around waiting for an invitation? Many Projectors get tripped up on this, and they can get frustrated. I know I have.

In my experience, growing up as someone who has been programmed to go-go-go and takes action towards achieving my goals can lead you to do things that you’re not supposed to do as a Projector.

You begin operating from your inauthentic side (i.e., your shadow), so it’s no wonder that opportunities don’t come your way.

“Oh, and this is so confusing and difficult for most Projectors who have been conditioned during their lives to initiate permanently from their mind and their openness so that they don’t live out their nature and strength nor their truth, nor their real and unique potential!

And not only that, by being ignorant of their true nature and living from their shadow, they feel incredibly wrong and bitter and confused and don’t understand why they encounter so much rejection, resistance, and misunderstanding, instead of having success in life and finally being recognized and seen in their essence and core.

If a Projector is running around like a crazy chicken, continually seeking and demanding attention, initiating permanently and giving unsolicited advice, probably endlessly talking, because he is so hungry for attention, then the Projector is not seen for his sincere and exceptional talents and abilities.

When a Projector doesn’t follow his Strategy, doesn’t wait for an invitation, but initiates his life permanently with the mind, then he creates so much chaos in his life. Instead of feeling successful and living his potential, he gets rejected as a freak, he has a feeling that nobody sees him, and nobody wants him, and they feel very bitter!” 

~ Angelina Fabian, Projector Strategy – Don’t initiate with your mind but wait for the correct invitation

Projector Bitterness

Projector bitterness refers to the frustration and anger that a Projector feels when they are not recognized or seen for who they are. This can happen when a Projector tries to do things that are not aligned with their true nature, such as initiating permanently without waiting for an invitation.

When a Projector is out of alignment, they will likely experience rejection, resistance, and misunderstanding from others. This can lead to feelings of bitterness and resentment.

The key for Projectors is to stay aligned with their true nature by following their human design strategy. This means focusing on attraction marketing, which has always worked for me!

What is attraction marketing?

Attraction marketing is a term coined by Bob Proctor in the book “You Were Born Rich.” It is the act of attracting people to you instead of chasing them.

As human beings, we are attracted to positive, happy, and prosperous things. When we see someone living their truth and succeeding at it, we are naturally drawn to them.

This is what you want to focus on as a Projector. You want to be known for something specific so that when people see you doing it, they are attracted to you.

One way to do this is by becoming an expert in your field. 

Another way to attract people to you is by being of service. This can be done by offering free consultations or providing helpful resources on your website or blog.

You can also offer discounts or special deals to those attracted to you. This will show them that you are generous and care about helping others.

The key is to focus on what you can offer rather than what you can get from others.

When you do this, you will align with your true nature as a human design Projector.

And when you are in alignment, opportunities will naturally come your way. Just remember to wait for the invitation!

15 Ways to Get Recognized and Invited as a Projector

1. Find a topic that interests you and become an expert in it

The more time and energy you put into becoming an authority on a specific topic or area, the higher your chances of being recognized as one by others.

Generalist or specialist – what’s better for being an authority?

The generalist has a broader reach to communicate with more people because of their knowledge. However, they may not know one specific area where the specialist is an expert.

While it’s possible to become so knowledgeable that you can speak on any subject matter, this takes time and effort; not everyone is willing or able to put forth this level of commitment for every topic they wish to speak about.

The truth lies between these two extremes: being well-versed enough in many different areas. There are few, if any, topics you don’t have some understanding of while also having deep expertise in at least one or two subjects that interest you and consume your thoughts throughout the day.

One of the best books on this topic is “Key Person of Influence: The Five-Step Method to Become One of the Most Highly Valued and Highly Paid People in Your Industry” by Kevin Harrington and Daniel Priestley. The book breaks down the 5 P’s – a proven framework for building authority. 

A good quote from the book is,

“It takes a lot of time and effort to become an expert. But it’s worth it.”

You should have enough knowledge in your chosen niche to speak about the topic without sounding like a complete novice or being afraid someone will call you on your lack of credibility.

Some people are well-versed in many different topics (I see you multi-passionates!) while others want to be experts in one subject.

2. Speak at conferences, events, or podcasts about your topic of interest 

start here page image
That’s me presenting an intro to digital marketing workshop to new business owners in Sydney.

Speaking is a powerful way to build authority quickly.

You can speak about your fave topics to build authority and expertise.

A good idea would be to work with someone with experience finding and pitching for speaking gigs and building a system for generating speaking opportunities. This is something that I have my virtual assistant doing for me.

Pro tip: An easy way to find podcasts to guest on is to use websites like Matchmaker.fm.

3. Create a platform to share your knowledge with others 

Getting paid for your expertise is hard.

You’ve got a lot of knowledge, but not everyone knows how valuable you are to them or how you can help them succeed with their goals.

There are plenty of people out there who know are looking for solutions to their challenges, and where do you think they’re searching for them?

If your answer is “Google,” then you’re right.

So if they’re searching for answers on search engines, and your content isn’t appearing on page 1 of the search results, then those folks will be your competitors.

By consistently producing high-quality articles on your blog (that sits on your website and domain name), you can build up trust and establish yourself as a leader in your niche.

Suppose you do a great job of optimizing your content for keywords your audience is searching for and providing great answers that solve real problems people face. In that case, your content will rank higher on Google, and you’ll get more website traffic (people coming to your website).

This will lead to better opportunities for getting clients or customers.

Not a fan of writing? All good, why not start a youtube channel or audio podcast instead? 

Recommended resources for building your own platform:

4. Start teaching classes on the subject of your choice 

Projectors are keen learners. To other energy types, it may appear obsessive how quickly and easily we Projectors can go deep with a topic. This is because we are not afraid of the unknown and the unfamiliar or what it will have to do with our life. We want to know everything about anything that sparks our interest!

With tools like skillshare, youtube and others, it has become easier than ever to start teaching classes online. You don’t need a degree or years of experience to start sharing your knowledge with others.

5. Write books related to your expertise

Writing books or guides related to your expertise is a great way to establish authority and increase your leadership influence. The more books you write, the more your target audience will come to know you as an authority in your field.

Related: How to grow your podcast audience & launch a book ft. Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation

6. Give presentations about what you know best

Think of some of the experts and influencers that you follow. Have you seen them give a presentation somewhere before – either in person or posted online recording? Chances are you have.

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Public speaking is a great way to build authority, position yourself as an expert in your field, and establish credibility.

There are many benefits of giving presentations about what you know best:

  • Presentations are more personal and intimate
  • They also allow you to display your personality in a way that is not possible on paper or through social media interactions
  • You can show how passionate, knowledgeable, skilled, experienced, and qualified you are
  • They provide an opportunity for feedback from the audience. They may ask questions afterward, which will lead to further conversations
  • You can often offer the audience a valuable free or discounted thank you/bonus gift and invite them to subscribe to your email list for additional value.
  • You can ask organizers for testimonials/recommendations after you’ve delivered your talk. Below is an example of feedback I received after speaking at a virtual summit.
marquesa-feedback-rethink

7. Become a consultant

Consulting work is ideal for people who are experts in a field or an area of study.

Consultants advise businesses, organizations, and individuals to solve problems they might be experiencing.

To become a consultant, you need the education and qualifications that make you stand out from other competitors and experience so clients can see your ability firsthand.

Qualifications don’t necessarily mean a paper degree. If you are an expert in a field or have been working on projects, your expertise could count as qualifications.

The kind of consultancy work you do can vary widely – from advising businesses on how best to get results with their current system processes to advice on what new systems they should implement next.

Related: Your value is not your time – how to charge more as a consultant

8. Record yourself teaching on YouTube

One of the best ways to establish credibility and authority is to teach online. Many successful online entrepreneurs have posted “how-to” videos and teaching videos on youtube.

Youtube is an excellent place for people to find you and see what you have to offer.

For example, I shared a video on Youtube where I’m teaching people how to use Jasper.ai – a software that I’m a big fan of. 

How to create articles that rank on Google using Surfer SEO + Jasper AI

(Want a free trial of Jasper software to write your content in half the time? Go here)

You can use Youtube as an online portal for your services and expertise, allowing people to find you easily looking for someone with those skillsets or experience levels.

You may not be able to do that for everything you know, but what are the topics where you can?

In my case, as a professional content strategist and copywriter, I’ve played with recording short punchy videos like this one:

Beginner copywriting tip: tone and voice

To be honest, I got better traction with this video when I uploaded it to my Linkedin profile, so it pays to test different pieces of content on different channels to see where it performs best.

If you want to offer workshops and earn money from them, why not show potential clients or employers your teaching skills before hiring you? Post videos of yourself teaching your workshop material.

Pro tip: You could even go one step further and host an actual live workshop, record it, and upload it to Youtube!

That way, folks can see for themselves what they might expect from hiring you or attending one of your workshops.

You don’t need fancy equipment: use your smartphone camera with video editing software like Camtasia Studio. If you want to have better audio, I’d recommend using a simple lapel microphone. A tripod is also helpful for minimizing camera shake for viewers.

Related: Youtube Content Blueprint with Rob Balasabas

9. Send a regular newsletter

Something that’s worked well for me is to post videos on youtube walking viewers through specific tools that I love and recommend. These have attracted people to my channel and resulted in monthly affiliate income.

Newsletters are a great way to establish authority because of multiple reasons:

  • They keep you and your business top of mind.
  • They provide valuable content (content is king, and newsletters are a great way to give people something they want in their inboxes)
  • They establish you as an expert who consistently shares tips, tricks, and insights.
  • They help you build relationships with your audience by letting them know they are essential to you; personalizing content helps establish authority.
  • Newsletters provide opportunities for cross-promotion (by promoting other successful businesses, people, and blogs in the newsletter’s sidebar or footer)
  • The best newsletters have a call-to-action as well.

I’ve been publishing a weekly B2B content marketing newsletter and receiving wonderful feedback from a few of my subscribers. Here’s a couple: 

Cheryl Leong newsletter feedback
Samantha Riley newsletter feedback

10. Share photos or videos of yourself in flow online

When you’re doing something cool, it can be good to take a snap or a quick video and share it on social media such as Instagram or Linkedin.

The key is to share content that is accessible to your audience. That can mean photos or videos of:

  • Something you’re currently working on so people understand how it’s done,
  • Something you’re planning to do soon
  • Speaking gigs,
  • Meeting with influential individuals
  • Snaps from cool places you go to
  • Behind-the-scenes snapshots of your journey and what it takes to do what you do

You want to share content that:

  • Encourages others to do what they can’t currently do themselves (but are trying),
  • Inspires them with a vision of the future,
  • Educates them about something in-depth so they may learn from you now. They may issue invitations to you as they want more of your guidance in the future.

Word of warning – Projectors need to be authentic with this. It’s in your nature to keep it real anyway, right? If you’re not keeping it real, people will figure it out, and you will lose your credible position.

Of course, you must balance being present in the moment and capturing content. Pulling out your camera while standing in front of a gorgeous waterfall with your hot date can be a natural mood killer! 

11. Create and share customer case studies

One fantastic way to demonstrate your value is by creating customer case studies.

A customer case study is a story that shows how you or your company helped someone else achieve a goal.

It includes details about the problem they were facing, your approach to solving it, and the results achieved.

Sharing case studies is an excellent way to build authority because:

  • They show off your skills in a concrete way
  • They provide social proof – other people have tried this and it worked for them!

People are always interested in reading stories about others, so sharing case studies is a great way to capture attention.

There are many ways to get your customer case studies in front of people who are likely to buy from you. Check out this article for some ideas.

Here’s what a couple of my done-for-you case study service clients have shared about the power of case studies:

case-studies-testimonial-doc-williams
case-studies-testimonial-meryl-johnston

Want help crafting your own compelling case studies? We’ve laid out our entire system for creating case studies, the same one we use for our clients, so you can do the same. Grab our FREE guide “Winning Case Studies – 6 Steps To Standing Out Through Customer Stories” now.

12. Build a community

2022 04 28 podcast party
Screenshot from a recent B2B Podcast party Zoom call that I hosted.

It’s one thing to offer your services to the world, but it’s another thing entirely to create a supportive community around that service.

A community provides a space for people to:

  • Fellowship with like-minded individuals can lead to referrals and more clients.
  • Give and receive support, whether that’s emotional support or help with a problem they’re experiencing.
  • Learn from you and each other in an informal setting.
  • Share resources and ideas.

There are many ways to build community. You can:

  • Create an online group for clients and prospects to connect with each other, ask questions, and share resources. You can use FB groups, Mighty Networks, Circle, or other tools to do this.
  • Start a local meetup in your city or a virtual one so people can get together to learn and connect.
  • Advertise your meetup on sites like Eventbrite and Humantix.
  • Launch an online course and invite students to join a private Facebook group where they can interact with each other and you.
  • Organize retreats or workshops where people can come together to learn about your topic and form bonds with each other.

The key is to create a space where people can interact with you and each other in a way that feels human and natural.

Don’t try to force people to interact in a way that doesn’t feel good for them.

According to serial entrepreneur and super nice guy Pat Flynn,

The future of business is about building community, and within it, Superfans. And these Superfans become the best marketing team that you could ever ask for, and you won’t have to hire them or pay them to make it happen.”

~ Pat Flynn

Here’s a great video where Pat explains this further:

The Best Marketing Strategy No One is Focusing On

Know what you’re signing up for

Now I’m going to be real with you here. Building your own community and maintaining one is a heck of a lot of work. So you have to be realistic about how much time and energy you’re willing to commit to showing up as the leader of your group.

Take it from someone who’s been burned out before from starting a Facebook group and putting a tonne of energy and dedication into my group for several years. I felt like I was putting in way more than what I was getting back.

Now I’m not here to say that you should only do things that give you clear financial benefit, but for me, I learned a lot of lessons from that experience. My biggest lessons – make sure to make it clear who the group is for and not for, what the mission is, and have a clear strategy for your community.

13. Participate in online communities (i.e., Facebook groups, forums)

One thing that has worked really well for me is joining established communities where people I resonate with are already showing up.

To be recognized, you need to show up where the people you’re trying to engage are active. Online communities are great places to establish a presence while also figuring out the needs/wants of your target audience.

Consistently showing up and adding value inside a handful of carefully selected communities where my ideal clients hang out has led to numerous business opportunities and invitations to work together. In fact, that’s how I landed a recent appearance on the Side Hustle Nation podcast.

Be willing to pay for access to great people.

I’ve found that paid groups often work better than free ones, but a handful of free groups are also helpful.

Let’s be real – I’d like to be active in fifty groups, but I don’t have the energy to do that. Unless you’re some kind of super-connector, chances are you won’t have the energy to do that, either. Choose quality connections over quantity and limit the number of groups you’re involved in.

This approach has also worked for Mary Jo Rathgeb, as she shared on Samantha Riley’s Influence By Design podcast. Here’s a short snippet from the episode:

Here’s some good advice from Sam Riley, who often coaches Projectors on their businesses:

Samantha-riley-human-design-projector-quote

14. Write guest articles for popular sites and publications (Guest blogging)

When you guest blog on another site, you can build your authority as an expert in your field. You can also reach a new audience with your content and generate leads and traffic back to your own site.

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It’s also a great way to establish relationships with other bloggers and thought leaders in your industry.

By the way, if you have expertise in supporting professional services businesses (like coaches, consultants, accountants, etc.) to grow – we’re open to guest contributions.

Related: The ‘Complete-Nobody’ Guide to Guest Posting Fame and Fortune (By the Guy Who Built a Career Out of It)

15. Appear as the expert guest on other people’s podcasts (Guest podcasting)

If writing’s not your thing, you can focus on guest podcasting instead.

Stories of client attraction from Projectors running businesses

I asked some of the members of The Empowered Projector Movement group to share their stories of how they went about getting invitations from clients. These will give you some ideas on things you can try for your own business.

Mansi Rastogi, B2B Brand Strategy 

“I’m a 2/4 Splenic Profile. I did 3 things that tied this together. I’m still learning, but essentially this has become a repeatable process for me.

1) Because I’m a 2/4, I know that building a community around me is a strength. So I did, and I built relationships one on one who’d support me and whom I could support.

2) I’m better 1:1 than in a very large group, so I focussed on specific conversations in my expertise in a large group. I don’t speak a lot, but when I do, it’s always laser-focused & very relatable, and that got me visibility because I did it publicly.

3) I learned to use psychological triggers and a dash of my personality to help my social get more visibility. This made things more play than work. And I realised, the more I was playing, the more invitations I got.

There are others, but these 3 are the main ones.”

Vicki Lynn Lopez, Government Affairs and Community Relations Consultant

“I have a life coaching, meditation, and Ayurvedic consulting business. I find that clients come to me when I offer my services for free to a group of people. Those that sign up for a free session are usually the ones that become paying clients and also spread the word to their networks. Putting myself out there and seeing who comes to me has really worked. It has also allowed me to do it in organizations where I can report on my sessions, which then increases my reach. 

I am a member of the board of directors of a large Chamber of Commerce. I offered my services to their leadership program participants. As a result of the report I submitted to the board, the Chamber is expanding the program so that I will be able to offer my free one-hour sessions to any of the members. I am also doing the same with two women’s organizations that I belong to. I have also done it with people that I meet randomly, either in business or in my personal activities. 

(Side note: Vicki’s story reminds me of the time I once volunteered at a local chamber of commerce to help them with social media, which led to my business becoming the social media partner for an event they ran. That eventually led to a few speaking gigs and some consulting work. Definitely an excellent way to build authority.)

Heidi Hofer, Management consultant

“I have been experimenting a lot with how to get the right invitation in the last 12 months. I’m a freelancer working as a management consultant and leadership coach (splenic projector). The only sales channel that works for me is my own network, which I have built over the last 20 years, mainly by investing in 1:1 trustful business relationships. People from my network just come to me, even 10 years after I have worked the last time with them. 

I have learned to say radically no to clients if their aura doesn’t match. I had to learn the hard way that I would lose the client if I intervened in the invitation process. Like when I ask a few days after the initial call if they want to move forward. That has always been very irritating to the client, and it felt like they withdraw the invitation. 

I have learned to be very patient and do absolutely nothing. And that patience is very challenging because I had several clients where it took a year from the invitation to have a first conversation to actually hire me for the project. What has never worked for me is advertising on google, writing blogs, or doing a lot of social media posts. I guess the posts and blogs are seen as unasked opinion, so that never really worked for me.”

Deniz Kilic, Licensed Holistic Realtor

“Honestly, I find that people just come to me. I think the more positive reviews I get, the more people reach out to me. Also, most of my customers are my friends. I can’t really push anything. It honestly never works out for me. I’m trying to accept this part of the projector path, but I still get really down at times.”

A final word of advice for Human Design Projectors

While the above strategies can help build your authority, this is not a one-size-fits-all solution. The most important thing is to be yourself and accurate to your human design type. Experiment, try new methods, and figure out what works best for you.

The world needs what you have to offer, so don’t try to fit in or change who you are to make others happy. When you stay authentic to yourself, people will be naturally drawn to you and your message.

Fiona Wong of Seeing Stardust offers the following in her powerful article Making Money as a Projector:

“Projectors have incarnated into this design to be masters of their work. However, it’s not just one thing that you can pinpoint, get a degree in, be a master, push a button, and money comes out. This is a common program that most of us in the Western world were indoctrinated into since we were children.

Projectors are a lot. We have this piercing, penetrating aura that is not for everyone. This is why we wait. We wait for people to be ready to receive all that we have to offer. In the meantime, we continue with our masteries – deprogramming from outdated constructs, sitting with our discomforts, and remembering the Human behind the design.

I can’t tell you to take the group program that I took in order to be invited to a new venture. I can’t tell you to become initiated into homelessness and fear of losing your children in order to have a moment of reckoning.

Be conscious of your story. Allow discomfort to be a wise teacher, revealing what you have disassociated from. Forgive yourself for monetary sabotages, especially if you feel you “should’ve known better.”

Next time that discomfort comes from paying a bill, spending money, or even receiving money, allow yourself to be initiated.”

~ Fiona Wong

Marketing Yourself as a Projector FAQ

Should Projectors send outreach messages to invite people onto a call?

Based on my experience and the experiences of others, projectors should avoid cold calls, cold emails, and direct messaging. It is a complete waste of energy and time.

Sometimes coaches who are unfamiliar with Human Design will encourage their Projector clients to reach out (send people a message through email or DM) to invite prospective customers to a call. The coach’s intent may be positive, but it’s the wrong strategy for Projectors.

Reaching out in DMs is hard unless there has been some invite to connect and collaborate previously.

Every time I’ve tried to do cold outreach/DM people, I feel uneasy in my body and get poor results. You may have experienced something similar.

Here’s what I’ve found has worked best for me over the past 10 years:
– Teaching/educating through speaking gigs and guest podcast appearances
– Offering helpful feedback and insightful remarks on other people’s social media posts (I feel this is an often unappreciated technique).

You can create invites for yourself by putting yourself in places where you’ll be around people you’d like to work with, and then be the lighthouse (shine your light by being helpful and giving great advice)!

What about sending DMs to people who comment on your posts for a free gift you’re offering?

Here’s a fantastic response to this question from Renata Musial:

Even if they opt into a freebie, they aren’t actually giving you an invitation. It’s better, but all it’s showing you is that they are interested and that your message is resonating. All great things so keep it up. Keep showing up as you are. As for actively reaching out, I would just leave it be and keep doing what you’re doing, without the “cold calls” or even “lukewarm calls.”

To clarify, though: I WOULD make it clear about how people can work with you. Talk about your offers (just not directly to anyone w/out an invite), share about what you do, why you do it, why you’re great, all that stuff. Then when they love your freebie and come for more, they know exactly how to invite you!

What do you think about reconnecting with people that I have connected with in the past but I haven’t heard from in a while?

On one occasion, two months after finishing an article for a client, I emailed them to see how things were progressing. I asked, “How’d you go with the article? Are there any more articles you’re wanting my help with?”

That resulted in more paid work and a couple of referrals from the client.
Now, what if you haven’t been hired by the person before?

You can still reach out and reconnect with them.

I like to keep things simple, so here’s a quick script you could use (be sure to customize it to your own situation and voice):

“Hey [First Name],
It was great connecting with you at [Event/Location]. How are things with your [something personal that you know about them]?
I’m reaching out to see how you went with that [template/resource/training/thing you shared with them].
Did you have any questions or want help with anything?”

This may work if you build a solid rapport with your prospects and they believe you genuinely care about them.

A word of warning: some people may see this as pushy or salesy. So, feel it out before you reach out.

What if I’m not getting any invites?

If you’re not getting invited to collaborate, it may be a sign that you need to do some more inner work.

One thing that has helped me tremendously is learning how to set boundaries. When you have strong boundaries, people will know where they stand with you, and it becomes much easier to say “no” to things that don’t serve you.

It can also be helpful to get clear on what your ideal collaboration looks like. What kind of people do you want to work with? What kind of energy do you want to bring into your business?

When you get clear on this, the universe will start to align you with opportunities that are in alignment with your vision.

How do I market myself if my human design is something other than Projector?

There have been others with different human design profiles who have shared what’s worked for them. So you can refer to the following resources for ideas for your specific design type.

Generators and Manifesting Generators:
Marketing Tips for Generators
Growing My Business as a Human Design Generator

Reflectors:
The Ultimate Human Design Reflector Business Guide to Thriving

Manifestors:
How can I grow my business authentically as a Manifestor?
Growing a business as a Human Design Manifestor

Where to from here?

Now that you’re aware of various ways to become a self-projected authority experiment with the subtleties that define “you.”

Self-knowledge is necessary for any person looking to lead their own life. Once we know ourselves better, leadership becomes more natural, and our voice will be louder than ever before!

Consistently share your insights and experiences with others; before long, you’ll be a self-projecting authority who can guide others to follow your lead.

If there are other ways you have found success marketing yourself as a Projector, please share below!

Oh, and if you’re someone that supports B2B businesses, you may want to come along to our next B2B Podcast Party. (yes, consider this an invitation!)

podcast party invite

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(Credit: featured image photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash)

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