Why Reputation Is the Ultimate Marketing System

Your brand is what you say.
Your reputation is what they remember.

In this episode of Scrappy Systems, Vanessa Raath drops the truth: marketing doesn’t start with flashy funnels or scheduled content—it starts with people remembering how you made them feel last time.

She shares how showing up with her consistent self (on LinkedIn, in conversations, and on stages across the globe) has been her most powerful system—no email list, no cold DMs, no complicated strategy required.

If you’re tired of content calendars and want a business that grows from real trust, real voice, and real referrals—this one’s for you.

The Scrappy Breakdown

System: Show up consistently as your full, human self on LinkedIn
Why it works: People trust people, not content calendars.
The results: All her work is inbound. She hasn’t needed to pitch in 6 years.
Why it’s doable: You don’t need fancy funnels, just a plan to show up where your audience already hangs out.

Vanessa treats herself as her marketing system. Three posts a week. Honest takes. Real stories. And a tone that builds trust with the people she’s actually trying to help.

Steal This Strategy

Record every coaching call.
Yes, even if it’s just for you. Then:

• Run the transcript through a GPT trained on your brand voice (see how here)

• Pull 3–5 content ideas (blog, post, email)

• Share those gems with your audience

You’re already doing the work. Turn it into marketing. Boom. 🤯 

Vanessa’s Scrappy Stack

Your Consistent Self: Vanessa doesn’t just post; she commits. Three LinkedIn posts a week, every week. Honest. Helpful. Human. It's her non-negotiable, and it works.

Custom GPTs: She’s trained her own GPTs to understand her tone and content. That means faster drafts, less mental load, and still sounding like her. It’s like having a ghostwriter who actually gets you.

Calendly — Vanessa isn’t here for scheduling chaos. Calendly means no “when are you free?” back-and-forth. Just click, book, done. More time for work that matters.

(Also: shoutout to post-it notes—still the undefeated content planner.)

Check out Vanessa’s tried and tested AI Tools here.

Flop or Fix

“Should I use AI to write my LinkedIn comments?”

Vanessa’s face said it all—nope. AI is great for drafts, but don’t let it ghostwrite your personality. Comments are where trust starts. So…

“What do I do when engagement drops even though I’m showing up consistently?”

Fix: Vanessa suggests zooming out. Are you adding value—or just posting to post? She recommends:

• Ask your audience a real question

• Post a story that didn’t go well

• Re-engage by commenting on their posts for a week

“I’m nervous to post because my audience is a mix of clients and peers. What if it’s cringey?”

Fix: Vanessa keeps it simple: you’re not for everyone. Post for your people. And if a peer judges you? That’s their problem, not your performance.

Jeff Bezos said “Your personal brand is what people say when you're not in the room.”

But your reputation? That’s what gets the invite in the first place.

In a noisy digital world, it's not about being everywhere—it's about being consistently you, everywhere you choose to show up.

👉 If you try any of this week’s tactics, let us know in the comments or tag us social media and let us know how it went!