Communicating Effectively
The Authentic Self Series: Part 3 of 3
In part one of this series I shared the five steps I took to create the clarity I needed to step into my authentic self. Then in part two, I talked about what it took to actually do the work. At this point, I felt super-connected with my authentic self. I had the foundation in place to fully live and run my business as my best self and it seemed like I was in the right place.
But I started to notice there was a disconnect between how I was showing up as my authentic self and how people were seeing me.
In my house analogy, I’ve got the foundation, the four walls up, and I’ve spent lots of time working on the rooms inside. But I realised I had to find ways to communicate my authentic self to my audience - I needed to put the siding and roof on to present myself to the outside world.
Here are another five steps I’ve taken to communicate my authentic self more effectively.
#1: Connect with Pain Points
For me, the most effective way to connect with people is through networking groups and online communities. Getting to know people in mastermind groups, courses, and workshops. Taking the time for coffee chats on Zoom to find out what the other person does and tell them what I do - and to really listen to their response.
What struggles do they talk about in their own business? Maybe it’s difficult to explain what they do. Or do they have trouble getting the word out about their offering? How do they respond to what I say? What questions do they ask? What comments do they make?
Maybe they confide that they’ve always wanted to write a book. Maybe they confess that they know a book would benefit their business, but they don’t know how to start. Maybe it’s something they’ve never considered before, but now they’re thinking about it.
I’ve made notes during or after these conversations. I started to notice patterns. These similarities in pain points are what our ideal clients have in common with each other and I used those to create my ideal client profiles.
Now I make sure that with all of my communications, I’m getting the point across that I understand their pain, I know what they’re going through, and I feel empathy and understanding.
#2: Educate
To educate our ideal client about our offering, we need to speak with gentle authority. Our goal is to empower people, not impress them with our credentials. We want them to view us as a trusted guide sharing reliable information.
I’m sure we’ve all had a colleague who told us about a new process or platform they’d just discovered and are now recommending. Or a friend who discovered a new product, service, recipe, or movie they think we’d like. That’s the kind of tone we want to embody.
#3: Motivate Change
We’ve each started our business from a desire to help others. A place of heart-centred service. This means we care about the people we serve and the world in general. We know that our ideal clients will be better off after they’ve experienced our offering. And because we have their best interests at heart, we want them to see that too.
Remember the pain points we talked about in the first step, well, we want to poke those a little. We want to remind them how uncomfortable they are in their current situation. They are not happy with their relationships. They’re not making enough money. Their health isn’t as good as they’d like it to be. They don’t have enough time for the things that matter.
To do this, it’s best to show them a contrast between where they are now and where they will be after working with you.
Bring in all five senses (if you have questions about how to do that you can refer to this podcast series). Show them that you understand, that you’ve been where they are now and you can show them the way forward.
“Everything is energy. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics.”
Albert Einstein
#4: Inspire Action
You want to give your ideal client an easy way to take the next step. To walk up that beautiful pathway, bordered by flowers and knock on your inviting front door.
Provide a clear call to action so your audience understands how to take that next step, and then add some urgency: inspire them to take that step NOW.
This could look like a bonus offer, a limited time opportunity, or simply showing them how much more money/health/time/relationship improvement they’ll have.
#5: Reach Out on Multiple Channels
Get your message out in as many places as possible. I truly believe that your ideal clients are out there and are seeking you right now, just as you are seeking them. Make it easy for them to find you. A website is a strong place to start as it will act as a home base to connect all your channels.
Connect authentically. Putting ourselves out there is scary. We open ourselves up to judgement, criticism, and rejection. But you have to be strong in your authentic self. Allow your ideal client to see who you really are.
Know that those who see your value and want to work together in reciprocity are the ones who matter.
“The deeper your relationship is with your authentic self, the more strongly you will connect with your prospects, clients, and network.”
Katherine Burrows
Wrapping It Up
In continuing to be honest and real, becoming my authentic self in order to be my own ideal client has been a challenging and amazing journey, but I want to be clear that it’s an ongoing one.
I believe in lifelong learning. To thrive, we need to learn and grow throughout our entire lives, constantly striving to improve, to find new ways of applying the knowledge we have and new sources for additional wisdom. That’s what being an entrepreneur, CEO, and expert is all about. That’s what being human is all about.
If you are ready to start communicating your authentic self more effectively, I’d love to book a Zoom call with you. Click this link and book a call now.