Inspire, enlighten and encourage, but above all be yourself!

 

Inspire, enlighten and encourage are words to live by, especially if you trying to build a business.

Inspire, enlighten and encourage are words to live by, especially if you trying to build a business. Share on X

You have your business idea in place, and you know you are good at what you do.

(Note: If you are not good at what you do, you’re going to have a problem!)

You also know that the route to building loyal customers is to build KNT (Know, Like and Trust) with people who you have identified as being in your target market. That’s obvious, right?

 

DON’T SET YOURSELF UP TO FAIL

Take yourself back in time for a minute and imagine you are at a job interview for a job you REALLY want to get.

In your mind’s eye, look around the waiting room you are sitting in. Look at the décor, look at the other hopefuls sitting with their shiny shoes, CVs and nervous faces.

Look at what they are wearing and how they are presenting themselves.

Chances are, they’re all pretty much the same.

They have, either consciously or unconsciously set themselves up to fit right in with the business they hope to work with. Another ‘me-too’ employee to slot into the spot left vacant by the last employee. Someone who will tow the line and say ‘yes’ in all the right places.

And that’s as it is because these people want to be EMPLOYEES.

Now, bring yourself back to the present.

You are not in business to be an employee, you are an EXPERT. That’s why you are in business right?

A definition I read recently said;

• A SERVICE PROVIDER asks the client what the problem is and asks how they want it solved.

• An EXPERT looks at the client’s situation, tells them what the problem is and how to solve it.

I think this is true!

You know you have something extra to give your client’s that an employee can’t give them. You are there to inspire, enlighten and encourage them…

 

AND THAT IS WHERE THE GOLD IS!

You see, in my experience when people or corporations hire an expert they want someone who is going to offer them something they can’t get in-house.

They want a fresh perspective, an insightful solution, someone who is prepared to say, “Do this, it will work because…”, someone to encourage them to grow and someone who is prepared to occasionally say “No!”

So why do so many entrepreneurs alter their personality, what they wear and what they say to fit in with what the potential customer has already?

 

THAT’S NOT WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR!

So, two more #BYOGD takeaways for today are:

ALWAYS BE YOURSELF!

Always be yourself! Share on X

and

DON’T try to fit in with your client’s corporate style - that’s NOT what they are looking for…

DON'T try to fit in with your client's corporate style - that's NOT what they are looking for. #BeYourself! Share on X

And YES, that includes your way of talking and the words you use, (I’m English, so have a UK accent and use British words) dressing (I’m usually to be found in a long-sleeved t-shirt and pretty, low-heeled lace-up boots) and your own level of make-up and accessories (If I’m feeling dressy I might put on some mascara, and I do own a lipstick - somewhere -!).

But that’s OK because that’s what my customers know to expect and because I don’t fit in with their ‘corporate’ image, I stand out as a designer and get remembered - in a good way!

They know I’ll always try my best to offer exactly what they need, but because I have moved myself out of the ‘employee’ bracket and into the ‘expert’ bracket, when I offer solutions they listen, when I ask for ‘truth’ to get to the bottom of a branding issue I don’t get fed the party-line.

Most importantly, when I say, “That won’t work because…” they ask for my opinion on how to solve the issue.

Kim is more polished than me, being naturally much more of the marketing executive type! She’s straight-talking, honest, extremely knowledgeable about all things marketing and social media and again clients listen to what she has to say because she has positioned herself as an expert in the field - not a service provider.

Of course, you DO have to be good at what you do to pull this off and you need to have all your ducks in a row regarding your services, lead times, prices, schedule and job legalities - but you knew that, right?

ABOVE ALL, REMEMBER – YOU ARE AWESOME!

Above all, remember – you are awesome! #BeYourself Share on X

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