Helpingpreneurs - Authenticity Sells!

If you are going to try and be someone else, behave like someone else or do it the "right" way, building a business is going to be a struggle. I know first hand. My first coaching business was created out of wanting to look a certain way. I chose a name that would make me seem important and like a BIG business. I chose colors, logos and copy that would make people feel a certain way and hopefully get them to buy my services. I worked really hard, and to be honest, it was exhausting. It is very challenging to wake up every day and try to "be" somebody. I was having some success, but it was a struggle. It was hard and it was not authentic.

When I decided to be ME in my business, everything changed. Clients showed up, opportunities were easier and there was less effort. What does being "ME" in my business mean? I created products, programs and a brand based on my life experience and my authentic message.

Here are some tips for your own Authentic Marketing!

1. Stop trying to be something! Get rid of the "should's." The only "should" that works is--Your business SHOULD be a reflection of YOU.

2. YOU are your business. If you can't highlight YOU in your service-based business, work for someone else!

3. Get a clear message--the message you tell yourself and the message you tell others. The message you tell yourself should be that you know enough, you are enough and you have expertise to help others. The message you tell others should be how you can offer a solution to their pain/need.

4. Have fun. If you truly enjoy what you do, be joyful and share that--sharing is much more fun than selling!

5. Make Your Mess Your Message. People learn by example. If you want to be authentic, help more people and make more money, let people see your flaws and learn from your mistakes. Empathy is a beautiful marketing strategy.

6. Be more interested than interesting. Listen to people's problems so you market solutions and help them. No one ever hung up the phone while they were talking. You will get more "yeses" when you are interested in what people want.

7. Overpromise and overdeliver. Take care of your clients, your subscribers and your followers. Authenticity is in the caring, and when you care about people, they notice, stick around and want more!

It might seem really silly to share tips on how to be authentic, but the truth is, we forget. In the noisy crow of marketing, sales and strategy, we can forget our purpose and passion. When we realign with that purpose, magic happens!

This is my formula for success: Authenticity + Marketing + Sharing = Natural Selling!nn(c) 2009 Suzanne Evans