You’re constantly told to “be yourself” in business, but what does that really mean?
It’s not enough to just be yourself, you need to show up as your authentic self. Embrace the crazy. Celebrate the weirdness. BUT, don’t show up as a salesy weirdo.
When you show up authentically and consistently, you’ll attract people to you, create a loyal following and build trust. When people trust your opinion, they’re far more likely to buy from you and want to join your team.
What makes you unique and special?
Molly Mahoney calls this the “quesadilla of awesome”. I used to get caught up in negative self-talk. She helped. I can do a damn good cartwheel, even at 47.
I can mentally break down a marketing project into 50 steps in my head.
I once reached out to 10 different Teamwork PM guru experts asking them to please help me use the platform better for our million-dollar company. Not one of them had any suggestions because I was already doing it.
These don’t have to be earth-shattering revolutions. Just list out all the ways you’re awesome and DON’T edit as you go. Just write.
What are your values? What do you want to be known for?
You’ll be tempted to skip this part to get to the “meat” of how to do all of this. Don’t fall into that trap! Knowing what your core business values are, actually defining them, will actually help you make every decision moving forward.
Your triangle of values is going to be the guiding light. Make a list of your personal, professional and social values that will shine through your business.
Some examples: community, empowerment, integrity, bravery, truth and trust, transparency, ethical.
Create a Brand Statement
A brand statement is simply who you are, what you do and who you help. It’s short and to the point. You hear mine every week at the beginning of my videos.
My name is Dawn Martinello, owner of Incite + Velocity where I support entrepreneurs who are super passionate about creating a business and life that they love by making it as easy as possible for them to launch their online presence without going crazy … even when they have no idea what they’re doing.
Your turn.
I serve {your target audience} {get what they want most} by {how do you help them} even if {what’s their biggest fear/concern}
Here’s some examples:
Marie Forleo: I’m Marie. An entrepreneur, writer, philanthropist and unshakable optimist dedicated to helping you become the person you most want to be.
Smart Passive Income: We help beginners transform into pros by teaching them proven methods we use ourselves.
Sujan Patel: I build and grow SaaS companies.
Be YOU. YOU are a human. That’s the P in SPPED buckets
There are millions of people trying to sell things online. No one knows if you are who you say you are. So you show them. You prove it.
Almost every week I talk about my S.P.P.E.D (spēd) buckets and one of them is personal. That’s not by chance. Show people the human side of you – the good, the bad, and the wacky. Show up as the insanely awesome human you are.
Show a genuine desire to help people
When you show genuine concern for people and put their needs before your own, you create a powerful connection with them. People want to do business with people they like and trust. When you focus on helping others, you’ll be seen as someone who is trustworthy and credible.
Don’t be a shady douche
We all want to do well in our business, but you can’t put desperation before your reputation. Focus on providing value to build trust and create powerful connections. People can see through your sales tactics, and when they do, they’ll be far less likely to buy from you.
Being yourself is the key to making sales as a direct seller. When you are genuine and put your target audience’s needs before your own, you create trust and credibility. Don’t be shady or desperate in your sales tactics–focus on providing value instead. We’re playing the long game here and this will help you make more sales in the long run.
