Authenticity is defined in Webster's dictionary as the quality of being trustworthy, or genuine. Yesterday, I met with yet another female entrepreneur who echoed what I've been saying for some time. Even though both of us came up through the "traditional" ranks of sales and sales training, neither of us felt comfortable or authentic, employing the techniques we had been taught -- largely by men. Although we both established successful careers using these techniques, they were the first things we dropped from our repertoires when we went out on our own.Thank goodness, astute women are realizing that we don't need to act or work like men, to get ahead. In fact, many recent studies have shown that we can literally kill ourselves by trying to work the same way as men. As women, we have innate attributes that give us an incredible edge in business -- particularly in today's still-fragile economy. Let's face it, the state of our present economy is as much about trust (or lack thereof) and authenticity, as it is about money.
One of the enviable attributes that women have in business (and in particular, marketing) is that we have a different way of looking at things. By having very good social-perception and the ability to empathize, females tend to be extremely effective at negotiating and bringing people together. Women's intuition -- not always looked upon as a professional skill -- is tremendously helpful in picking up clues that are not necessarily voiced by the person with whom we are communicating. I think that this innate ability to pick up on unseen messages is what makes us really good in the new realm of "virtual business." It allows us to be so much more effective in conducting teleseminars and working with virtual assistants, prospects and clients, where we don't always have the ability to see each other face-to-face.
The ability to see things on the radar that our male counterparts may overlook, is another powerful difference in how we lead. In my opinion, marketing is more about leadership and communicating, than it is about the ability to sell. Our communication skills allow us to connect with prospects, team-members and others in a way that builds that all-important Know, Like and Trust Factor. Techniques or specifics of your particular industry can add another layer of competency, but it's the underlying connection that builds the foundation of success in your chosen field. As coach and writer, Martha Beck said, "Real power is usually unspectacular, a simple setting aside of fear that allows the free flow of love. But it changes everything."
We are seeing more and more high-profile women working to forge "partnerships of purpose," a term that British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, recently coined. On commenting about moving forward in these trying times, Mr. Brown said that we conquer our fear of the future, with our faith in the future. Taking that one step further, more of our prospective clients are looking to conquer their distrust of how they've been sold or marketed to in the past -- by placing their business with people with whom they can have faith.
How can women's authenticity be detrimental? As with every positive, there is a polar opposite. In general, women are not as good at self-promotion as men. Recent studies show that while men often exaggerate their accomplishments (we all know that really big-fish story, right?) women frequently downplay their accomplishments. In mentoring clients, I often find that women are so good at deferring praise to their support or team-members, that they actually give away their power.
Your Assignment, Should You Choose To Accept It:
Make a list of at least 5 accomplishments or moments in your life when you were most proud. Attribute emotions and feelings that you experienced that made each of those moments memorable. What is it you're most self-satisfied about?
Tip: Don't give away your power by saying I'm most proud of having had my children. How could you re-phrase that? Perhaps something like, "I'm most proud of the values that I have taught my kids which is reflected in how they treat others."
Make sure that your list of accomplishments includes at least some that relate to success in business or your career. Again, as wives and mothers, we tend to downplay or negate business achievements in favor of what we do for our families. Men seldom do that.
Now, find a way to weave your accomplishments into your 30- or 60-second "elevator speech." Ladies: this is NOT bragging! If you don't have a good elevator speech that positions yourself in your niche, that outlines your accomplishments, how are your prospects going to see why they should place their trust in you and your competency? It's not enough for you to know you're doing a great job -- you've got to be recognized for that. It's called "shameless self-promotion."
Tip: I teach you how to craft a really good elevator speech in my one-on-one coaching and my mentoring programs, by the way:>)
Write down three to five names of female leaders you admire and the qualities that you admire in them. You might want to pick up some biographies of women you look up to. Examples that come to mind are Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Palin (whether you agree with her or not:>) Ellen Degeneres, or Maya Angelou. Your leaders might not be household names, but there is something about them that you admire and perhaps aspire to.
Tip: Don't make the mistake of thinking that your role models don't brag about themselves. While that might seem true on the outside, I guarantee you that in order to achieve the levels of success they have, they've engaged in frequent self-promotion.
Next time you're in a tough spot or needing to make an important decision, ask yourself: how would so-and-so handle that? What would she do in my situation?
Whether it's marketing, sales or leading others, our authenticity and genuineness of purpose are the most important attributes we bring to the business arena. The only thing that keeps us from being authentic is fear: fear of what people might think, fear of offending others or of being hurt ourselves -- whatever it might be for you. Don't let that fear of showing people who you really are, hold you back from your greatness. Today, more than ever before -- this is your time to shine.
Now that you're ready to use some of these principles to build your business, don't forget that you'll need really compelling marketing to communicate your message authentically and effectively. If you are tired of trying bits and pieces of various programs that just don't seem to fit together or work for you, then it's time to take action and invest in a step-by-step Blueprint that will cut months, if not years, off your client attraction program. The New Clients By Design Blueprint(TM) is your ultimate system that contains only the steps that work and that build on each other. No fluff, no new-fangled ideas that sound good but in reality, don't work or only work for a few. This system will position you head and shoulders above the competition in your niche, and allow you to play bigger, faster. It will teach you how set up the systems once, that will have you attracting all the ideal clients you need naturally and comfortably, forever. This is the ultimate system all in one place, that you can implement quickly, easily and without spending a fortune. Everything you need -- the tools, scripts, templates, have all been designed with efficiency but simplicity, in mind. You can get it at NewClients By Design.com.
©2009 Karen Dodd Group of Companies
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? No problem! But here's what you MUST include:
Karen Dodd, Marketing and Client Attraction Specialist, is founder of the New Clients By Design Blueprint System(TM), the Ultimate Formula to attract more clients, make more income and carve out the time-freedom that made you start your business in the first place. To get your F.R.E.E. audio CD by mail and receive Karen's popular weekly ezine that focuses on marketing & client attraction highlights, visit www.NewClientsByDesign.com
Posts
