Communications 101 – Sharing Your Heart

Get fired up this fall to start sharing your stories!

The approach of autumn seems to bring about a renewal of zeal for work and ‘back to school’ sense of expectation for just about everyone, no matter how long it’s been since you’ve actually hit the books.

I have one last summer hurrah coming up on Labor Day Weekend when I’m off to spend time at a friend’s cottage, and then I’ll be gearing up for an exciting mini-course I’ve signed up for with superstar copywriter Cathy Goodwin & Internet empire builder Connie Ragen Green on storytelling.

Aside from the thrill of getting to sit at the feet of some great mentors, I am even more excited about the theme of this course, which is all about how you can use your own personal stories throughout your marketing efforts.

The truth is, anyone who is marketing anything can find it very easy to fall into the hype trap when it comes to the way you’re communicating about your product or service. You know what you have to sell is amazing, so you’ve gotta get out there and pump it up to get people as excited as you are!

To an extent, of course, this is necessary, but all too often your hype can overflow into the point where you’re putting people off by promising something that seems too good to be true, or offering more than you can actually deliver with the intention of getting people in the door and clearing up any misconceptions later.

If you consider yourself to be any kind of ‘conscious’ entrepreneur, you know that people just don’t want that stuff anymore. Your real and true authenticity in your communication is going to reach so much farther than any hype ever will – and its effects will be much more lasting.

Of course, one of the most authentic ways to communicate about your product or service is through your stories!

Figuring out how to use the everyday stories of your life to both make connections and make sales will make a drastic difference in your marketing efforts – and it’s a lot easier to be natural than to try to come up with all that hype!

If you’re interested in learning more about the upcoming story class with Cathy Goodwin and Connie Ragen Green, visit here to find out more information. And in the meantime, consider some of the ways you can be more authentic with your customers and clients:

• Review your copy for signs of overblown hype. If your product/services is something you know is really great, you don’t need to sell it through desperation. What are some of the ways it can speak more for itself?
• Think about your story. What brought you into this business? Why do you do what you do? How has your product or service helped others? What kind of everyday life occurrences can your product or service speak to? When you start answering those questions, you’ll be able to start building a strong foundation for all of your marketing efforts through storytelling – without a lot of hassle on your part.
• Think about your everyday communication. Do you answer all your e-mails, return your phone messages, respond to customer service requests in a timely way? If you can answer yes to all of those questions, you WILL stand out from those around you – even those who may be offering very similar products and services to your own. When you start out by sharing the real you through your stories, then continue to give of yourself each day through your service, it means a lot to people. They understand that you are being both vulnerable and sacrificial – and your willingness to do that for your market will gain greater loyalty than any kind of hype of promise ever will.
• Keep learning. Human beings were created to be in community, and we can hone and sharpen one another to an incredible degree. When you have the opportunity to learn from others, take it! Learning can come in many different guises – through criticism, suggestion, training, mentorship, co-creation, making mistakes, what have you. Once a learning opportunity comes up – whether it be pleasant or no – you now have the choice to use it or lose it. Take advantage of the many, many opportunities given each day to keep learning – it’s something you’ll never regret.

The heart of sharing your stories and being willing to open yourself up rather than hide behind the veil of hype is the opening of a significant door. It’s both easier and more difficult than other types of marketing, but in the end it’s something that will always leave you and your customers feeling good.

What’s your story?

If you’d like to explore co-creation with a freelance editor to see how you can make your message more powerful, e-mail me at kelly (at) sharingyourheartservices.com to ask your questions or set up a free consultation.