This and more in my chat with Shell Vera!
Shell Vera is one of my favorite people to talk to, maybe because she’s got such great energy, such a positive outlook. And she’s funny!
As a voice discovery coach, Shell focuses on empowering people to discover their authentic voice for writing, speaking, and more. I love this because it aligns so well with what I tell all my clients: Your customers want to see the authentic you. We talked about this and much more when I joined her recently for a fireside chat. You can find the full conversation here, but I thought I’d share a few things here that really resonated for me.
Shell talks to her clients about the idea of telling your story and sharing your message authentically, confidently, and responsibly. All of these things apply to marketing! But it can take some time to find that voice and to feel confident in using it.
One point that Shell and I struck upon is so simple — and so easy to overlook. If someone comes to you for information or advice, that person already has made a commitment. They have thought about whether or not they want what you might offer, and they have chosen to invest time and energy in finding out.
What this means for you is that you don’t need to justify yourself or explain your qualifications. They don’t want to hear about you! They want you go offer up that solution they came looking for. Be confident in addressing the problem they present and in supplying a solution. Go ahead and tell them about your products or services. Your authenticity will come through if you’re truly listening and trying to help.
Approaching your marketing as the authentic you can be difficult. Maybe you’re shy and not used to sharing. Or maybe you’ve been trained to communicate in a more formal or impersonal manner. Whatever your situation, you can work at it as you do any other change.
Shell and I talked a lot about change. If you listen to our chat, you’ll hear quite a bit about major changes and transformations in our lives and in our businesses. We also throw out the names of some books and podcasts that have helped us along the way, and those alone might be worth the listen!
I find that I get so much out of exchanging ideas with friends and colleagues, and this happens every time I speak with Shell. If you’ve got the time to listen to our chat, you might hear a few ideas that help you move forward in business and in life. I hope so!