Why Authenticity Pays and How to Do It

Traditional sales and marketing focus on features and benefits – with a great deal of emphasis on being better or offering more than the competition.

More and Better is No Longer Relevant

In recent years, the emphasis has been on value – offering more for the same price.  This is still partially relevant, but you can discern that it is still an extension of that idea of offering more.  

We have been a culture of more for some time. Times have changed and more is quickly going the way of the super-sized meal.  Moreover, we have come to learn that most of the marketing claims of being better seldom prove to be true. In short, we don't believe you.

What is relevant today is quite simply what is most relevant to your customer – it's what they can identify with.

Does this mean you need to customize your product or service for each and every customer?  Maybe, to some extent. While that may seem like a daunting task, it really isn't.  All you have to do is look for similarities – look for what your customers have in common.

Today I closed a speaking engagement with a new client – actually a client of a speakers bureau that represents me. This client is an association of small business professionals, and the topic that they want me to address at their upcoming meeting is obviously social media. 

After seeing my videos and working with the bureau on other specifics, we decided to have a conference call to see if we could pull this event together. So, we discussed how I would present the topic, my approach and typical structure for this particular audience, etc.

In other words, the task at hand was determining if I was a good fit – a speaker that their members could relate to, and as result – learn from.

Your Weaknesses are Authentic

One thing I have learned over the years is to present myself honestly, even if that means risking losing the deal. For one thing, it's a lot easier than making claims that I cannot back up. So, I did.

After a few initial questions, I ended up doing most of the talking – explaining, and hopefully relating. When all was said and done, you know what the one thing was that resonated most with them?  That I suck at technology.

It's true. In a recent post I shared a podcast with Guy Kawasaki – my first. It took me two visits to the Apple store to get some training on Garage Band – which is Apple's audio editing software.  I did a couple of Skype calls with my son in college to learn that technology, because my research indicated Skype gives better audio quality than the telephone.

On top of that, it still took me over six hours after my Skype with Guy to do some simple edits.  Yes, I am indeed challenged with technology, which is ironic because my work with social media depends upon using it well.

It takes me a long time to learn much of what I share with you and my small business audiences.  Yet, when I do learn the technology, I can explain how it works to anyone – which includes many small business owners who just like me are challenged with it.

Thus, my weakness has become one of my strengths.

Authenticity Creates Alignment

Authenticity brings out of you the personal qualities that others can identify with. It creates alignment. You can't get to that place if you are full of yourself – so good at delivering better and more.  A better approach is to just be yourself.

Here's something to think about.  Other than getting the next business deal, why is it that we really want to be good at what we do?  I believe it is that need to be liked – something that is driven by your ego. Get over that and you will be far more authentic.

Authenticity comes from the heart.  

Just tell the truth and you will not only make your work easier and more enjoyable, you will also meet with more unexpected surprises – including new business deals.

What's not to like about that? 

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Until tomorrow,  Jeff  

Photo Credit: Sammy0716