If you're like me, you've spent hours using your "marketing brain" to make business decisions. Weighing pros and cons, debating outcomes, asking, "Am I doing the right thing? What can I do better? How can I increase sales? How can I set myself apart? Should I invest in SEO, PPC, content, social media, webinars?..." The questions go on.
After eons of stressing, I realized the problem. Most of us don't ask ourselves a critical question. A question that reveals the only way to truly set yourself apart:
"How can I put more of my heart into my business?"
Infuse your heart into your business. (Photo: Melissa Dawn - Lisbon, Portugal)
This simple question provides the answer every time.
Recently, I hired someone to create a video of me telling my story. A story I've told countless times through speaking events, podcasts, webinars and articles. As I was telling it this time, my videographer announced, "It's dry."
Dry?!
I was shocked. My story was dry?
"You sound like everyone else with a similar experience. I'm not feeling your story. I'm not enticed to hear more. What made you do what you're doing? What moment made you turn everything around?"
Ouch. She was touching on deep hurts that I wasn't ready to share.
But she was right. In today's competitive market, it's sharing from the heart that stands out. People want to hear what made you, you.
What's in your head is still valuable, but it's knowledge you've learned from others.
Heart knowledge comes uniquely from you. It's your journey and experience. When you tap into your heart and share your values, truth and story from a vulnerable place, it makes you real. And people respond to that.
Consider Kajabi -- a software company providing tools to sell, market and deliver online content. One of the founders shared his story of being raised poor in a simple town and how he stuttered, barely talking for over 10 years. How he worked long hours for little pay. How through it all, he maintained a vision of something bigger. He kept moving towards that vision until he and his partner created a product that changed the world. When he spoke, you could hear his pain, drive and passion. You could hear his heart.
It's a powerful story that connects you with the product on a deeper level. It draws you in more than the features or a "dry" story ever could.
So... What story is in your heart? What experience led you to create your business?
Don't recite from your head. Connect with your heart. Speak from there. Your heart's energy is more impactful than anything else. It has the power to truly connect.
Put this into every aspect of your business -- website, newsletters, social media, podcasts, blog, public speaking... all of it. People will hear your words and truly feel them.
It's scary to do. Especially at the onset of a business. You might feel it's too risky and resort to traditional, cookie cutter methods. But doing what everyone else is doing will make you blend in. Don't blend. Stand out! People who resonate with your message will be drawn to you and this will help propel your business forward.
As for my "dry" story? I'm working on it. Working to move past my fears, better connect with my heart and infuse it into my business. Every time I've taken that path it has worked. It will work for you too.
Tell your logical brain to shut up. Tune into your heart. Let it speak for you and your business.
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