The promo industry brims with creative and talented professionals – but no one is you. Only you have your unique set of experiences, stories, inspirations and even flaws that make you, you. When you’re authentically you, your prospects and clients will notice.
Research shows that 86% of customers prefer an authentic brand image. They want to work with people who are real, consistent and genuine.
How can you nail your brand voice? According to Goldie Chan, the founder and CEO for Warm Robots, you can implement a few simple strategies to establish a strong personal voice. We share her guidance in this issue of PromoPro Daily.
Be yourself. Your voice is an expression of your personal brand, Chan says, and it should be your consistent and coherent way of communicating. Let your personality shine through your language and tone. According to Chan, your voice should reflect your values and goals.
Get clear on what matters to you. To create an authentic voice, you need to know who you are and what you stand for. Chan recommends spending time reflecting on your values and beliefs and thinking about the style of communication and tone that feels most natural to you. For example, you might be more serious than casual or more professional than conversational.
Know your audience. Who are you speaking to? Just as you should know yourself, you also need to know the people who will most benefit from your expertise.
Be transparent. If you try to be someone you’re not, your efforts won’t resonate with your audience. Chan says authenticity requires transparency and honesty, so always be upfront about your goals and motivations.
Be consistent. This means using the same language, tone and style across the board, Chan says. Even if prospects don’t buy from you right away, they’ll begin to recognize your voice when they see it on social media or email communications.
Give a peek into your life. Want people to get to know you? Share some personal stories. This helps make you more relatable and gives your audience insight into who you are, Chan says.
Listen to feedback. If prospects or clients take time to leave you a review or give you some feedback, pay attention to it and be willing to learn from any constructive criticism you receive. Chan says to get deeper insight into how your audience perceives you, ask for feedback directly.
When you let your authenticity shine, you can set yourself apart from everyone else and begin to build real connections with other people. Use the tips above to find and embrace your authentic voice.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Goldie Chan is the founder and CEO for Warm Robots, a boutique strategy agency.
