Are you a speaker-author-coach, or coach-author-speaker, or author-speaker-coach who feels like you are struggling to find your unique voice in the marketplace?
These days, being any combination of the titles above is so non-descriptive and truly makes you a dime a dozen. If you’re paying attention, it probably feels like everyone who decides to start their own business becomes some variation of the titles above.
If you are struggling to find your unique voice, there are five questions you need to answer:
- WHO is your Audience of One (demographics and psychographics)? An Audience of One is one type of person with one distinct problem that you offer one complete and robust solution for via your products and services. In other words, who do you have a heart to serve? Serving people based on what is in your heart will make the impact you make in your work that much more rewarding and joyful for you.
- WHAT is the top of mind problem that you solve for them? And, what is the solution you provide? Remember the universal law of business: find a group of people who have the exact problem that you solve who are ready to pay for a solution to that problem now. People in pain seek pain killers, and you need to look like the right pain killer for them by speaking to the problem they can’t stop thinking about.
- WHY is your message going to appeal to them? Why should they care what you have to say? In other words, what is it about your story, your journey and your results that will cause the change they are seeking? And why should they be listening to you now? This question will help you think about another universal business truth: the What’s In It For Me (WIIFM) principle. WIIFM is the frequency everyone is tuned in to. If you want to get anyone’s attention, you have to speak on their frequency.
- WHERE can you find them so that you make marketing to them easy for you? Knowing enough about your ideal clients to identify where they are currently gathering in numbers large enough for you to create a pipeline full of prospects is extremely important. Think in terms of events, groups, associations and those types of places.
- HOW will your voice be seen, heard and experienced by your Audience of One? In other words, do you need to look a certain way? Do you need to sound a certain way or prepare a specific speech? And do you need to act or create a specific type of interactive experience for them?
And, you’ve got to find a way to stand out. The best way to ensure your voice will be heard is to say something that isn’t already being said by every Tom, Dick or Harry speaker, coach, author. And finding your own way to say it will speak volumes because people are programmed to notice what is different. It’s also important to be very clear and extremely specific about who you are serving and make your message more about them than it is about you.
“Business optimization strategist, Darnyelle A. Jervey, is CEO of Incredible One Enterprises, a business consulting and coaching firm that helps entrepreneurs and business owners realize financial and spiritual abundance. Jervey is an award-winning coach, consultant, strategist and a best-selling author with 7 books to her credit, including her latest projects: “Burn the Box: 7 Breakthrough Strategies for Standing Up, Stepping In and Igniting Success” and “Market Like a R.O.C.K. Star.” Jervey may be reached online at www.incredibleoneenterprises.com.
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