I remember attending a conference and receiving the best gift ever from one of my favorite mentors. It was presented in a small box and I recall him saying “this gift is so unique and is the best thing you will ever receive.” I thought, “WOW!! What could it possibly be?!” So, I quickly opened it and to my surprise, I was taken back a bit. It was simply a mirror. At that time, I wasn’t feeling good about myself and I wasn’t really looking my best. I was even having a bad hair day and thought “great timing” …LOL!! He proceeded to asked me to take a very good look at myself in the mirror, and he said, “God doesn’t make mistakes. He made us all powerful and uniquely different for a purpose.” At that moment I still didn’t get the point. I was more worried about learning to see past my flaws!!
In today’s world we live in such an appearance-based society. People tend to be more concerned with how they look on camera than what they are actually doing to add value. We tend to lose sight of what people are really looking for. Nobody cares how you look; they just want to know you care. We never make the jump into putting our true selves out into the world for fear of what other people are thinking about us. But, the reality is in our fast-paced, crazy world of chaos, people gravitate to life changing stories and relatable content that brings the confidence we are looking for and lack. Impactful people don’t care anymore how they look because they are more concerned about delivering a message that can help.
Have you ever had a moment where you’ve lived vicariously through another person’s experience? People today crave an experience, not just a product or a service. The trend now is to show more heart and authenticity. If you want to survive in our industry don’t disguise yourself but be true and transparent. I promise there will be people looking for YOU and your uniqueness who can identify with you. People today can sniff out a scam and they aren’t afraid to say it like it is if they feel that person is not representing truthfully. Just be yourself. Be real, but exhibit empathy. Another reason you shouldn’t try to be something you’re not is that if your identity isn’t consistent with your life story and testimonies, you will lose your audience’s trust.
Don’t be worried about how you look. Worry about whether you get your message across. Again, in business it’s not about you; the focus is on your customer, your prospect, or your audience, and providing a solution to their needs. There are some people who will always find fault with what you do even if you’re right, and that’s okay. Give them something to talk about. Isn’t that essentially what we are trying to do; get their attention, create dialog, and engage? Once you’ve gotten their attention, turn it around and place the importance on them and how they will benefit. They will care more about what’s in it for them than judging you.
We are all running our own race. So when it comes to it, there is no comparison. There is only one Xerox copy of you. “Popcorn is prepared in the same pot, in the same heat, in the same oil, but the kernels don’t pop at the same time. Don’t compare yourself to others; your time to ‘POP’ is coming!!” And there will be a target audience for your presence.
Every leader who has risen to the top knows that they didn’t have to come up with new concepts in marketing. Some of your best leaders simply regurgitate, emulate and repackage the same ideas from generations before them. You may be presenting the same information, but no one can duplicate your personality and character. That’s what will attract like-minded people to you, those who are seeking something authentic.
Look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, “would I join me?” or “would I buy from me?”
That is the best place to start. Practice talking or doing a presentation in the mirror and critique yourself. I did just that at the start of my business. I got so good at presenting in front of a mirror that I was ready to join myself… LOL!!
As you get more comfortable, ask a friend if they could critique your presentation. Who knows? They just might see their potential and join you, too!
Remember, in the meantime… as we’re working our way up, continue working on yourself and mastering your craft. Because in the end, people buy into the leader before they buy into the vision. Own it! Give them a reason they would want to follow you.
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