If I could boil all this authentic branding stuff down into 4 words, that’s what I’d say.
Recently, I stumbled across a profile on Linked In for this man who is a speaker and an executive coach. He’s obviously an expert given all the accolades and media exposure he has listed on his website.
But even with all of that “proof” he also has loads of photographs “proving” just how successful he is. Photos with his expensive car, in exotic locations, with his beautiful wife, etc., etc.
I don’t know about you but that doesn’t make me trust him or want to buy from him. It doesn’t seem like authentic branding. In fact, all that “perfection” makes me think he might be hiding something!
As I have been looking over the past year and looking forward to the new one, something interesting keeps coming up for me. It seems to me that so many people spend a whole lot of time on social media trying to prove how credible they are.
People try to prove that they are experts and that they are the best in their industry. They want to be IRRESISTIBLE to their target audience.
Sally Hogshead, bestselling author of “Fascinate: How to Make Your Brand Impossible to Resist,” said it best when she said: “The greatest value you can add is to become more of yourself.”
YES!!!
Authentic Branding
The truth is, to become irresistible, you need to be authentic and real. You ARE the expert in your space and just by showing up and giving of your expertise, that is proof enough.
I know, I know, you’ve heard people talk about the importance of being authentic but you aren’t really sure what it really means or how the heck to make it happen.
I’m just gonna say it…authentic branding means being more vulnerable, more YOU!
ACCK! Scary, huh?
To be honest, I’ve struggled with being more authentic and vulnerable myself. If you have followed my social media posts in the past, you know that I don’t tend to show up on video all that often, right?
You know why?
Well…my excuses range from bad lighting to having a bad hair day to just not feeling “up to it.”
In fact, I recorded a video recently and then didn’t post it because the lighting didn’t look right and I was afraid I wouldn’t LOOK like an expert if the lighting was wrong.
Sheesh!
So, I have made a vow to myself to be MORE real, MORE open, MORE transparent this year. THAT is how I will become more irresistible to MY ideal clients.
What do you say? Want to join me?
About Melissa
Melissa Henry, CEO of Melissa Demple Photography, helps speakers, authors, and entrepreneurs become KNOWN. Walk away feeling like a rock star with powerful clarity on your personal brand, including unique images that wow your target audience and help you sell out your programs, books and win those coveted keynote spots!
Quoted in Forbes and Entrepreneur and featured in Thrive Global as well as on podcasts such as The Rita Made Me Do It Show, No Fat Cats, and Two Girls Talking, Melissa understands the challenges of standing out in the crowded marketplace and will make sure you & your business do too!
With extensive expertise in consulting and over a decade building her own brand, Melissa provides an extraordinary experience for purpose-driven entrepreneurs who want to become known as experts, thought leaders, and seven-figure business owners.
