Just got back from a lunchtime hike and date with my wife. One of my favorite things to do living in San Diego is to walk by the beach. If you haven’t done a hike at Torrey Pines, then you are really missing out! Trust me, head over there (Torrey Pines State Park is where to go).
Alright, here was the breakthru…
I just had a chat with one of my private coaching clients who runs a very successful software company in Wisconsin. While on the hike I had an epiphany (is that spelled right) about something I needed to tell him.
See, this guy has put together a great Internet TV show, he has a great newsletter, and he has great marketing. And he is successful – everything he touches seems to turn to gold.
But something was missing. And this something is the secret I want to share with you.
See, while he content was always top notch. He always gave great information and never held anything back he was actually short-changing his customers and prospects.
Why?
Because he wasn’t putting enough of HIMSELF into his marketing.
We all get concerned about being nice and looking ‘professional’. Truth is that people just want to have a relationship with someone else. Someone they like. Someone they trust. Someone who they feel they know and that knows them.
Bottom line… you gotta let your personality shine through if you want to really connect with others.
You need to let people see who you really are. What are your fears? Your frustrations? Your successes? Your hobbies? What do you do that’s unique and interesting and different that everyone else?
The reason this is important is because it makes you more human. It bonds people to you in a way that giving the best information just won’t do.
Consider it the difference between a rice cake and a piece of decadent chocolate cake. You know one of them is better for you but which one will you eat? The fun one of course. (or else you have a TON of willpower and that was a poor example!)
You want to do the same thing in your marketing. The more fun you can have, the more personality you let shine through, the better people will bond to you, the more they’ll listen to you, and yep — the more they will buy from you.
That’s why I talk about my 2 girls, growing up in Buffalo, being a corporate schmuck, missing my daughter’s kindergarden play because I was on some corporate trip. They all make me more HUMAN to you.
So now back to my friend.
He was doing a great job but wasn’t letting himself shine through. He was being like a rice cake. And that is NOT how he really is. He shared with me all of the fun things that he does in his spare time.
He builds things – big things like houses – by himself. He owns heavy machinery and loves smashing things with his excavator. He has a gorgeous lake house and a fantastic family.
And he’s been told people like to live vicariously through him many times!
All of this leads you to think – he should be sharing more of himself with the world.
What more of YOURSELF can you share with the world?
How can you put more out there so that people bond more with you? When you do that, watch out because people relate to other people – not to corporations.
When my friend does that, watch out Lady Gaga, you may have some competition.