How can you use your personal story to create a unique value proposition?

People like to work with people who have gone through the same challenges as they are going through. They can relate better if you tell your own story and how you overcame that struggle or achieved your goals. It is essential to share your story, showing your full understanding of the issue and your unique way of solving it. Here's how you create your unique value proposition.

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken”. - Oscar Wilde Your own life experience is a well you can draw from for personal and collective inspiration. - What do you know intimately and personally? - How can you use that personal experience to connect with others? - How can your personal life experience serve as a stepping stone to further your life and professional journey? My personal experience: My parents ran a small market in Colombia when I was a kid. I learned so much about business, relationship building, customer service, and marketing in that little market. Some principles are easily scalable, and have served as the foundation of my career as a marketer. I choose to be me and encourage you to do the same!

Connecting to the heart of your reader is the purpose of sharing your personal story. Show them why you possess the capability to help them with their problem, but also care about their outcome. Why does it matter to you that they get the results they're paying you to receive - and then some? If you've never personally experienced the problem but you've got a personal reason to advocate for those who do, your personal narrative is going to make that clear. It's in your personal narrative that you'll also outline who it is that you're ideally suited to serve - and who you aren't.

Incorporate authenticity by sharing challenges faced and lessons learned for a more compelling narrative. This not only humanises your story but also resonates with others fostering a stronger connection and engagement. It adds depth to your personal journey, making it relatable and inspiring for your audience. Remember, vulnerability can be a powerful tool in connecting with others on a personal level.

in my experience, using humor in your story not only helps people relate, it also helps your audience to be open. Humor brings walls down and allows your audience to realize that being transparent about the elements of their own story without being self conscious.

Include reflective moments to deepen audience connection and enhance relatability. Emphasise the emotional impact of your journey for an even more memorable connection.

Leverage your perspective. Your unique experiences inform your approach and perspective, which can be highly valuable for a business as it tries to connect to its audience. In my case, I have used my seat as a marketer to ensure the perspective of working moms is taken into account in our go-to-market and internal communication plans, for example. In the right environment, my perspective is useful and appreciated. This is one of the many reasons diversity and inclusion are so important, we want decisions and execution to be informed by rich perspectives versus a narrow lens. Your perspective is an asset. Leverage it!

Self-promotion is hard for me. I am not going to pretend to be a guru here. It can be uncomfortable to do PR for ourselves, especially when we are aware of the team effort that goes into the deliverables that drive a business. However, growth comes from putting ourselves 'out there' and telling the story of our value is part of that journey. A few tips: - Tie your contributions to measurable outcomes that matter to the business and your executive leadership - Ensure your team members can articulate their value and influence on results - Think outside your box. How are you collaborating and supporting goals across the organization even if they are not directly in your area of responsibility? - Foster PR relationships at work!

Building a professional value proposition begins with understanding your career story. Knowing your goals, experiences, strengths and skills alongside who you help and the problems you can solve is the foundation of a targeted value proposition. Once you create a value proposition, it should be used in your story telling across all job search tools including your resume, LinkedIn and interviews.

One can always feel if the story is true and honest or if it is a made-up one. The true story has a different energy in it, and it shows the vulnerable part of the person. And then it just clicks to those who have something in common with the author. That's what I always try to do – to share my life lessons, the challenges I overcame, tools that helped me, or just a piece of advice that got me thinking differently about things that concerned me.

Craft a clear and concise story with relevant details, avoiding distractions for impact. You can also utilise visual aids like bullet points for a streamlined, accessible narrative.

To me your personal story can be the foundation of a unique value proposition (UVP) by distinguishing your experiences, strengths, and perspectives from others. Use humour. It grabs attention and makes your message memorable, fostering a connection with the audience. It breaks the ice, making you relatable, and encourages openness to new ideas. Laughter can also aid in learning, as people tend to remember funny and enjoyable experiences. Plus, it reduces stress, making the audience more receptive and likely to share your content, amplifying your reach.

Self-reflection is key to identifying your personal North Star (and this your purpose-driven brand). Reflect on these four questions to start: 1. Do you feel a disconnect between your personal values and your professional values? 2. The last time you jumped out of bed excited for the day, what were you going to do that day? 3. What do people often come to you for help with? 4. What's missing when you're not in the room?