Find your style: from absolute prick to fount of all knowledge.

Everyone knows my style. I'm the loud gobshite who takes brutal honesty and my opinions to the extreme and I'm not afraid to air them.

I know for a fact that people look at me and think/say "what an absolute prick". Which is fine, they are welcome to that opinion.

Because others look at me and think "he knows what he's on about. I need to work with him". Which is what I want.

However, there is another reason why I go so far out there with how I am.

It shows you what's possible.

Let's face it, if I can build a business based on being an opinionated prick on LinkedIn, why can't you?

Not be an opinionated prick (although knowing a few of my connections on here, this does apply to you) but build your business using LinkedIn.

Every single person has their own style. The key to getting business here is discovering yours. And here's how you do it...

Last week in the pub, I was chatting about how I work with clients and a friend asked "is all of the content you create in your style?". Which was a fair question, given the aforementioned prickish nature of me.

But the answer is no. I create content in the style of my clients. It's a skill I've got very good at, and it's because I listen.

I listen to how they talk, the words they use, the mannerisms, their tone, their formality.

Your style is made up of these things. All you need to do is take the time to understand it.

So, you have two options:

1. Be unapologetically you
2. Match your style to your clients

Option 1 attracts clients that get you, love how you do things and become part of your community. This does give you c5% of people to go at from your target market. Add your current gross conversion rate to that, and it'll tell you roughly how many clients you can get this way.

Option 2 gives you a much bigger pool to fish in. If you're happy to fit in, then the chances are you'll get quite a bit of business. The downside is how many of those people will you hate working with because they don't get you? That are just the wrong fit for you?

When I was looking at this, I went option 1. I'd rather work with less people and love what I do than loads of people I can't stand.

Once you know which option you're going with (option 1 is clearly best here) it's time to do one thing:

Record yourself talking about the problem you solve and describe the results.

Then, listen to it and ask yourself if that's how you would talk about it when sat having a drink with the client you get on best with.

If the answer is yes, great! That's your style.

If not, then think about how you would talk to them and hit record. Then follow the same process.

When you're happy with what you've said, it's time to break it down.

1. Write down 5 key words about the problem you solve and 5 words about the results
2. Write down the words you say most often
3. Write down how you come across (ask someone else for this bit)

Now, when you create content, you're looking to expand on the 10 key words that you picked out and do so in a way that matches how you come across.

The next step you need to do is to test it. Create some content and send it to 5 clients you trust to give you honest feedback, and ask them what they think about it. Does it speak to them? Does it match what they were thinking before they came to you?

If yes, great! If not, refine and go again. It's rare someone get's it right first time, but with practice it get's much easier!

Ultimately, you'll know you've nailed your style when you create content that gets both your ideal clients and non ideal clients talking about you.

Because when your ideal clients are talking about you, you'll make money.

Want more content like this? Then sign up to be among the first to know about the launch of Cinderella's Got 2 Balls, our newsletter than gives you our playbook to getting clients from LinkedIn! Sign up here.