Are You Memorable? Are You Distinct?

One of my favorite movies is “The American President.” It’s got Michael Douglas and Annette Benning and Michael J. Fox in it. And it’s one of those movies that I find myself quoting a lot because of all the profound dialogue. It talks about Advanced Citizenship. It talks about being able to stand up and yell for what you find important while also defending the right for someone who disagrees with you to stand up and fight for what he believes as well. Content like that makes me really excited. 

There’s a moment in “The American President” where Michael J. Fox tells the President that people in the desert will crawl towards a mirage and, when they discover there’s no water, they’ll drink the sand. Because they’re so thirsty, they just want it so badly. And President Shepherd calmly looks at him and says, “People don’t drink the sand because they’re thirsty. They drink the sand because they don’t know the difference.”

How are you crafting your message?

You might try, using someone else’s words, to craft a message that is both powerful and poetic, that will move people to take action, and make you sound smart and confident. But you can get so caught up in sharing your genius, that you forget that the reason you opened your mouth in the first place was to share what youdo in a way that lets your Ideal Client understand that your solution is made specifically for them. You are uniquely qualified to help them, but you’re too caught up in memorizing your 30-word elevator pitch, that word makes me cringe.

A good friend of mine is about to release her book called” Pitch Slapped” and I can’t wait to read it. I can’t wait for the world to see it. Please, please, don’t pitch. Learn to share your solution, don’t pitch it. We are so focused on sounding brilliant, on saying something meaningful and powerful, that we forget to be ourselves and talk to our Ideal Clients like they are humans. We forget to speak to them in the way that matters and makes them excited to work with us. 

Think of it this way. On a very, very surface level, we’ve talked about if you can’t figure out how to introduce yourself at a networking event. Saying, “I do this/make this/create this opportunity for you. And it affects your life and enhances your well being.” That’s a very basic introduction. 

But I want to share with you two different things that are going to help you craft a message that reflects you and attracts your Ideal Client. A message that will call them and move them to act in a very powerful, profitable way. 

Create a message with impact

First, when I say “craft a message,” I’m not just talking about the way you introduce yourself at a networking event or your 30-word elevator pitch. When I say “craft a message,” I mean creating something that shares what you do in an impactful way that identifies who your Ideal Clients are and calls them in. Your message is the way that you share your business, your Brand, your solution, with your Ideal Client. It’s something that you can put on your website and on your social posts, and it’s something that people can say about you. It’s not just, “Here’s 30 seconds of what I do.” 

I would love to be able to remove the question, “So what do you do?” from the networking arena completely. Let’s talk about each other like we’re humans. One of my fabulous colleagues in Virginia, Katie Nelson, is a brilliant business coach and a sales catalyst. If you don’t know sales, I will introduce you to Katie. She’s like, “What do I do? I don’t know, it’s Tuesday. I’m doing laundry. What do you mean, what do I do?” She’s so personal and she removes the “What do you do?” and the 30-second, poetic yet completely useless, intro.

I want to make sure you understand that your message is how you are communicating with your Ideal Client. Your message is bigger than your 30-second intro. It can be bigger, more meaningful, and more impactful when you realize you’re talking to human beings. Even if you’re speaking to corporate, even if you are trying to attract corporate clients, every corporation is run by people. Speak to them that way, and speak to them using their words. If they don’t speak about their pain in the big, flowery buzzwords, don’t use those words either because they won’t resonate with them. Speak about their pain, their joy, and their dreams in the same way that they do. So that,when you speak those words, they go, “Oh, that’s me.” You want them to instantly self identify and interact.

Craft a message that draws your Ideal Client in

The second thing I want to share with you today how to craft that message. Whether it’s in writing or in-person, craft your message in a way that brings people in instead of making them run for the hills. We have a tendency to say “I do this. And here are all my features.” Sound familiar?

Here’s the problem with that. Think of your Brand as a product on a supermarket shelf. The first time people see it, what’s going to draw them in? What’s going to grab their attention and make them take notice.

Next, they’re going to ask, “What is it? I noticed that it’s flashy and it’s in my face and in my Facebook feed and somebody else was talking about it, But what is it exactly? Is it a service? Or a program? Is it coaching? Or a course? What is it?” 

The next question people will ask is, “Do I need it? Do I care? What’s in it for me?” And if they look for more information, and don’t find what’s in it for them, they will disengage. 

You get to speak very specifically and very clearly about how you have created this for them. And here’s what they’re going to get out of it. Then you get to worry about the features. People want to know about the island. They want to know it exists. And they want to know you’re the one to get in there. Until then, they don’t care what that boat looks like that’s going to take them there. 

All too often we are so in our head about the features because we’ve been thinking about this for 27 hours. And we’re so excited to share all the information and making sure there’s tons of value in it. We’ve got them down the freakin’ engine room and they haven’t even decided if they want to go to the island or not. 

These are the kind of ideas and concepts that you get to talk about every single time you and I meet! If you want to have some face time with me, let’s have a conversation. If you want to have a brand strategist in your space, in your face, helping you to create a remarkable Brand that is memorable and shareable and profitable, go to my website and snag a spot on my calendar. Let’s figure out what your challenges are. Let’s see if I have an island that you may want to visit. 

Brandapalooza

You can also join me for Brandapalooza! It starts tomorrow. If you miss the first week, it’s okay, we’ll catch you up. This is a full year that you and I get to spend creating that brand in a way that allows you to continue to flourish in your business. You get to keep doing all the things that are required of your day, while implementing some new things as you and I talk.

I love, love the way that my clients’ businesses get to change after we’re done. I spoke with a client the other day, and she has tripled her business since we started working together. Tripled! And most of what we did together was identify her Ideal Client and craft a message that allowed her to bring in people who are excited to pay her to do what she loves to do. 

I want you to really thrive in your business and create a business that supports your lifestyle, not the other way around. I would love for you to join us for Brandapalooza. It starts October 1st and we meet twice a month for 12 months. And here’s my guarantee, if you join Brandapalooza, and if you show up, do the work, engage, and commit yourself to the results that you want, and you don’t get those results in 12 months, I will meet with you and figure out what we’re missing and what we need to focus on. 

I’d love for you to join us. It’s where all the best Brands play. So you should come and play as amazing as you are. If you have questions for me, if you want to chat with me, schedule some time. We’ll have a quick conversation and see if this is really something that’ll serve you. It’s possible it’s not for you. You may want some more one-on-one instead of a group. 

But if you want to be able to truly craft a message that calls in your Ideal Clients that engages them in a way that helps them take action. Let’s have a conversation. We start rocking out tomorrow. 

And until then, enjoy the rest your day and Rock On!