Keepin' it Real + Being Authentic
THERE ARE TWO THINGS I FOCUS ON WHEN CREATING A BRAND FOR A CLIENT:
If it will resonate with their ideal client
If it resonates with them.
There is so much noise out there- you all know it. We are constantly being bombarded with marketing messages, grimy sales tactics (ahem, people literally giving us a sales pitch on Instagram before even getting to know us) and it’s hard to break through the noise and stand out. People always tell me they want to be authentic and keep it real and honestly… I think we over-complicate it- and I think of it is unlearning some of the things we used to think to be true.
So here are a few quick things you can do to show up + keep it real online:
1.USE YOUR OWN IMAGES- EVEN IF THEY AREN’T PERFECT
People want to see who you are and behind the scenes and what your life looks like. I am ALL about getting branding photos done because it is so much easier to connect with people when you see how they are in real life- photos of where you work, photos of your dogs, your home, just creating these connection points that people can see and relate to.
Your images don’t have to be perfect and professionally shot all the time -- I know we see so many beautiful images in the online space and we feel like we can’t show up unless it’s perfect like theirs are, but in all reality we can not expect ourselves to invest in professional photography 24/7- just make it consistent. Use your photos, but use the same filter on all of them.
2.TELL A STORY
Storytelling is hands down the number one way to show authenticity through your marketing messages- because it’s YOU + your journey! People want to learn and buy from people who have been in their shoes at one point- people who understand the journey, the struggles, the good and the bad- and it is so important to show that you are that person who gets them and understands them at their core.
3.DON’T POST AND GHOST
One major part of being authentic and real is being there! Respond to people, talk to people, reach out to people who you actually want to establish a connection with (and not just sell to). Posting on a social media platform then logging off and not truly engaging with others/ responding to others doesn’t make anyone want to listen to you and your story. You have to be available behind-the-scenes or people won’t engage with you anymore. Engage with others in an authentic, valuable way and that’s how they will engage with you. It’s so much more than just commenting on the first five posts you see in the morning with something that isn’t meaningful- because that is the opposite of being authentic and keeping it real.
4.BE CONSISTENT
This is the number one thing that I know you’ve heard before: just keep being consistent. You will find your message and your voice by continuously posting. You will figure out what works for you and what people enjoy + what they relate to. Even if you’re impacting one person- you are impacting someone! Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and remember that true clarity comes from action- you just have to keep showing up.
5.DON’T STRIVE FOR PERFECTION
Think of people you love following and go to for inspiration in the online space. Why do you love them? It’s probably because they seem like a real human being behind the screen, right? Some of my favorite people I follow, I follow because of their own quirks/ imperfections. I love when people show up as who they are- the occasional cuss word in a blog post, the misspelling of a word sometimes in their caption- it just makes them feel like they’re real and they’re human and like they get me.
It’s magnetic because they’re just being unapologetically them- and trust me, I know that’s not for everyone. SO many people want to show up in a way that offends no one and makes everyone happy but by doing that you’re not able to deeply connect with anyone and you’re not being true to yourself. Be you- be imperfect, be quirky, be deeply passionate about your craft and show up that way daily.
