Are you struggling to get results from your online marketing? Are you feeling lost in a sea of competition and struggling to stand out?
One key to success is authenticity. Being true to who you are and what you stand for can help you build trust, credibility, and a sense of community with your audience. In this article, we’re going to dive deep into why authenticity is so important when it comes to building a tribe and attracting your ideal customer.
The truth is, anyone can create a product – but your audience will ONLY connect with YOU if you give them a chance to, which means you need to delve into what it means to be authentic in your marketing AND how can you create value and share that with your audience so it builds your ‘tribe’, solves their actual problems and is profitable too!
In this article we’ll talk about how authenticity can help you stand out in a crowded market, how to identify and communicate your unique value proposition, and strategies for maintaining authenticity in your marketing. We’ll also share some examples of businesses that have successfully leveraged authenticity to build a loyal following.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a solid understanding of why authenticity is a game-changer when it comes to building a tribe and a plan for incorporating it into your own tribe-building efforts. So, let’s get started!
What Does It Mean To Be Authentic In Your Marketing?
When it comes to building a tribe and marketing, authenticity is all about being true to yourself and not pretending to be someone else. It’s about being genuine, honest and real with your audience. You might be thinking, “Okay, that sounds great, but what does being authentic in my marketing really mean?”
Imagine you’re at a party and you meet someone new. They’re friendly, engaging, and they seem to have a lot in common with you. As you chat, you start to realize that they’re not being entirely honest about who they are. They’re exaggerating their accomplishments, pretending to be someone they’re not, and you can sense it.
What’s your reaction?
You probably feel a little disappointed, right? Now, imagine the same scenario, but this time, the person you’re talking to is being completely authentic. They’re sharing their real thoughts and feelings, they’re not trying to impress you, and you can sense that they’re being genuine. How do you feel now? You probably feel more connected to them, right? This is what authenticity is all about. When you’re authentic, people can sense that you’re being real and they’ll be more likely to trust and connect with you.
An analogy that can help to understand this concept is to think about authenticity as a magnet. When you’re being authentic, you’re putting out a magnetic energy that naturally attracts the right people to you. But, when you’re pretending to be someone else, you’re sending out a different energy that can repel people away from you. It’s like trying to force a puzzle piece to fit where it doesn’t belong, it doesn’t feel natural and it’s not going to work.
Authenticity is also important when it comes to building a tribe because it helps to establish trust and credibility with your audience. Trust is the foundation of any relationship and when you’re being authentic, people can sense that you’re being honest and genuine with them. A book that talks about this topic is “The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism” by Olivia Fox Cabane, which explores the concept of authenticity and how it can help to establish trust and credibility with others.
In short, it’s about putting out a magnetic energy that naturally attracts the right people to you, and helps to establish trust and credibility with your audience. It’s important to note that authenticity does not mean revealing everything or being too personal, but being honest and genuine about the things that matter the most in your business or brand.
Why Bother? Is Being Authentic Really That Important?
Let’s save time and just say ‘YES!’ When it comes to building a tribe and attracting your ideal customer, authenticity is essential. When you’re really sharing your authenticity you’ll find that it:
- Helps you stand out in a crowded market: Authenticity helps you to communicate your unique value proposition and it sets you apart from the competition. When you’re being true to yourself, you’re naturally going to attract the kind of people who are interested in what you have to say.
- Makes you more relatable and approachable: When you’re being authentic, you’re not putting up a façade, you’re being real and people can sense that. When people can sense that you’re real, they’ll be more likely to open up to you and share their thoughts and feelings. This makes you more relatable and approachable to your target audience.
- Attracts your ideal customer: By being authentic and true to yourself, you can communicate your unique value proposition to your target audience, and it helps to attract the right kind of people to your tribe.
- Builds trust and credibility: Being honest, transparent, and consistent in your messaging and actions helps to establish trust and credibility with your audience. Trust is the foundation of any relationship, and when you have trust, you have the foundation for a loyal tribe.
- Helps to create a sense of community and belonging: When people can sense that you’re being real and genuine, they’ll be more likely to feel like they’re a part of something special. This sense of community and belonging is important because it helps to create a sense of loyalty and commitment among your followers.
- Increases engagement and loyalty: When people feel emotionally connected to you and your brand, they’ll be more likely to engage with your content, share it with others and participate in your tribe.
Also … it just FEELS better and helps you get into and connect with your creative space.
Being authentic in your marketing can help you stand out in a crowded market, make you more relatable and approachable, attract your ideal customer, build trust and credibility, create a sense of community and belonging, and increase engagement and loyalty. Remember, authenticity is the key to building a loyal and engaged tribe, and it’s the foundation to establish a connection with your audience.
How Do You Actually FIND Your Voice?
Your unique voice is what sets you apart from your competition and it’s what makes you special. It’s what makes people want to do business with you, follow you and join your tribe.
Here are some steps and exercises that you can use to find your unique voice in your marketing:
- Know yourself: Take some time to reflect on who you are, what you stand for, and what makes you unique. Ask yourself questions like: What are my values? What are my passions? What are my strengths? The answers to these questions will help you to understand yourself better, and it will help you to find your unique voice.
- Get inspired: Look for inspiration from other sources, whether it’s a book, a podcast, a blog post, or a social media account. Pay attention to how they communicate and what makes their message unique.
- Be yourself: Don’t try to be someone else, be yourself. Write in your own words, use your own experiences, and don’t be afraid to show your personality.
- Practice: Write down your thoughts and ideas, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different writing styles and formats. The more you practice, the more you’ll find your unique voice.
- Get feedback: Share your writing with friends, family, or trusted advisors, and ask for their feedback. Listen to their input and make adjustments as needed.
- Experiment: Experiment with different types of content and see what resonates with your audience.
You can start by just making some posts in our Facebook group…! Start sharing regularly and see what flows. Get inspired, be yourself, practice, get feedback, and experiment with different types of content. Remember, finding your unique voice is an ongoing process, so don’t be afraid to experiment and make adjustments as needed.
It doesn’t need to be perfect – in fact, it WON’T ever be perfect if we’re being real…!
So come and be yourself, learn, grow, ask questions and find that YOU that people want and NEED!
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