Don’t lose your voice

Have you ever lost your voice? I’m not talking about physically being unable to speak because you have laryngitis or some other illness, I’m talking about when words come out of your mouth and you think to yourself, “wow, THAT sure didn’t sound like me!”

I’m talking about your AUTHENTIC VOICE. Speaking the truth. Speaking your truth. Sharing your thoughts and opinions and not being swayed by the listener and what you think they expect to hear. I preach a lot about bringing more “YOU” into your business, which can create situations where you fear losing your voice. This happens because it feels vulnerable when you share your voice and don’t hide behind the business. It can even feel dangerous to put your personal voice into your brand because you are afraid you’ll actual lose opportunities and business.

When you are marketing your business, you may feel like you must say the right things to get people to like you and to like what you are selling. You don’t want to offend anyone. If you ever find yourself saying things just to make other people happy or calm or satisfied, you may have lost your voice.

What’s the big deal? Isn’t it OK to be a chameleon and adjust your message to different people? You may have heard that it’s not about you, it’s about your customer. This is true – to a point. Mirroring your listener is a great idea for building rapport and communicating, such as matching their voice speed, tone, and body language. Speaking and writing with the appropriate vocabulary and adjusting it accordingly is also important. When it comes to content, however, you have to keep your own voice and not adopt their voice. Why?

Staying true to your authentic voice allows everyone to see who you really are and determine for themselves if they want to know you/follow you/do business with you. Do people choose you for what you believe or what they believe? Great question! It’s a combination of both. When they feel like their beliefs are aligned with your beliefs, that’s when the magic happens.

Here are the main reasons why keeping your voice matters:

·    TRUST – when you change your message all the time, people don’t trust you. Whether or not they agree with you, most people respect and trust someone who is reliable and consistent.

·    CREDIBILITY – when you lose your voice, you lose your authenticity. Authenticity is a foundational pillar of credibility. You are a business owner with a mission and staying true to your mission builds credibility.

·    BRAND ALIGNMENT – Staying true to your values and message and voice helps your brand be seen as strong, and attracts the right people.

·    SELF WORTH – When you lose your voice, your self worth suffers because you don’t have solid ground to stand on and you may begin to doubt yourself. When you aren’t sure of yourself, people can tell and it erodes their belief in you.

When you lose your voice, you sacrifice consistency and believability. A strong brand and effective marketing message, built with personal values and stories, is the best way to showcase who you are and what you have to offer the world. Telling the same story over and over and over again, instead of a new story every time you open your mouth, is what works in marketing.

When you have clarity on what your voice is and who you’re speaking to, stick to it. Yes, it’s a long game, and well worth doing right! Please remember, I’m here to help.