In the many crazy, chaotic months leading up to this fine new year (yay 2017!), people have been motivated to speak out more than ever. Whether you’re planning to launch a new entrepreneurial endeavor, crank out creative like nobody’s business, or just storm the castle, it is mission critical that you do so in a way that is authentically you to make a lasting impact.
However, offering our vision or wares online is tricky. Without the luxury of face-to-face communication, we can run up against minor missteps in tone or major battles with trolls. In the cluttered online environment, it is easy to miss the mark on what we hoped to communicate to key audiences. All this is perhaps even harder when it comes to presenting new ideas or products without some element of flash or hype. Yet it is best to avoid both, which artificially inflate the importance of what you have to say, if there is to be true success.
Time to get real
When we’re strategic about crafting online messages – connecting our tweets and posts to our project vision or our client’s brands – we make it easier for people to not only understand us, but to believe us. Truthfully connecting who we are with what we say and do is the first step to getting real.
Aren’t we real all the time? Hardly. Just take a peek at your Twitter feed and it is pretty easy to sniff out the posturing. That’s why the basics matter. Being transparent, open and honest about who you are and what you’re offering is crucial. Suspending your ego- that “too-cool-for-school” factor can easily sneak in- and taking a stand on issues related to goods and services you’re selling is helpful. Getting out in front of best practices and trends and sharing them gives you credibility.
Your Message, your voice, your power
When we truly care about the impact of our online messages, we can more easily travel from path (intentional, strategic communications) to outcomes (project success, increased sales, happy clients). This new year, challenge yourself and your teams to carefully align all your communications with who you say you are. Engage the tone that matches your actions. In doing so, you’ll find that your real voice is your most powerful.