Do You Have The Courage?

Imagine if you were brave enough to show your soul to the world through your words. Would you do it?

No one talks about how intimidating writing can be or how hard it is to sit in front of a blank computer screen trying to think of something to tell your audience.

Instead, they scroll through other people’s content wishing they could write something that would educate and engage their audience.

It’s been said that when you write something authentic that allows others into your world, you’re opening up your kimono – you’re showing your true self, good, bad, or indifferent.

Do You Have The Courage?

It’s the question we ask continually ourselves:

“Do I have the courage to write something that will show my vulnerability and be accepted by my audience?”

I saw a quote that reminded me of this very topic:

“Be brave enough to suck at something new.”

Life gives us an abundance of opportunities to learn something new. It’s up to us to determine whether we take those opportunities to try something new and suck at it until we learn otherwise.

Brené Brown said it perfectly, “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”

“Be Brave Enough To Suck At Something NEW”

What Story Are You Telling?

Storytelling with your voice is what connects you to your clients. And, writing is often new for people.

Writing is a solitary journey that leaves you feeling like you’d rather be doing something else, anything else, but writing. No one talks about it – we just don’t do it.

It’s one of those activities that drive people to want to hide, binge-watch Netflix, or do anything other than put their words on a page. It’s scary, it’s riddled with self-doubt and it leaves you feeling very exposed, even for those most comfortable with the process.

Yet, when you flip the script and look at writing as a conversation, a way to inform and educate your audience, your mindset shifts.

Suddenly, you have a lot to say. Suddenly, you want to share your knowledge with others to bring them into your world – to let them know of the information you have – the knowledge to share, the excitement.

Suddenly, you want to WRITE!

And before you know it, you’re writing. Content is spilling from every ounce of your being. Everything that’s in your head comes out on the page, quickly and purposefully to project out into the world.

Before you know it, you’re opening your kimono a tiny bit.

Know That Your Voice Matters

Your voice is your authority.

Your voice educates your reader, makes them aware of something that interests them, and demonstrates your knowledge on a subject that informs and entertains.

The objective of writing to your audience is to demonstrate your authority in your industry – to answer questions your audience is asking, share your ideas, your solutions, and your knowledge. It gives your clients, potential or otherwise, a way to get to know you and what you have to say about topics that pique their interest.

Your clients look to you for help, for guidance for the knowledge to help them along their path. They want to know what you know.

How you speak to your clients further demonstrates your authority in your industry and your commitment to informing them, constantly.

Yes, writing can be considered marketing in some circles, but it’s also about cultivating connections.

Traditional marketing has shifted to be more personal, human, genuine, authentic, and transparent. Clients want to know who they are working with on a personal level. Your writing gives them a chance to do just that!

When your writing is purposeful and intentional, you’re walking your reader through your story in a methodical way with the research you’ve completed, or providing the information you’ve learned that engages and motivates them.

As a writer, it’s your job to ensure that at the end of your story, your audience has received value, such as understanding how your business can better their life, or how three simple steps can improve their health.

Organic Content is Queen

Yes, someone has already written about your topic as a blog post, an industry article, or even on their own website, maybe multiple times, which gives you a foundation on which to build.

Your perspective is fresh, it’s different and takes a new approach to the previously written content. Not only is it in your unique voice, with your insights and your knowledge, it’s also thorough, detailed, and comprehensive.

Your organic content provides your readers with the breadth of information that fills the voids of other content and gives context to the subject to demonstrate how it will resolve their pain points.

Your passion will come through in your words in a way that engages and educates your audience providing them with steps and guidance as it relates to your industry.

Your organic content is queen!

Open Your Kimono!

There is something to be said for having the courage to speak to an audience you’ve never met before.

Writing is a platform that cultivates a genuine relationship that is different from traditional marketing and it builds trust.

Writing is also a way to provide awareness into your work and your services for your clients; your packages, how you serve your clients, and the amazing results that will come from working with you.

Yes, there are mechanics to writing, creating a blog post, and publishing your work out into the world. And there is also the beauty of you writing your words on a page to be seen by others. Some writers have called it their “runner’s high,” their “endorphin rush,” or their “drug of choice.”

And when we move past our fears and open ourselves up to the possibilities that lie beneath our egos, we find that we are educators who want to help change the way people live, think, or participate in the world.

In your business, your voice creates a human connection, a relationship with our audience that is difficult without face-to-face interaction. Blogging and writing help bridge that gap and allow you to speak to even a larger audience than you once thought was possible.

While platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook help you get our word out, others like Medium and Refinery29 help you reach an even more targeted audience that fits your avatar, the demographic you want to target, along with new audience members that you may not have known existed.

Writing pushes you out of your comfort zone and gives you a platform in which to speak openly and freely, without worrying about the negative comments that might result.

Because in the end, you’re reaching someone who needs your content, who wants to receive your knowledge, and is waiting for you to help them on their journey.

Just Write

Mechanics aside, writing the first draft should be the best part of your writing journey. It’s where you can write as much as you want, bravely and fearlessly without censoring yourself.

The first draft is where you bleed all of the knowledge you have about a topic through your fingertips. It’s where you can write without editing and without thinking about what anyone else will say about your work. The first draft is nothing more than you becoming one with your story – with you filing your pages with the knowledge you have to share.

It’s liberating and enjoyable.

When you write the first draft you’ve given yourself permission to just write – don’t think about the flow, don’t think about the end or the middle – just write.

So open your kimono, show yourself to the world, have the courage to step outside yourself, and really speak to your audience in a way that you love and that demonstrates your expertise.

Show me your BRAVE!

If you’d like to discover your BRAVE and find confidence in your writing, schedule a The Voice of Your Business strategy call with me!