Photo by foxontherun

“What if she gets the business over me?”

“Maybe I don’t have what it takes – she seems to be doing so much better than me.”

Have you ever heard yourself saying (or thinking) one of these statements?

When I first started out in business, I used to spend a ridiculous amount of time watching other entrepreneurs. I’d check out their offers, read their sales copy, follow them on Twitter and analyze their every move.

At the time, I was an equal opportunist – I observed everyone that I found remotely interesting or who I deemed to be successful online. But, over time, I started to get almost fixated on watching my competition. What were THEY offering? What did THEY have to say about something? What did THEIR website look like?

I wasn’t doing it out of malice – it was purely based in fear. Fear that I would never be good enough to compete with them. Fear that if I didn’t keep tabs on their every move I might miss something critical that would either adversely affect my business or cost me a great opportunity to do something similar with my business.

Of course, as we’ve talked about a few times on this blog, this lead to me creating a bit of a me-too brand that was more a reflection of my competition than of me. And big surprise here – I wasn’t very successful in that iteration of my business. No wonder of course – the brand I built wasn’t mine.

But I digress.

What was particularly troubling at the time was the belief I held that there was not enough business out there for all of us. There were a few other women playing in the same market as me in the same city and rather than see them as possible collaborators or allies, I worried that they’d take work away from me. That it was either me or them. That there wasn’t enough room for all of us.

This was nothing more than fear. Ugly, paralyzing fear.

I’m admitting this to you because I know many of you have been caught up in this too. It’s human nature to feel threatened when someone we perceive to be in competition with us starts stepping up their game, or becoming more successful (we’re ok with our competition as long as we’re doing better of course).

But let me lay it down for you. Bold, simply and and in the spirit of true honesty.

There is MORE than enough business for everyone. For you, your competition and their competition.

Click here to tweet that

Spending ANY energy focused on worrying about your competition is just an exercise in scarcity thinking and it’ll seriously limit your ability to be successful in business.

Think about it objectively for a minute. Unless you live in an extremely small town, chances are good that you’ve got at least 100,000 people in your immediate geographic region. Can your competition possibly serve them all? Could you? Of course not.

And if you, like me, run your business online, you’ve got millions and millions of people to market to – and so does your competition. There is more than enough to go around. I promise.

But most importantly, remember that if you brand yourself well, you don’t really HAVE any competition.

What? No competition? But what about that woman doing what I’m doing?

Well, is she really? Sure, she may serve the same audience as you – but does she serve people exactly the way you do? Is her style exactly the same as yours? Does she approach her work exactly like you? Is her website a direct knock-off of yours?

Chances are good the answer is a resounding no.

So, then in reality, you don’t have direct competition. You have your own unique, distinct brand that is completely different from the woman down the street or across the internet.

When you build a bold, authentic brand from your strengths & natural gifts – you eliminate your competition.

Click here to tweet that

Because the one thing your competition does not have is YOU.

Your right people will come to you because they resonate with YOUR message, YOUR style, YOUR approach, YOUR beliefs and YOUR offerings. And your not-so-right people will go to the woman down the street because they resonate with HER message.

This is a good thing.

It means that you both get to serve the people that bring out the very best in your skills, talents and unique genius. And it means that you both get to prosper.

What it also means is that you’ve now got people you can refer to, collaborate with and build peer relationships with.

Spending energy worrying about your competition means you’re playing small and limiting your own growth potential.

As the leader of your company, your job is to create a culture of abundance and prosperity. One in which everyone gets to thrive.

Click here to tweet that

There is more than enough work to go around. Stop watching their every move. Start focusing on building YOUR brand.

Not only will you enjoy your business WAY more, but you’ll attract better clients (for you) and possibly score yourself some really great friends who truly GET what you do.

As for me? Well, I created an entirely new brand that was way more aligned with my unique strengths, talents and genius for helping women uncover and activate their bold brands. Are there people out there who offer what I do? Of course – there are many. Am I worried? Not anymore – because nobody builds brands and businesses like I do.

Nobody does what you do like you do.

This is your powerful opportunity. Let the fear go and embrace this awesome chance to cultivate your own brilliant brand.

And if you need help, grab my free 10 part ecourse – 10 Smart Strategies to Boost Your Brand’s Profit Potential by putting your name and email in the box below.

Excel spreadsheets make me want to vomit. Literally.

And yet, I have realized that when it comes to business, the old maxim is entirely true – “Failing to plan is planning to fail.”

Damn those eternal truths.

I also know that 95% of you reading this do NOT have a clear marketing plan in place for 2012. You may have notes in your journal, a few post-its around your office or a quick mind-map, but a locked-down, focused, laid out marketing plan? I’m guessing no.

Which is totally cool if business is humming along well and you’re happy with your growth. If not read on.

Here are my top 7 Ways a Marketing Calendar Will Grow Your Business:

1. A plan by nature gives you direction. You will no longer wake up and say, “What in the hell should I work on today? Ugh – I have no idea. Let me go check Facebook and then I’ll decide.” A clear marketing plan will spell it out for you and let you know exactly what you need to do each day.

2. It makes it clear what to say “yes” to and what to say “no” to. You can turn down opportunities that don’t fit graciously by sharing that it falls outside the scope of your 2012 marketing calendar and you’re fully committed.

3. You’ll know where the money is coming from. Ever start a new month and ask yourself, “What am I going to do this month to bring in some more moolah?” A marketing calendar takes care of this because you’ll plot out all your money-making activities, launches, product releases etc so you can see exactly where you’ll have cash injections and where you need to plug some holes.

4. You’ll build a consistent brand. Honestly, from a branding standpoint, there’s nothing that’ll keep you in status quo land longer than being inconsistent. If you blog like crazy for a couple of months and then disappear, people forget to come back. Mapping out a consistent content marketing strategy (blog, newsletter, etc.) ensures that you stay top of mind to your community.

5. You’ll be WAY more productive. Once a marketing calendar is in place, you won’t waste time wondering what to blog about, or create or offer to your audience. You’ll just identify what’s priority A and get it done.

6. You can start delegating. If you build a consistent, clear calendar, you’ll be about to identify exactly what pieces you can start delegating, and give those to your VA (for example) to take care of. They’ll know when to execute because you’ve got it all laid out.

7. You’ll feel amazing! Think about it. If you had your 2012 calendar in front of you right now – with all the details on how you’re going make 2012 YOUR year – wouldn’t that feel awesome?

Bonus reason #8: You might actually be able to take a vacation this year because it’s built into the plan. Yay!

We’re only a few weeks into January – there’s still lots of time to get a solid plan in place. Your business will thank you for it (and you’ll thank yourself for finally getting it done).

I know that some of you just don’t know where to start or how to pull this together.

That’s why I’ve created a one-day Marketing Calendar Virtual Workshop where we are going to just GET IT DONE. It’s on Feb 1 and there THREE spots left! You’ll get worksheets, ideas, tutorials and my recommended template.

All the details are right here:

Marketing Calendar Get it Done Workshop

It’s not uncommon – particularly for women. I see it again and again.

And it’s a profit killer, a happiness zapper and a business buster.

Can you guess? (it’s going to seem too easy once I say it…)

The most obvious business strategy in your arsenal is to leverage the expertise and strengths you already have.

Huh? That’s it?

Yes.

Because a good number of you aren’t doing it. You’re making it way too hard, too complicated and too much work.

When easy is just around the corner.

I had an awesome conversation with a business owner today. This woman is smart. Good at what she does. Savvy about business.

But she’s been running two seemingly unrelated businesses and neither are reaching the success levels she wants. She’s thought about getting out of business A before, but that’s where the money is. She wants to do business B but can’t seem to get traction.

The irony is, once people start working with her on Business A – they start asking for services from Business B.

Confused yet?

She had it in her mind that they were two totally separate entities. That they couldn’t talk to each other. She loves doing the work of both – but doesn’t like feeling that operating one was coming at the expense of the other.

She thought it wasn’t working.

I knew she had an incredible opportunity to leverage both and create a powerhouse, unique brand that very few could compete with.

You’ve likely heard me talk about finding your unique selling proposition (USP) or your Brand’s Brilliance Factor – that thing that makes you different. It needs to answer the question, “Why should I do business with you?”

Well, this woman had a killer USP sitting right in front of her.

There are many ways to get to a USP, but one way is what’s called the Crossroads USP (I’m giving credit to Copyblogger for this).

A Crossroads USP is the intersection of two seemingly unrelated things. Copyblogger is a great example – it bridges traditional copywriting advice with online/social media marketing. And poof – a killer combo.

And that’s what this woman had too. She had a very left-brain, analytical offering (Business A) and a very right-brain, creative offering (Business B) and a HUGE opportunity to bring them together and tell one amazing story to her right people.

It would allow her to show up fully as herself while also leveraging her hard-earned expertise. It would allow her to stop having two separate conversations, and start having one powerful one.

She was excited. And I can’t wait to see where she takes it next.

You may just have an incredible USP staring you in the face. Stop overlooking your gifts. Stop stifling your strengths. Stop worrying about how they work together.

If you are great at what you do, it gives you energy (don’t just put something together if you hate doing it – ugh), and you can find a meaningful connection between the various pieces to create one dynamic, fascinating story that offers your right people something different – GO FOR IT!!!

You’ll be well on your way to a stand-out brand.

*Do you need help pulling together your 2012 marketing calendar? I’ve got a few spots left in the Marketing Calendar Get-it-Done Day on Feb 1. Grab your spot here:

MARKETING CALENDAR WORKSHOP

As we enter a new year, I’d like to remind you that…

You are

…Incredible, just because you’re you.

You are

…Powerful beyond measure.

You are

…Going to make it.

You are

…More than enough – just as you are.

You are

…Unique, different and special.

You are

…Willing to do whatever it takes to build a thriving business.

You are

…Filled with incredible ideas.

You are

…Just as good as everyone else out there.

You are

…At a tipping point.

You are

…Going to overcome the tough times.

You are

…An expert in what you do.

You are

…Valuable beyond measure to your right people.

You are

…Worth the prices you charge (and much more).

You are

…Too incredible to play small and hide out.

You are

…Talented. Strong. Gifted.

You are

…Brave.

You are

…Going to figure it out. I promise.

You are

…Inspiring to many.

You are

…Not going to give up, even on days you feel like it.

You are

…Reaching your potential. Right now.

You are

…Smart. Competent. Wise.

You are

…Going to make this year matter.

You are

…On the right path.

You are

…Enough.

You are

…Successful.

You are

…Amazing.

xo

Picture this.

You’re lying on a hospital operating table, waiting to have your brain cut open. There’s a tumour inside, and it’s gotta get out or things aren’t looking so rosy for you.

You’ve mentally prepared as best you can, you’re anxious to have the surgery over with and you’re just hoping beyond hope that your surgeon is a magician and can make this all go away.

Within minutes, the surgeon arrives. A middle-aged guy who looks a bit like George Costanza. He smiles, comes over to you and advises you of what’s about to happen.

You’re nervous, but he seems like he knows what he’s talking about. You nod your head a few times, and then look up at him and say, almost in jest, “You’ve done this before, right?”

He looks down, and then back at you, and you know…you know this is his first time. You are about to be this guy’s brain surgery guinea pig. You’re terrified.

He says to you, “Yes – this is my first time. But it’ll be fine. I went to school for 30 years for this. And I’ve read a LOT of books.”

This does little to reassure you. And so you make a decision right there and then to postpone your surgery and wait for someone with a bit more experience to take the lead. This guy can be there to assist – but you want someone who’s actually DONE the work operating on YOUR brain.

A no brainer, right? (pardon the pun)

Here’s how this relates to your business.

You can read all the books in the world about what it takes to grow a business.

You can subscribe to dozens of email newsletters in hopes of learning something new that’ll make a difference in your business.

You can sign up for programs, buy products and hire coaches to help you learn everything there is to know about building a thriving business.

And you should. All of these things can provide very tangible benefits and knowledge to you that will help make your entrepreneurial journey much, much easier.

Except if you do nothing to actually act on them.

It’s not enough to read. You’ve got to apply.

It’s not enough to study. You’ve got to implement.

It’s not enough to be mentored. You’ve got to test.

A brain surgeon who’s never performed brain surgery is not truly a brain surgeon yet. He’s a man that knows HOW to perform brain surgery. Do you see the distinction?

It is oh so terribly easy to get caught up in learning and professional development. You might think you need to go get another certification before you can offer your services. You might think you need to learn just one more thing about SEO before you can launch your website. Or you might wait until you have the perfectly branded, beautiful website before you actually write a blog post.

These are all stalling techniques, based around fears of failure and even success, and they don’t make you a business person. They make you an aspiring business person.

You are truly in business when your doors are open, you’ve got stuff for sale, you’re actively marketing your business and you’ve got clients and customers (even just a few) who have purchased and engaged with your stuff.

It’s comfortable to hang out in student mode. Holding off putting your brand out there until you know more – but it’s a trap. And it will keep you playing small.

A brain surgeon isn’t truly a brain surgeon until he’s literally put a scalpel to someone’s brain. He may know the strategy behind what to do – but until he’s actually done it – it’s still just a whole bunch of information.

So the point here is to take action. To test and try, over and over again, even if you fail. The great entrepreneurs out there all had some epic failures – but they just kept going…and kept trying.

There are many things that can stop even the most motivated woman for taking the next step. It may be fear of failure, fear of success, fear of putting herself out there, fear of rejection or just straight up perfectionism.

But your business will only thrive when you commit to taking the adventure, not just reading the guidebooks.

So today I want you to take a step. One big step that will move your business forward. One action step that brings you closer to your goals. Trust that you have what it takes right now and that you know enough and ARE enough to make that happen.

It’s never going to be perfect. Your business will constantly refine itself. Your message will continually get clearer. You will find the people you are most meant to work with. You will constantly adjust, tweak, re-jig, do-over and strategize. That never stops.

But if you hold back from executing and implementing and testing because you’re worried you don’t have it all together yet, in some perfect little package – you’re missing out. Your bottom line will suffer. Your motivation will dwindle. And most importantly, the people who are desperately seeking the wisdom and information you already have – will never get the benefit of learning it from you (and thereby changing their lives).

Stop waiting. Start doing.

*Note: Special thanks to Michelle for inspiring this post re: the brain surgeon story.

You’re in business to make an impact and an income, right?

You know that you’ve got to have a compelling message or you’re sunk.

You know that you can’t possibly serve everyone – that’s why you have a niche.

And you know that great brands take a stand for what they believe in and aren’t afraid to turn people away.

You get this logically. You’ve heard a million marketers tell you how important it is.

But emotionally? Well, that’s another story.

Because when that first nasty email comes in – it stings. Big time.

You open up that unsubscribe note, hoping it’s a simple “just getting too many emails right now” only to see someone literally lambaste you over email. And in that moment, your stomach drops, your face turns red and you immediately think about giving up. It can’t be worth this, can it?

My first nasty message sent me into a spin for several hours. I was accused of being a slimy, sales person with no integrity. She called me a liar, a fraud and a con artist. All because I sent out an email to my community announcing…wait for it…a new program for sale (the gall of me and my business!).

As my eyes blinked back the tears, I wondered how anyone could be so nasty. So mean spirited. And then I immediately wondered if she was right. Was I nothing better than a sleazy, online marketer looking to swindle my community out of their hard earned money?

I regrouped and asked what was really true about her message. Not much I’m afraid. Yes, I was selling something (umm…I’m in business, that’s what we do) but my approach was neither sleazy nor based on lies. It was about her – not me, and I had to let it go. Because there’d be more messages like it.

If you’ve been in business any length of time, this has happened to you. Sometimes the messages are fairly neutral, “you’re just not what I’m looking for right now,” and sometimes they are downright mean, “who do you think you are?” But we all get them – and the more visible you are online, the more you’ll get.

But here’s the reframe.

These messages are a good thing. Unsubcribes are a good thing.

When you’re building your brand and its accompanying community, you want only the people who love you and resonate with your stuff. You don’t want to waste your time trying to convince the fence-sitters and nay-sayers. The more of those people that fall away, the more you’re left with a community of people who get you – who love your content and who will go to bat for you when somebody takes a side-swipe at you.

And the only way that can happen is if you’re willing to stretch yourself and take the risk of really saying something worth listening to.

Spend some time online and you’ll see site after site after site that all say some version of the same thing. They may say it just a little differently, but essentially it’s the same old stuff. You don’t walk away enlightened, changed, transformed – you walk away with one little tip.

That’s fine and those businesses still can work.

But if you want to be great – if you want to be remarkable – then you have to be willing to turn people off. Not by being rude or arrogant (unless that’s your schtick – which I don’t particularly recommend) but just by taking a stand for something. By not producing vanilla content you can find anywhere. By having something actually interesting to say – even if it may ruffle a few feathers.

In my mind, nobody does this better than Naomi Dunford of IttyBiz fame. She’s the ultimately polarizer. She swears, she says it like it is and she isn’t afraid to take a hard stand for what she believes.

Some people hate Naomi and want nothing to do with her. That’s fine. Why? Because she’s got thousands and thousands of fans that hang on her every word and buy anything she has to sell, on name alone. Her confidence and courage to deliberately build a brand she knew would repel more people than it would attract did something truly spectacular. It bonded those who DO resonate with her and turned them into raving, die-hard, tween-girl-at-a-Justin-Bieber-concert, fans.

Now, Naomi’s content is pure genius so that helps too. She’s not just polarizing with nothing interesting to say. You must have both. But Naomi is a fascinating case-study in how you can build an incredible, highly profitable business by deliberating be willing to piss a lot of people off.

So, what can you learn here?

It hurts when people say nasty stuff – there’s no doubt about that. And it’ll sting for sometime to come if you’re human. But you must keep going. You MUST be willing to say what so few are.

Do you want a powerful and profitable business?

Do you want to have legions of fans who hang on your every word?

Do you want to be that go-to person in your industry?

Take a stand. Be willing to turn people off.

Say what you REALLY want to say. Give voice to the ideas and thoughts that no one has yet had the courage to say.

When you do this, you’ll get noticed. Your visibility will increase. Your fan base will start to grow.
Yes, you’ll get unsubcribes. Probably a lot of them. But for every unsubscribe you get, you’ll get that many more clamouring to get on your email list. And you’ll see your sales shoot up. You’ll get invited to be part of joint ventures.

There’s no doubt that this takes confidence and courage. But you can do it.

Your business success is depending on it.

p.s. need help? My Brand, My Way teleclass series starts this Thursday and we’ll dive deep into developing your own signature brand style and voice. You can check it out here: My Brand, My Way Teleclass Series

Let me ask you…

What IS the current state of your business?

Are clients pouring in to work with you?

Is the money flowing freely?

Do you have a clear, compelling message you’re able to confidently shout from the rooftops?

Listen – I’m not going to sugarcoat it. We’re just weeks away from the end of the year, and your business is either going great guns, or it’s not. (If you’re rocking it – then feel free to stop reading).

Chances are good, if you’re still reading this – your business is NOT as successful as you’d like it to be. In fact, maybe it’s keeping you awake at night – as you wonder what on earth you need to do to get it back on track.

Because I know deep down that what you want more than anything else is to Go Pro with your business.

And to make money AND meaning.

Right?

But there are probably a number of things standing in the way of your success::

• Your brand message is ‘off’ – people don’t quite get it yet and
  so they aren’t buying
• Your offers aren’t positioned and packaged properly to really
  entice your right people
• You’ve got some serious mindset junk that’s putting you in your
  own way
• You are shooting in the dark with your brand attraction
  strategies – jumping from one thing to another and not really doing
  any well
• You’re operating without a plan – taking it day by day and hoping
  it works out
• You lack focus and motivation to get the things done you need to
  do

Sound familiar?

Listen – I know you’re busy this time of year – it’s easy to let business slide a bit when the holidays arrive.

And I know that you’re probably wondering if you should invest your hard-earned money in YET another program.

I get it. I’ve been there before too.

But I also know how it’ll feel for you to start January scared, confused and stressed about how to turn your business around.

Let me help.

The Brand & Biz Detox is fast, focused and friendly on the wallet.

AND IT’S ONLY AVAILABLE TODAY!

I am not one for spending months trying to figure something out. I want you to get clear NOW so you’ve got a targeted, focused, inspired action plan to kick-start the New Year.

I don’t want you to wonder what to do next – I want you to look at the next year and say, “I know exactly what I’m doing this year to make money. I know when I’ll be offering things, and what messages I need to convey to do that.”

The Brand & Biz Detox is 30 days of purging, de-gunking and cleaning out ALL the crap that’s kept you and your business weighted down. The stuff that’s getting in the way of the success you KNOW you crave.

So, remember – you’ve only got a few hours left to take advantage of this 1-Day sale. Don’t start January 1 like most entrepreneurs do – on a wish and a prayer for success.

Let’s work together to take all the ambiguity, confusion and stress OUT of the equation so you can focus on the great work you’re supposed to be doing.

Sound like a plan?

Sign up here:

The Brand & Biz Detox Sale

Let’s get your business turned around together.

Happy American Thanksgiving!

While we Canadians celebrated our Thanksgiving last month, I wanted to take this cold, wintery day to write my 2011 gratitude list. Maybe it’s the fire and the Christmas music and the hot coffee as I sit here at Starbucks, but for whatever reason, I’m feeling very grateful today.

So, as you enjoy your turkey and family-time, here’s what I’m most grateful for this year::

• My kids – while it’s been a crazy, chaotic year with two kids under three, I wouldn’t change it for the world. They teach me to be present and remember what’s most important.
• My husband – I have the most supportive, kind and funny husband a girl could ask for. He’s stuck with me even through the hard times of new babies and businesses, and I couldn’t have done it without him.
• My family – I’m lucky to have a very loving, supportive family. Yes, they are a little crazy at times (whose aren’t?) but I know they’d do anything for me. Special props to my mom for being the second mom to my kids while I worked.
• Our childcare providers – because I found the most amazing two women, Dione & Trish (mother and daughter) to watch my kids, I can go to work without worrying and feeling guilty. That is a huge blessing.
• You, my readers – This business is about you. I write for you. I create for you. I lie in bed and think about you (not like that silly!) – wondering what you most need. Thank you for reading and being part of this community.
• My clients – you inspire me, and remind me why I do what I do. I LOVE working with each and every one of you as you build brands that matter. Thank you.
• My friends, mentors + colleagues – you know who you are (special props to the B-school Babes, Gina, Jen, Chantel, Natalie, Suzanne, Jill, Dani, Tanja and Kim)! Too many to name here. But thank you for having my back, supporting me, championing me, sharing my stuff and just being awesome friends (near and afar).
• My VA – Without Tina, I wouldn’t have been able to do half of what I did this year. She was a lifesaver in more ways than one.
• The internet – because of the internet, I can have a business that does not require me to rush my kids off to daycare at the crack of dawn and pick them up into the evening. I can work with people all over the world (and do!). I can create the business of my dreams.
• Starbucks – yes, I really did just say Starbucks. I’m grateful for the good coffee, comfy chairs and for being my office away from home. Oh, and their lemon poppyseed bread is pretty good too.
• My work – I truly love what I do. It took a while to get there, but now that I’m in the groove – it’s just magic. I never say, “ugh – I don’t want to go to work tomorrow.” And that’s bliss.
• My freedom – As entrepreneurs, we are in an incredible position to really chart our own destiny. To create a business that feeds our soul and our bank account. To express our creativity in a way that makes a difference. I’m wickedly grateful for this!
• My dog Molly – how could I wrap up without mentioning my fur friend? While I’m not so grateful for the constant clean-ups (she’s got a SUPER sensitive tummy), I am grateful for her unconditional love and for keeping me warm and safe when Gord goes away on business.

As we wrap up 2011, I realize how much I have to be grateful for – that I have all that really matters. Healthy, happy kids. A loving and supportive family. A community of women entrepreneurs dedicated to doing great things in the world (I’m talking to you!). A roof over my head and a warm Starbucks to drink.

A lot of people would kill for the life I lead. And for the life you lead. Remember that when things feel tough. And remember that you can do and create anything you want in this world.You have that power.

If you have a moment away from stuffing a turkey or playing your fifth game of charades, I’d love to hear what you’re thankful for this year. Please let me know in the comments below.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Does your brand sound like you?

Do people know it’s you before they get to your byline? Do they share your messages with love, exclaiming your writing magnificence? Do they eagerly await your next blog post or email message?

No?

Then you’ve got a brand voice problem.

We’ve been talking a lot about digital copycatting and what a muck-up it is for your brand.

In the Cure for the CopyCat Brand, I identified five key ways digital copycatting shows up. One of most common ways is what I call, “The voice of.” This is when you lose your own voice and starting sounding like somebody else – a mentor, a friend, a colleague or your competition.

This happens fairly easily and often subconsciously. It’s usually a result of spending a bit too much time watching/reading/listening to others and getting swept up in their particular style.

Maybe you love their sassy, no BS approach or their very melodic, almost poetic writing style. Or maybe you love the way they inject humour throughout the post, leaving you smiling all the way to the end. Or maybe you’re in awe of their ability to create such thought-provoking and inspiring prose.

It’s all about their brand’s voice.

A voice so clear and so THEM that you know it a mile away. You’ll read something without a byline but instantly know it’s them. You look forward to reading everything they have to say – and actually light up when you see an email in your inbox from them.

This is the power of a brand’s voice. It’s ability to connect and to persuade and to ignite emotions.

And you want a little bit of that magic, right?

So you channel your inner Danielle LaPorte or Marie Forleo or Naomi Dunford, and do you damnedest to sound cooler or hipper or smarter. And it kinda works – but mostly, your efforts fall flat.

It bears repeating that whenever you mimic or emulate someone else, you’re depriving your audience of the chance to get to know the real you. To hear YOUR voice. To be swept up in your style.

Instead, their instant BS reader picks up that you’re not being true to you, and as a result, they aren’t overly excited to read your blog posts or purchase your products.

The entrepreneurs who have their brand voice nailed down and put it out there loud and clear, have no problem attracting readers and customers.

Great brand voices have the power to mesmerize and inspire and absolutely enrapture their readers.

And when you’ve got this going on, you won’t be wanting for work.

But how do you find your voice?

If you’re like me, it’s been a particular challenge to unlearn the years of formal corporate speak. My degree is in communications and I spent many years writing promotional, informational and corporate messages. I can write well, but it doesn’t sound much like me.

This is still a daily battle. I re-read and scrap a lot of my writing when I get to the end and realize that it sounds nothing like me – the REAL me. The me I want to convey to you – the me that is this brand.

Because let’s face it. You’re not showing up here – reading this post to get some well-written, but rather dry article. You could get that anywhere.

That’s why cultivating and liberating your brand’s voice is so critical. It’s a key part of what makes you distinct. It’s why people come back for more. Information is a dime a dozen – you’ll come back here because you like my style, you like the way I write and the way I say what I say.

So, let’s talk about how you can identify and unleash your brand’s voice:

1. Write like you talk

It’s much harder to pretend to be someone you’re not (or sound like someone else) when you’re talking. So, if you struggle with voice, start by talking out your blog post first – then translating it to screen. Anytime you’re challenged with writing, talk it out and then hit the keyboard.

2. Keep writing

Your voice isn’t something you wake up one day and discover. It is revealed over time and that comes with practice. Every single time you write, if you’re conscious about your brand’s voice, you’ll start to sound more and more like you. Don’t wait to start.

3. Hit delete

I’ve written entire blog posts and then realized they sound nothing like me. Until your brand’s voice comes a little more naturally, don’t be afraid to write something and then scrap it. For example, when you finish up a post, re-read it and then ask yourself, “Does this sound like me? Is this the way I want my brand to be conveyed?” If the answer is no – don’t put it out there.

4. Turn off other voices

If you’ve got some serious writing to do – don’t spend any time leading up to that by reading your favourite writer’s stuff. Get them out of your head so you have a blank slate that isn’t filled with comparison, inspiration and ideas from others.

5. Focus on your readers

This isn’t the time to prove that you could have been a world-class novelist. Write what your readers want to read. Write it in a way that’ll resonate with them. This requires understanding your right person.

6. Bring out Brand YOU

This will be a challenge for any of you corporate escapees. But you gotta ditch the formal, no-personality approach. I become a champion of a brand when their point of view and voice is so strong that I know I can’t get it anywhere else. So, I want to see your quirks. If you swear – swear. If you’re funny – be funny. If like to write short sentences (like me) – write short sentences.

7. Develop your own brand language

Start to notice the words you use, and then use them frequently. Develop your signature brand language – a set of words, phrases and ideas that you reference regularly and that you come to be known for. For example, I coined the term “Digital CopyCatting” and I use the idea of this and me-too branding regularly. Every great brand has their own signature brand language. Don’t go overboard here – it’s always best to err on the side of simple, but a few key words and phrases can be great differentiators.

And if you’d like to explore your brand’s voice in more depth, I’ve got a great low-cost Teleclass series (just $47!), My Brand, My Way that starts December 1. We’ll be looking at brand voice, brand style, brand personalty and brand essence – all the key components to a stand out brand. Sign up here.

A fire was lit yesterday.

After yesterday’s teleclass, “The Cure for the CopyCat Brand,” women started emailing me saying that they’ve had elements of their brand copied. And some even had the courage to cop to the fact that they had done it themselves.

Brilliant.

It means that people are starting to think about it. And that’s a good thing.

Because frankly, I’m just sick of the me-too branding popping up every where I turn online.

Branding is about differentiation and finding that unique point of interest that sets you APART from others who do what you. It isn’t about doing what everyone else does just because that’s the trendy thing to do.

I want you to dig deep and have the courage to figure out your own bold brand message, style, personality and voice – and then bring that forth in your business.

I want you to take the principles of what works online and translate it to your business without needing to copy and paste.

I want you to trust yourself enough to defy convention and blaze your own trail forward.

I want you to believe that you have something important to say.

I want you to do the work.

Great brands weren’t built overnight. And they sure to hell weren’t built from any blueprint or formula or cut and paste model.

Steve Jobs never said, “look at what our PC partners are doing – let’s just pick up those elements and change a few words and colours, and slap it on our site. If it works for them, it’s going to work for us.”

Apple is the company it is today BECAUSE it has been willing to do something different. To think differently. To push creative boundaries.

That’s what makes Apple great.

Do you want to be good, or do you want to be great?

***
If you’re ready to be great and step up and into the brand potential you KNOW is in there (and it is friends – I promise), then I’ve got a great place to start.

Join me for a special 4-part teleclass series, “My Brand, My Way” starting December 1st.

In this series, we’ll explore some of the most important elements of an authentic and well-aligned brand. We’ll get you on the path to carving out a unique and powerful persona that holds no comparison to anyone else. And we’ll uncover some hidden gems about your brand that you can start leveraging to stand out.

What is covered:

• Brand Basics – why your brand is your most valuable business asset
• Brand Essence – what’s at the heart of your brand?
• Brand Personality – what makes you – YOU? What quirks and personality traits can we start incorporating into your brand?
• Brand Voice – what is the voice of your business?
• Brand Style – what’s your signature brand style?

Here’s how the course works:

We’ll have 4, one hour calls over the course of one month. Each class will focus on a particular element of your brand, and there will be a homework assignment after each call.

If you can’t make the calls live, they will be recorded and sent to you within 24 hours of the class. You can download the MP3s or listen online.

How much does it cost:

$47

This could be a lot more, but I REALLY want to help you build a brand that’s the best reflection of you. Me-too brands be gone!

When is it?

December 1
December 8
December 15
December 22

Each all will be held at 1pm MST / 3pm EST.

If you’re unable to make the calls live, the recordings will be available within 24 hours.

*BONUS: for the first 15 that register, you’ll get a bonus Q & A call with me on January 5

Ready to create that powerful and profitable brand, and say goodbye to the competition forever?

Grab your spot here::

My Brand, My Way Teleclass Series