Sometimes the way we show up is in CONTRAST to our mission, intentions, or desires.
A few days ago I was having a conversation with one of my brand clients based in the UK, who had recommended to me a list of VA's for a project, so I decided to check out their websites and came back to her unimpressed.
I was unimpressed because I couldn't get a good sense of the two women I checked out other than their pricing/fees, which seemed to be the only thing they wanted to inform the public. I couldn't tell what they did, how they did it, or if they deserved what they were asking for. I couldn't even tell if I could trust them to deliver. I couldn't tell if my vision would align with their own mission. I couldn't get a sense of "why them" and nobody else.
What was supposed to be a brief chat between me and my client turned into a coachable moment and strategy session - so I told my client, "it's important how we show up" because it is a reflection of our brand and what we stand for.
How we show up helps people get a real sense of what drives us.
Do we show big, real or confident? Do we show up small, desperate or confused?...
- Do we show up in a way that reveals our heart, talents, expertise and
- attracts what we want?
- Do we show up in a way that
- creates an intense "desire" for what we offer?
- Do we show up in a way that enhances our relationships for the better?
- Do we manage our connections in a way that grow into something more powerful and dynamic?
I don't hide how I feel about most things including people, projects, ideas...(it's so easy to pick up on what excites me). But most importantly, I do not hide my mission.
When you meet me, you instantly know what motivates me.
You know I'm here to help people express their highest self. I'm here to give my very best. And I don't hold back my gift if it will benefit you. I'm not one of those people who worry about people stealing my ideas or copying me (because there is more where that came from).
I have no other motive than to leave YOU better than I met you.
In fact, I have never met anyone who was NOT impacted positively by my presence in their lives, no matter how brief my work/stay in their life was.
Sure, I might make a few mistakes (because nobody is perfect), but my input and value are a thousand times bigger than the mistakes - because I make them... Yes, them (as in you), not "ME" the center of my mission.
I will most probably be one of the best people they or (you) have or will encounter because my mission is to SERVE.
My happiness is in making other people feel empowered and transformed.
When I think of all the tons of emails and messages, I get daily from other thought leaders, experts, colleagues, friends, supporters, and people I respect. It truly humbles me. It pushes me to do more for the universe.
I don't need to tell people that I'm a Queen.😁 Instead, they remind me every time - that I AM because they recognize my crown by the way I show up and show outttt.
How you show up is very important, people need to meet your soul before you meet their wallet. They need to feel like they know you even before they meet you in person.
Don't be mislead by the people faking it to make it.
Your brand is not your name or your claim to fame. It is not just your colors or your logos. It is not even your social media likes or the number of followers. It is not your beautiful snapped high-resolution pictures or your bank statement.
It is actually your VALUE, a recognition of the "solution" your value brings to the world and market place plus the reputation and "goodwill" that goes along with it.
That's why we must put in a bit more effort into how we communicate our value/solution in a way, that helps us to show up as the highest expression of who we are.
Key Takeaway...
Remarkable brands are both authentic and persuasive. It’s possible to be authentic but boring, and possible to be persuasive but over-hyped. How you show up must find the balance of both.
EXERCISE FOR YOU: Can you articulate your authentic and persuasive brand in 3-5 words? (You can use a combination of your experience, talents, and interests?). eg. I am "Queen of Expression".
About This Author...
Alex Okoroji is Founder & Editor-in-Chief of BRAG! She has been in featured in over 300 Media Platforms around the world and ranked as one of "Top 250 Most Influential Women In The World" by Richtopia. She was Nominated for Her Network 2018 "Woman of The Year" in Entertainment.
Popularly know as "Queen of Expression" - She is a Nigerian-Based Actress, Multiple Award Winning Media Personality and Thought Leader who reinvented her career, building a global brand & impacting millions of people with her work - as an Actress, Talk Radio Host, TV Personality, Speaker, Author, Reinvention Coach, Publisher & Global Influencer. She is the Creator of Self Development Hub - The NAKED Philosophy™. She is the founder and President of The BRAG Media Group & CEO of The BRAG Media Company.
She was spotlighted as a 2015 Global Consciousness Raiser, a 2016 Guardian Woman, the "First African Woman Living In Africa" to be featured in Women Rock Project. She is listed in Charles OTudor's 35 Personal Brands-To-Watch 2017 (The Global List) and Honoured with a Nigeria Goodwill Ambassador Award, a WEF Iconic Woman Award at the 2017 Annual Global Women Economic Forum in India & a Peace Achievers Awards - as Media Personality of the Year 2017.
Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin or Visit her Official Website to LEARN MORE about her --> www.AlexOkoroji.me