Do you often find yourself pushing the boundaries of truth into dishonesty just to make your business look fantastic? Or, indeed, offer half-truths for the fear of being professionally ridiculed by telling the full truth?
As creative business coaches, we understand the importance of being honest, transparent and authentic in our everyday lives.
However, those three key foundations are often thrown out of the window when it comes to business – whether it’s to do with the brand, business lifestyle, careers, or clients.
Too many business owners fail to appreciate the power of being honest. Yet, being truly honest is more important than ever before. Why?
Same, tired BS
People – the buying public – are simply tired of the same old bullshit, tired of dishonesty and weary of company speak that simply seeks to make the business owner defend their pitch while making the client look a fool.
Business owners will skate over the truth, offer vague answers without being clear-cut. Why call yourself a CEO when you’re just one person running a business?
Surely saying it as it is will garner greater respect, gravitas, and clients loving your down-to-earth take on life. No BS means client loyalty, trust and respect will grow for you, your business and the service or product you stand behind.
For some businesspeople, honesty is considered weak, when instead it should be looked as a means of strength, power and intention.
Six steps to honesty
Be authentic: Putting your own stamp on your brand presentation will help make your product, service and business more memorable and engaging.
Trust: Building up trust by showing who you truly are will encourage people to work with you.
Sharing: Opening and describing your story surrounding your art, craft and talent will make you more interesting and persuade people to buy into your brand more.
Be unique: Probably the most overused word in art, but be honest and self-effacing to a client. Stand out and be prepared to be different. Reveal the true you and help build a picture of why you could be valuable to your clients. Add depth and character, and emphasise those parts that add to your brand.
Get personal: More clients are drawn to the personal side of you the public rarely sees. So get personal, show them you are human, and they’ll be readily drawn to you. Be prepared to be yourself and give more than just your work.
Building the truth
One of the major benefits of being yourself, you can be as free as you want and express yourself through your art, your blog or on social media platforms. You can really add a human, personal touch to your brand in ways others cannot.
For example, you can share your work on Instagram, and provide context around your work through sharing posts of your work process and everyday life. This is part of the connection – the trust element -that you are building up with your clients and audience.
People are interested in you so why not show a real image of yourself on your website as another example of transparency. People much prefer to see humans than faceless entities. This will make a huge difference.
Greater trust can also be built through the way you communicate. It’s easy to think we ought to be impersonal and professional-sounding, but we need to view communication as making friends in business, rather than acquaintances.
So talk straight and be honest. If you’re approaching someone new that you want to work with, tell them what’s on your mind. Coming from a position of value, be as honest as you can be, and people will be happy to engage with you.
Being open, clear and honest is the best way to cut through the waffle and demonstrate quickly what you want to convey. Tell it straight and don’t be embarrassed as honesty makes things so much quicker and easier.
It will get you noticed and many will warm to you. You’ll quickly build a successful business with a loyal audience, and be complemented for being a breath of fresh air.
It’s as simple as 1… 2… 3…
We’re here to help you to take action just like we’ve helped thousands of other entreperneurs, artists, designers, and creative professionals all around the globe.
Now is the time to let your passion SHINE.
Now is the time to Make Tomorrow Today!
To your success,
Vinh Van Lam CoSydney & ArtSHINE
Creative Coach
