Share Your Authentic Story - Breakthrough Boot Camp Day 21

You are my favorite

Branding and marketing would all be pointless if you weren't connecting with people on some level. If you remember back to our lesson on getting clear on who you are:

"Customers will ultimately choose to shop with you - versus one of your competitors - because they identify with you and/or your shop's aesthetic."

Everyone has a story. Some people will identify with it, and some people won't. Your market is the people you strike a chord with.

So - what makes you unique? Refer back to worksheet 9. Consider:


► What are you passionate about?
► What do you want to be known for?
► What do others recognize in you as exceptional?

We all have something inside of us that makes us unique. Sure, you might be one jewelry shop among thousands online - but nobody has a back story like yours, and thus, nobody's point-of-view will be identical to yours. 

Your back story is important to your online presence. How did you get to where you are? Are you self-taught? Did you intern with the best in your field? Are you a work-at-home mom who grew up baking with your grandma on a country farm?

Most potential customers won't buy from you the very first time they see your work. If you want them to come back, you need to help them remember you.

Your About page

An excellent way to make a big impact (and quickly) would be to have a headline on your profile or about page. On Breakthrough Boot Camp Day 5 I asked you to construct your own "cocktail line" - this would serve as a fantastic opening statement for your About page.

Look at all of the places available on your About page that can help you tell part of your story - I've highlighted them with mint:

 

Your avatar | your location | your rotating photos | the photo captions | your headline | the About text itself | your job title | your side bar blurb

All of this information is not just important for potential customers - it is where media/bloggers/magazines, etc., will get their information. What will hook them to want to feature you?

Now, tell your story

If you're having trouble writing about yourself, give this template a try. I don't mean to say that you need to write all of this information on your About page; rather, this exercise is meant to help you outline your unique story. Edit this information down; pick and choose what gives you an edge.

1. Talk a bit about your family - who raised you, where did you grow up? This gives a frame of reference for where you are now.

2. Next, tell us a bit about your education. Did you go to art school? Never had an art class of any kind? Learned everything you know from your mom? Are an avid collector and reader of books? How ever you picked up your knowledge, share it with us!

3. What do you do with your time? Attend sci-fi conventions? Raise children? Raise chickens? Garden? Watch The Office? Travel to India? It's interesting tid-bits like these that will help others to connect with you.

4. What do people say about you? What do your best friends come to you for? What have you won awards for, or have been gushed about online over? What do people say in shop feedback? No accomplishment or recognition is too small here - there are people out there who will think you're amazing.

5. What do you live for? What gets you going in the morning? What is your dream for the next generation? What do you value above all else? 

Pick a few talking points from each category to begin writing your (or editing your existing) About page.