As independent consultants, our clients are essentially buying us as people. That means we need to help them see what’s unique about us and give them a glimpse of what we’re like to work with. But how do we share our personal story and stay professional?
This is a question people ask me a lot, especially when they’re just starting out as an independent. Here are my tips:
How to help clients get to know you…without making it too personal
- Get clear who your ideal client is – Your potential clients are interested in you, in the context of what you have in common and how you can help them. The clearer idea you have of your ideal client the more you can decide what’s relevant to share with them.
- Share your back story – Help your clients to see who you are. What events have got you to this point? What expertise, qualifications and life experience have you gained that makes you the ideal person to help them?
- Let your personality show – How you choose to portray your brand speaks volumes about you without you having to share a single personal detail. Make a conscious decision to speak, write and design your visual brand in a way that is authentically you.
- Take people behind the scenes in your business – People love to see how you do things – setting up a photoshoot, planning an event, mapping out a blog post – whatever it is you do. This is a great way to help people see for themselves how you work.
- Use your interests to create a connection and talking point – Social media makes it so easy to take this beyond the cheesy ‘hobbies’ section on a CV. Now you can use your social channel of choice to show what you enjoy doing when you get some downtime.
- Set boundaries – Remember you are in control. It’s totally up to you what you share about your children, home life etc. Never feel pressured to share something you’re uncomfortable about. What’s right for a competitor or someone you admire might not be right for you.
- Less is more – Once your personal stories are out there, you can’t take them back. It’s better to test the water gradually to see what you’re comfortable with and what your clients relate to. If in doubt, leave it out!
- Test it out – The best way to tell if your story builds a connection with your audience is to test it. You can ask trusted people that fit your ideal client profile for feedback on your website. Better still create a summary version of your story and look for opportunities to share it with people eg when you’re chatting at networking events. You’ll see instantly how they react.
Sharing your personal story is all about helping people to feel they know you before they actually meet you. There is a lot you can do without having to share every minute detail of your personal life, or feeling uncomfortably in the spotlight. It’s a fine balance – how you do it and how much you share is up to you.
Photo by Cathryn Lavery on Unsplash