Ever had this scenario when you have to talk about your business? “So nice to meet you! What do you do for a living.” She says with a smile on her face. “Oh… uh…. I (awkwardly stammer) I just have a little business using social media,” you finally say. “Dangit, why do I always blow it and sound so awkward,” you think for the 10th time that month.
The truth is that talking about yourself and what you do is extremely hard for so many people- especially when you have an unconventional job (read: not a doctor, lawyer, teacher, firefighter, police officer, or electrician).
Don’t worry. If that is you, you are most definitely NOT alone. I would guess that most business owners have felt awkward talking about their business at one point or another. For the most part, I think that being or feeling awkward or unclear when you talk about your business stems from two things.
- Not being crystal clear on who you serve and what problem you solve
- Not being genuinely confident that you are gifted and called to do what you are doing.
The second problem is literally a BOOK of how to solve that, but to get you started, here is a list of scriptural affirmations to build confidence that I use and put together to share with you. But for now, let’s address the first:
How to Talk About Your Business Without Feeling Awkward in 6 Easy Steps
1. Get crystal clear on the problem that you solve.
- Even if the person you are talking to is not your ideal client and never will be, you win if you can clearly communicate the problem(s) that you solve.
- First, you win because you’re not making them feel confused or dumb.
- Second, you win because they might know somebody who has THE problem you specialize in solving, and Badda bing Badda boom, you’ve got yourself a referral.
Also, use these tips to improve your website homepage too!
2. Figure out some non-industry-specific language to use with people outside of your circle when you talk about your business.
- Listen, nobody outside of the online business world knows (or cares) what a Click-Up VA is. I’m not saying your job isn’t legit, but the way you speak about your work needs to be understandable to someone unfamiliar with the world in which you work.
- Instead of saying “clickup VA,” say that you “help businesses set up their behind-the-scenes systems to save time and frustration.”
- It’s ok to have two different answers in your pocket, ready to pull out for two different audiences. Personally, unless I am talking with someone I know who is in the online business industry, I say that “I help businesses with the words on their website and their online marketing plan.” To someone outside of my work “world,” the terms “copywriter” and “content strategist” mean absolutely nothing.
- Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, ““If you can’t explain it to a six year old, you don’t understand it yourself.” and I think that’s so true. Take a step back and really break down what you do into easily understandable language.
3. Build your confidence on who God says you are.
- If you get nothing else out of this blog today, please get this: Your confidence level will never be consistent until it is built upon the unchanging One.
- The truth is that running an online business is hard and weird. There is always some new trend, some change in google analytics, or some crazy that creates an “AI Copy” machine that can magically pull content out of thin air and make it sound like an original human? Mmmmm, ok, not buying THAT.
- When your confidence is based upon your current success or even your history of success, it’s still shaky. Things can change. What happens if you have a bad day or a crazy client? Crap hits the fan, and you feel like dirt, that’s what.
- But when you know who God says you are and you base your identity and confidence on that, man, you’re going to be unstoppable!
- And for my friends who don’t naturally talk to and make friends with everyone in the room, knowing who God says you are and being rock solid on THAT makes talking about your business SO much easier. At the end of the day, it does not matter what they think because you KNOW that you’re perfectly loved by the Creator of the Universe.
Scriptural Affirmations to Build Your Confidence
4. Start to appreciate your unique perspective.
- I’m sure that you’ve noticed this already, but not everyone has had the same life experiences as you. Not only does this make for interesting conversations, but it makes your skills super valuable in the marketplace to certain people.
- For a long time, I was frustrated that my goals and path looked so vastly different from other people I saw (especially strangers on the internet).
- But on the flip side of that, I would see opportunities or angles that they had missed and wonder, “how in the world did they miss that?”
- The truth of the matter is you and I have unique perspectives and things to offer based on our individual gifts and life experiences. I have an innate knowledge of the equine performance industry and other “down-to-earth” types of businesses because of my history. Ask me to write about gourmet food or caviar, and I’m fresh outta words. I know nothing.
Kick Imposter Syndrome to the Curb: A Biblical Perspective
5. Get crystal clear on how you can help.
- One of the most significant mindsets shifts I’ve walked through is when I realized “not everyone is good with words and has a ‘marketing brain.” Really, for a long time, I just didn’t see it. Those things came so naturally to me that I assumed almost everyone knew those things and could do those things too.
- Once I wrapped my mind around (some of) my unique gifts and how I could use them to help people, talking about what I do became super easy.
6. Approach everything with a heart to serve-even how your talk about your business
- People can tell when you genuinely want to help people with whatever you’re great at and you’re not just thinking about your next buck. Your genuine heart to serve them will show through and overshadow any (or most) awkwardness or imperfect sales pitches.
- Bonus tip- Carry this mindset over into your website copy and every piece of content you create. 😉
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I truly believe that YOU have a gift to serve your people. If you have a desire to run your own business with the heart to serve others, then you not only should talk about it confidently but you can! Take these 6 Tips, write them down, print them out, pin them save them, tattoo them, whatever, lol. Next time the liar of insecurity or imposter syndrome comes and tries to make you feel awkward talking about your business, shut it down stat. And listen, if you’ve been an awkward turtle talking about your business before, brush it off. I can almost promise that nobody remembers it as vividly as you do.
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