Beyond The Buzzword: Keepin It Real

Everyone who’s anyone in marketing, has mastered their ‘authenticity’ spiel, and it’s become quite the masterpiece. 📢

It’s the ‘prom queen’ of the corporate world, comfortably strutting its stuff alongside ‘innovation’ and even giving firm favourite ‘sustainability a run for its money.

Has Authenticity Lost Its Meaning?

Wondering what my point is? Here’s the crux of it. ‘Authenticity’ seems to have morphed into nothing more than a buzzword, a cliché, a somewhat flimsy sales tactic employed by the corporate world to make their customers believe in a pipe dream. And it’s because of this that small businesses (like us) often trip, slip and take a tumble down the proverbial rabbit hole chasing something that was ours to begin with. 🐇🕳️

Authenticity: More Than a Buzzword

So, let’s put this straight. Authenticity isn’t a keyword you stuff into your brand’s SEO strategy. It’s not a bit of bling to show off, like a new pair of shoes from Harvey Nics (any brand if you’re offering). And it’s not a label you slap onto your product packaging, hoping to headlock your clients into submission.💰

No. it’s the raw, unfiltered, nitty-gritty truth of WHO YOU ARE as a brand.

The Grit and Glamour of Authenticity

It’s the sweat on your brow after a hard day’s graft, the calluses on your hands from years down the pit (we all know someone with a story). It’s the conviction in your voice when you talk about your mission and the absolute fire in your belly when you stand up for what you believe in.🔥Because here’s the thing – you can’t manufacture or fake authenticity. You can’t earmark it in the brand guidelines for 2024.

You can’t borrow it. Rent it, Steal it. It’s not up for grabs. It’s not on the table. It’s not a commodity. It’s a commitment. And, even though that makes it FREE to everyone, it’s only small businesses that can truly OWN it. 🏆

Small Businesses and Authenticity

And every hardworking small business owner out there who’s taken the knocks and is still standing strong, has already got it in bucket loads! 💪

We own up to our failures, admit when we’ve ballsed up, and stand up even when our knees are shaking. We dare to be different, even if that means standing alone. We speak our truth, even if our voice quivers. We hold our ground, even when the earth beneath us shakes.

In an age where we’re star-struck by the shiny, the sparkly, the airbrushed and the photoshopped (of our larger competitors) authenticity is the grime under your nails and the mud on your boots. And trust me, it’s not always pretty or comfortable! But it’s real, it’s genuine. And in a world stuffed with counterfeits, ‘real’ is as refreshing as a Mr Whippy on a hot summer’s day. 🍦

Showing Your Authentic Self

So, how do you let your authenticity flag fly high?

Show your customers the grit, the tumbles, the hiccups. Show them the barricades and glass ceilings you’ve smashed, the hurdles you’ve vaulted over to reach where you stand today.

Show them your tenacity, perseverance, and guts. Give them your authentic story.📚

Because they’re itching to see the journey, not just the destination. 👀

They want to meet the human behind the brand. 👥

Essentially, they’re yearning to find a bit of themselves in you.🎈

Measure Your Authenticity

How do you know your authenticity is hitting the mark? You look for clues in your customer engagement and loyalty. Keep an eye on how your customers respond to your brand story, gauge their involvement on your social media, and pay attention to their reaction to your customer service. Authenticity breeds trust, and trust translates into loyalty and repeat business (PDA’s on the gram are a bonus).💘

Let Your True Self Shine

Despite not boasting the biggest marketing budget, you’ve got something that money can’t buy. You’re not just spouting buzzwords, you’re living them. You’re not just adhering to brand guidelines or ticking off another ‘me too’ box.

It’s the skin you live in EVERY day. It’s the lifeblood pulsating in your small business. It’s the heartbeat drumming in your chest.💗

So, let your true self shine through!✨

Because the world is slowly peeling off the veneer of buzzwords, and is craving the authentic, the real, the YOU.

And that, my friend, is truly priceless.

If you need an help with uncovering your authentic self, you know where I am.