A few patterns emerged last week when speaking to my wonderful clients. They were becoming frustrated with the lack of engagement from their talks, online posts and lives/videos.
They felt like they were doing all the things they should be doing…
- Showing up consistently
- Delivering high-value quality content
- Putting out a call to action to find out more/work with them
And yet they were getting the old tumbleweed. You been there? We all have! It can be the right kicker that affects your confidence and makes you feel like nobody wants to know about you.
If that’s you I think I might be able to help.
I’ve been doing this thing a good few years now. Honing in on what effective communication with your audience is really all about. And through my own experience, my knowledge of communication in the workplace and how to connect with your audience when running a digital business, I have cooked up a little something I like to call The Big Impact Ratio.
What the hell is The Big Impact Ratio?
It’s a guideline that can help you focus your content on the right things so that you can:
- Connect with the hearts and minds of the people that really need to hear and see you
- Get them to tune in, sit up, listen and CONNECT with what you are saying
- Engage in your talks, blogs, posts and live streams (or any other form of communication.)
- Want to buy from you.
Sound good?
Then here it is…
The Big Impact Ratio states that effective communication that engages people in your content/delivery is comprised of….
70% CONNECTION
20% INSPIRATION
10% EDUCATION
You might be thinking ‘What? Surely we must be educating people with our content!’
I see it all the time. As entrepreneurs, we think we have to come across as ‘the expert’ and so, therefore, we must teach! We must tell! Doing this also provides an armour that hides the real you. If all you do is teach and tell then you ain’t going to be getting any engagement!
Let me break that down a bit.
70% CONNECTION
Why is connection the biggest piece of the pie and so important? Because people buy people! How much you show yourself can enable people to really engage with you as a person and want to know more about you. If they feel connected to you through your content then they are much more likely to engage, even if they are busy leading their lives! So how do you connect with your audience?
- Use storytelling! Telling stories is an incredible way to connect with people on a deep level as it is a hardwired human skill from back when we were cave dwellers
- Show vulnerability. Nothing connects people more than putting up your hand and saying ‘Me, this happened to me. I’m not perfect.’ When you do this, other people come out of the shadows and say ‘me too!
- Show the 360. Let people see who you are, what you love, your personality and quirks. Show the light and the shade. You aren’t one-sided, and neither should your content be. Mix it up, have some fun, get creative with it.
20% INSPIRATION
My sales coach Jessica Lorimer told me from early on that people buy when they aspire to be or are inspired to be you. Providing that inspiration gives the people you are communicating to hope that they too can achieve great things. I will caveat this by saying I am not talking about the type of marketing tactics that are meant to put fear into you or are all focused around monetary fulfillment or telling lies. I’m talking about providing inspiration by sharing your journey, your dreams and goals, your story, your achievements, in a way that helps people rather than boasts to them.
10% EDUCATION
The final, and smallest piece of the puzzle is all about education. This is where the ‘how to’ comes in. I will always remember Janet Murray saying to me ‘show don’t tell.’ This means telling people what to do all the time doesn’t actually have the impact we desire. We need to show them. So when you are educating people, rather than just focusing your content around the steps they need to take to do something, show them through case studies and stories too. People will see you as an expert in what you do if they CONNECT with you and are INSPIRED by you first. So, save the majority of your teaching for your paying clients.
I now have a question for you! What are your current Big Impact Ratio percentages?
Note them down and then hit comment and let me know.
I’d love to help you switch that around.
If you know that this is an are you need help with, then shout. I can help you to focus your content on the things that will get your audience to engage with you on a deep level, be inspired by you, connect with you and buy from you. And it’s ALL about the stories baby.
Hit me up!
Much love
Helen x
P.S. I’ll be going live in my free Facebook community Sought After Speakers at 10.30 am tomorrow morning to dive into this! Would love it if you can join me www.facebook.com/groups/soughtafterspeakers
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