Archives for September 2011

Who are you singing to?

September 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Who are you singing to?It may come a surprise to some of you, but not everyone likes opera. "How is that possible?" you say. Shocking, I know. There are actually people on this planet who would rather shoot a staple gun into their foot than listen to a soprano screech out a high C. It's just not their thing.

This used to really bother me. How could not everyone love opera? Who wouldn't want to hear the most pure and powerful sound a human voice can make? And what about the sheer beauty of the music, the swell of the orchestra, the pathos, the drama, the spectacle? It was hurtful to me to realize that one of the things I love the very most actually revolts some people. I used to think maybe those people just didn't understand opera, that they had to be educated. Perhaps they just hadn't heard it enough times, or heard the right piece, or the right singer.  If they did, they would get it. They would see the light.

You may feel that way about your business. You love what you do. You provide a great service, great value. You feel like you've created something beautiful that people will absolutely love, but when you put it out there, you realize not everybody does. They may even think what you do is silly or unnecessary. I know that feeling hurts, but don't let it get you down. The good news is there are other people in the world who will love what you do.

The thing about great brands is that they do not and should not appeal to everyone. If a brand is really strong it should actually repel some people. The goal of branding is not to attract and convert the whole world. Focusing on the whole world takes a lot of time, energy and money and the results are disappointing.  When you narrow your focus and have clarity with your brand, you attract the right people, those people who resonate with you, your services, your message and your style. Those are the folks who will become your biggest fans and you won't have to strong-arm them into liking you. You will draw them to your brand with your authenticity and excellence.

So you have a choice, you can stand on the street corner singing your little heart out hoping and praying  passersby will throw money into your tip jar OR you can refine your voice, clarify your niche and find just the right audience for your talents. When you do, you will find and grow a raving fan base. Not everyone is going to love your brand and what you do, and that's ok. You can still think they're crazy, just don't waste your time trying to convert the nay-sayers. You've got a show to do!

Filed Under: Finding your Niche Tagged With: , , , ,

“It’s a Beautiful Day”

September 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

"It's a Beautiful Day"I recently read an article about the rock singer Bono where he talked about the process of finding his voice. Initially, he tried playing guitar, but he did not excel with it. Then someone suggested he sing, but he didn't think he really had a voice and he struggled to know how to do it. However, he gave it a second try and something clicked. He found his voice.

It's hard to imagine a singer who has performed for millions and millions of people not thinking they have a voice and almost panning the idea of pursuing a career in music. However, I understand it because I've seen this phenomenon first hand. In music school we used to sing for each other every week performing the pieces we'd been working on or doing mock auditions for our studio. There would often be a young student who really struggled to sing well. One would wonder how they were ever going to make it as a singer. Lo and behold, a few months later their voice would start to bloom.

So what happened for Bono and my music school colleagues? Why were they able to find their voices? First of all, they stuck with it. When you are struggling with anything it's tempting to give up. You may feel because you failed at your first attempt it means you are not gifted enough to pursue your dream. However, it often just takes a little time and patience to see the results you want. You may already be doing everything right and you are simply in process.

The second thing they did was continue to explore. Bono first tried guitar and then singing. He had to figure out how to make it work. "I had tried before, but I had no voice at all. I remember the day I found I could sing. I said, 'Oh, that's how you do it." (Success Magazine) A lot of people think you can either sing or you can't, but that's not true. Singing is a process of learning to coordinate many internal processes. You have to explore the mechanisms of your body. What happens when I breathe this way? How does my tone change when I focus my sound towards my nose? As you explore, you get information about what works and what doesn't to get the results you want.

Finally, they got feedback. In Bono's case it was from his bandmates who told him he was a lousy guitarist. So he tried something else. In the case of the music students it was from their teacher and their studio mates. They were able to take that information and apply it to tweak their process, refine their instrument and ultimately, blow away their audience.

Whether you are singer or a business owner the same lessons apply. If you have a passion, a desire to share your gifts and be heard by an excited audience, you can't be let fear of failure stop you. You need to keep at your craft, keep learning and exploring and continue to get feedback from your mentors, peers and clients. There have been many stars who did not start out at the head of the pack, but because of their curiosity, their tenacity and their willingness to learn they ended up finding their voice and their success.  If you are willing to do the work, you can do it too.  When you do, like Bono says "It's a Beautiful Day." 

Filed Under: Finding Your Voice Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

What are you waiting for?

September 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

What are you waiting for?Have you ever wondered why some people are successful while others are not? What is it that separates the haves from the have nots? While some people toil away at unfulfilling jobs, linger in overweight bodies or struggle with difficult relationships, there are a select few who seem to sail through life. They write the great American novel, create wildly successful businesses or strut their rock hard abs. What is their secret? Successful people take action.

You may be saying, "Wait, that's the answer to the great big secret to success? That's too simple." Yes, it is simple, however, simple does not mean easy. Take for, for example, weight loss. Loosing weight is not rocket science. We all know to lose weight you have to eat fewer calories and expend more energy. Of course, there are different methods to this process, but it all pretty much boils down to calories and energy. So if it's so simple why are we not all walking around in super svelte bodies? It's because knowing something and DOING something are completely different. You must take ACTION to see results. You must get your ass to the gym!

If we know what to do, why are we not all racing out of our houses to get to aerobics class? Because it's hard and makes us uncomfortable. In order to be successful you are going to have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. You will have to do things you don't feel like doing. Many people think they will do something when they get properly motivated. They hire coaches or read inspirational books. And while those things are all great helps, YOU are still the one that has to do the work. But here's the good news. Once you START to take action, you DO start to feel like doing the work. You DO start to feel motivated.

Most people think the emotion will come and then they will take action. That's backwards thinking. When you start taking action you start to create a cascade of positive emotions that keep you motivated. You start to see progress and glimpses of your success which gives you even more energy to take more action. It's an upward spiral. 

Here are three tips to get you and keep you on PAR with success:

1. PREPARE-What do you need to do to set yourself up for success? Are there supplies you need? Do you need to put things on your calendar? Are there people you need to contact? When you know WHAT you need to do, it will be easier to get started.

2. ACT-What one thing can you do each day to move you closer to your goal? DO IT. Make a phone call, write your outline, buy some damn carrots! Do SOMETHING. Even doing one small thing will help you feel motivated to take the next step. All action is physical. Even if you think for a living, you still need to physically write down your thoughts. So get out of your brain and into your body.

3. REBOUND-If you try an action and it fails, GET UP AND TRY AGAIN. Imagine you were running an important race on a track with hundreds of spectators. Now imagine you tripped on your shoelace and fell flat on your face in front of all those people. What would you do? Would you just lay there? No, you would get up and finish the race and hopefully, you would have learned to tuck in your laces for the next race. The only way you really fail is if you stay down and let the world trample on you.

Stop waiting to feel ready to act. ACT like you are ready succeed and soon you will be the one winning the race.

Filed Under: Success Strategies Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Feel Good Branding

September 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Feel Good BrandingIf you've been reading this blog, then you are probably somewhat familiar with branding and some of its benefits. Good branding can create a loyal, excited following. It can increase your sales. It can differentiate you from your competition and establish you as an expert in your field. Wow, those are all fantastic benefits of branding!  However, I think the very best benefit of personal branding is not often talked about. It is the FEELING YOU GET from living and working from and with those parts of you which feel most authentic and exciting TO YOU.

If you are in business, you are in business to make money. If you were not doing business to make money, you would be dabbling in a hobby. So of course, when you think about branding you will focus on the financial benefits. You are not going to waste your time and marketing dollars on frivolous, touchy-feel-good gimmicks. However, what could be more valuable than your own happiness. I know it sounds pretty grandiose to talk about personal branding that way, but that's the way it is. When you are really in touch with what makes you tick, what you are good at, how you best express yourself in the world and when you can move through your life freely and enthusiastically working from those premises, you feel a deep satisfaction and joy. The kicker is feeling good and excited about how you work and express yourself can also be financially rewarding.  It's a win-win situation.

When you are joyful in your work other people respond to that energy. Have you ever met someone who seems to radiate good vibes? How does it make you feel to be around that person or interact with them? Great, right? There is a gas station near my gym that I love going to. The attendant there has such great energy. Rain, snow or shine he has a smile on his face, asks how I'm doing and gives great service. Do you think I drive out of my way to get my gas there?  You bet I do. It makes me FEEL good to buy my gas there. His energy is infectious.

When are clear about your personal brand and become comfortable projecting that brand into the marketplace, YOU become that infectious person others are drawn to.  However, the greatest gift is the way you feel about yourself and that, my friends, is priceless.

Filed Under: Authentic Branding Tagged With: , , , ,