By Martin Booth, below, founder, LeBooMedia
Congratulations to Maro Itoje, who was recently named as captain of the British and Irish Lions squad that heads shortly to Australia. The powerhouse England forward will lead a party that is odds-on to win a series outright since the last time the Lions headed to the land Down Under 12 years ago.
But I’d like to congratulate Maro for something else.
When I received a recent notification that he had joined LinkedIn – still the best place to showcase your thoughts and your business – I was underwhelmed. I presumed he’d introduce himself with a post sanitised to within an inch of its life that carried none of his personality and style.
Instead, we got a video, less than 30 seconds long, of Maro speaking directly to the camera and discussing the types of subjects he’d be posting about on the platform.
It was simple, refreshing and, above all… completely authentic.
Why Authenticity Matters
I know it has been said before, but it is worth re-stating: People buy from people. At the heart of all business decisions, no matter how big or small, is an emotional connection between buyer and seller. You are far more likely to make a sale if your customer knows, likes and trusts you.
And it is far harder to make that subtle, yet crucial, connection if you do not speak to your market place with humanity and authenticity. Nevertheless, many business owners feel they have to adopt an inauthentic manner of speech in their online and offline marketing materials.
All too often, companies adopt a more formal and self-consciously “official” tone when trying to make a positive impact on their audience. You wouldn’t do that if you were speaking to someone face to face.
I know it’s not uncommon for people to adopt a particular tone, and act in a certain way, when talking at an exhibition or across a shop counter. But at heart, when you look a potential buyer in the eye, they get a clear impression of who you really are – and base their decision on that impression.
It should be the same when you speak through an online medium. Your words should be an expression of your personality and character, not a perceived notion of how you should behave.
Authenticity = an absence of fear
Sometimes, we can be racked with insecurity around our business, our service and around ourselves. Imposter syndrome is unbelievably common among business owners, especially in the early days when you are trying to scale up your customer base.
Being yourself can be daunting if you are haunted by the question: Am I enough?
The most authentic communications cut through that fear. It’s about not being afraid to be what you are, and not trying to be something you are not. It can take courage to admit things are not great, to lift the bonnet and show that everything is not perfect with you.
But your audience will respond positively to the bravery implicit in that revelation of your vulnerability. On LinkedIn, for instance, posts that make a personal connection attract a far greater degree of interaction than more business-focused content.
You can get by with AI – but…
Which brings us to the thorny subject of artificial intelligence, and its role in the creation of marketing materials.
You can get by with AI. Even the most old-school dinosaurs among us now accept that AI is here to say. There are engines out there that can deliver words to fill your website and your blogs.
You can’t blame any owner of a small business who opts to cut a financial corner and goes for the cheap option of bashing out content in this way. However, I firmly believe that there is still a need to communicate with humanity, humour and nuance. Well I would, wouldn’t I?
There is a debate going on about the fact that AI can now create, or recreate, songs by famous artists without the initial writer receiving any credit. Sir Elton John waded into the argument recently with typical waspishness. During a quite magnificent rant, he insisted: “A machine isn’t capable of writing anything with any soul.”
He could not have been more right. I’m sure there are AI experts who insist that the day will come when those qualities can be created artificially.
But that day is not here yet. And until it is, there will still be a need for expert content creators who can deliver words on a different level, that cut through the noise and make that all-important emotional connection.
As Maro illustrated, a simple and short video to camera can make that instant connection. With the right assistance to hand, there can be just as much power in written words.
Words with impact, with eloquence and, above all, with authenticity.
- Martin Booth is the founder and owner of LeBoo Media, a copywriting and communications consultancy. Contact him at [email protected] to find out how his words can make a difference to your business.
- Maro Itoje picture – LinkedIn