Finding the words to describe what you do can be a huge challenge.
Do you launch into an Elevator Pitch, and risk sounding like you’ve been practicing in front of the mirror?
Or give yourself a quirky title like Chief Happiness Engineer or Facilitator of Brain Greatness?
If you’re a coach or wellness practitioner who’s been doing your thing for a while, I can guarantee the words are there. YOUR WORDS.
They don’t have to be unique, but they do need to be specific enough to communicate value.
They don’t have to be clever, but they do need to be intentionally chosen so that your people pay attention.
They don’t need to be hypey (please, don’t) but they do need to invite action.
What most people do is fill in the formulas…
“I help [PEOPLE] get/have/do/be [GOAL] with/without [ADDED BENEFIT.]”
…without really understanding who they serve (specifically), what’s top of mind for them (really), where they want to get to, and how they help them get there.
If your words lack HEART and INTENTION, they’ll be flat and vague.
When I work with people on messaging, many of them tell a story like, “I don’t know how to say what I do in a way that gets people to book me.”
While the first words out of their mouths sound a lot like everyone else (vague and samey) it doesn’t take long to pull those words out of them.
Because once you start expressing your passion, your words come alive.
And once you have clarity about who you want to reach and what you’re doing, your words carry intention.
Quick story:
Once I was on a 17 hour flight in the middle seat (nightmare, right?) sitting next to a guy who turned out to be a visionary in the environmental tech industry.
I could identify his messaging challenge right away (because that’s what I do.) He was a fast thinker, processing advanced information, without the desire or ability to slow down long enough to explain so that everyone else could get on board.
“You need a translator,” I said. “Someone who gets what you do enough to translate it into real-people speak.”
“You’re right,” he said. “When can you start?”
In that moment, I realized that I’m a TRANSLATOR.
I quickly get the sense of what you’re up to, even when I lack experience in your field, and can connect through the aliveness of your words and translate them into a message your people will understand.
Now, you might not be dealing with high-tech information, but it’s easy to get stuck in your own head when it comes to your genius and what you do. It’s common to downplay our biggest gifts, our true superpowers that seem miraculous to others, simply because they’re so obvious to us.
If you’re challenged describing what you do, your message is already within. Here’s how you can tease it out.
TELL YOUR SOUL STORY
Tell the story of your transformational journey, your gifts and the dark sides of them. What you’re proud of and what you keep hidden.
Chances are good that your story mirrors that of your ideal client, and telling it creates an instant connection.
What struggles have you overcome? What have you learned that you share with clients?
What is it about the way you see the world that makes you so good at what you do?
FIND YOUR “ALIVE” WORDS
There will be certain words that come alive when you say them.
Typically, they represent your greatest values. They’re often simple nouns like “truth,” “love” or “beauty.”
When you say them, they carry that energy of aliveness, and anything you write or speak with them becomes MORE.
Listen for and capture these words. Then let them inspire your messaging.
One of my client-playmates uses the word “grace,” not in the doing-it-perfectly sense, but in the accepting-it-all with grace sense. She embodies these qualities, and the word is alive for her.
In another recent conversation, my companion used the word “evolution” repeatedly. It was the perfect language to describe his talent for seeing the trends ahead of the curve.
FEEL IT WHEN YOU SPEAK OR WRITE
The moment you pick up a pen or sit down at a computer to write, those stories about not being a good writer or not knowing what to say can come rushing in.
Or you might communicate from your intellect, strategizing and writing copy to “sell” and “market.”
It can help to get yourself in state and write from the FEELING of what inspires you and makes you come alive.
When you write from aliveness, your words will carry it.
Forget about the strategies and formulas, and let the feeling carry you. Then you can go back and edit yourself later.
HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH A CURIOUS FRIEND
If you don’t have a message magician (like me) at your disposal, you can do this in conversation with a friend. It’s tough getting to the juicy stuff in writing alone; the back and forth of another person asking curious questions draws it out much faster.
Drawing out and articulating your soul language expression of your purpose, mission and gifts is one of my very favorite things to do. If you’d like my help crafting a message to attract your soulmate clients, I have a six-week beta program for experienced coaches, wellness practitioners and healers to attract 3-5 client leads per week with transformational content, sharing your soul story, and “unmarketing” that’s easy and fun.
You’ll also need to enjoy writing and/or speaking and sharing your expertise, and already be getting results for your clients. It’s currently priced in the low four-figures. Contact me and we’ll have a chat to see if you’re a match. 🙂
Yours in creative play,
Steph
