5 Keys for Being More Authentic in Business - Darnyelle A. Jervey

5 Keys for Being Authentic in Business

When you're a new entrepreneur, it is easy to see others doing what you desire to do and decide that the best thing to do is copy them. I do not recommend that because the grass is seldom greener on the other side. If we just learn how to consistently water our own grass, we will soon have grass that is just as green. The same holds true in business. Instead of trying to be like your competition, get MAD - make authentic decisions about the way you will operate your business.

I recommend that you take some time to "Inspect the Incredible," or complete a self-assessment, business plan review and strategic outline of your business goals and assess why you started your business, what makes you different.

Your Incredible Factor (your secret sauce, signature business move, unique selling proposition and hot undeniable gift all rolled up into a yummy client magnetic package) is the first clue that will enable you to serve your ideal clients despite what's happening on the other side.

To grow your business in true authenticity, I recommend the following tips and you should complete this process every 90 days in your business to ensure that you are always being authentic to your purpose, gifting, goals and objectives and ideally your customers.

1. Clarify the reason why you started your business. Your "why" is not about you; it should be about those who will benefit from your gift. If, when you ask yourself why you are in business you say, "to make money;" "to increase my lifestyle," or "to show my naysayers that I could do it," you've missed the point and should get a job as you will never achieve your goals when you are selfish-minded and narrow-focused.
2. Ensure that your gifting is completely innate in you. As an entrepreneur, you will trade working 8 hours a day for someone else for working 24 hours a day for yourself, so be sure that your gift is innate and you could do it all the time, without break because you will have to.
3. Surround yourself with people who support and edify you. It will get tough and having the right circle of influence will make the difference. You should evaluate your circle as often as needed to make sure you always have the right mix directly next to you and your goals. Don't be afraid to let friends go. Everyone is not for every season and you have lives to change and it's very challenging with lots of dead weight.
4. Set authentic goals. You want to be sure that your goals resonate with you on the deepest level- in your core. Set goals you can't wait to achieve, illustrating a desire to do whatever it takes to make them happen. Ensure that the goals you set for yourself and your business correspond to a problem that needs to be solved in the marketplace. It should be a problem you can solve easily and effortlessly because the solution is innate in you. This, my friend is authentic business at its best.
5. Establish a vision statement, a mission statement, a brand statement and a power statement you can share openly, easily and effortlessly as needed. This will ensure that others understand the value you offer to the marketplace through your authenticity.

Before you can get to the profits and loss of doing business, you should be clear that the business you endeavor to offer to the marketplace not only resonates with you on the deepest levels but it authentically solves a problem. If you solve a problem with your gifts and talents, your business will profit - not only you, but those you serve.

Want to reprint the article? Sure, just be sure to include the following:

©2011 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of IncredibleOneEnterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio CD "How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients" visit

http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com.

You Only Get 30 Seconds, is Your Incredible Factor Ready? - Darnyelle A. Jervey

Well, actually a recent study showed that you actually only get 4.2 seconds to illustrate your competence in a networking situation. Or, if you are on twitter for business, you only get 140 characters. The person with whom you desire to network will look you up and down and based on your appearance or if your starting the dialogue online the appearance of your website, blog, profile on social media, etc, they will determine if they are interested in learning more or if they are ready to turn and walk away or click off your website, etc. In fact studies show that your influencing power during that first exchange is viewed like this: 55% is based on your appearance (live or virtual) – what you are wearing, how it looks, your hair, nails, shoes, etc or the appearance of your website, colors, copy content, etc; 38% is based on the tone of your voice and your non-verbal behavior – are you hunched over, arms crossed, frowning, etc or video on your home page, etc and 7% is based on the actual words that proceed out of your mouth. Although the 7% may seem like it is slim to none, it is extremely important that you tame the tongue and develop a positive message to share with the people with whom you will interact. Your business success depends on it.

So, how exactly will you spend your thirty seconds? I’ve got a suggestion that will help you to ensure that the time that you speak about the Incredible Factor in your business is time that leads to results and people wanting to know more about how they can spend time in your space.

1. “I work with…” (insert your well developed client profile). Your client profile should be in a well defined niche so that people can immediately determine if they or someone they know falls into the group of people with whom you work and solve the problems of.
2. “Who struggle with…” (here, insert the problem that they are at the point of paying for a solution to) It’s important to get crystal clear on the problem that your Incredible Factor solves in the marketplace. Without it, no one is going to take action and desire to work with you.
3. “And want to…” (here, put the results that you help your ideal clients achieve over and over again. These results should be illustrated via testimonials on your website or verbal examples if asked.)
4. “I’m different from other ______ because I…” (list your direct competitors here based on your industry and explain your HUG (Hot Undeniable Gift) also known as your USP – Unique Selling Proposition)
5. “In working with me, my clients receive…” (here list one of the 4 key motivators that your Incredible Factor offers your clients – make more money, save more money, save time, reduce effort)
6. “Is there any reason why you wouldn’t like to learn more?” Close the introduction with a question to determine if they or someone they know needs your Incredible Factor to solve a problem for them right now.

If you are dressed appropriately, accessorized accordingly, are smiling and exuding positive energy as you work the room, not the refreshment table, and when asked that magic question, “So, _____, what do you do?” you respond as I’ve indicated above, you will begin to attract more of your ideal clients and be offered an opportunity to learn more about them while you show them how you can solve the problem that they are ready, willing and able to pay for a solution to right now.

It’s incredible isn’t it?

©2010 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises, LLC and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System ® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio CD "How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Quantum Leap in Business" visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com.