Clarify your unique strengths for your authentic business
You have a rare combination of strengths that will help you in business. What are they? Look at the list of possibilities below — find a unique combination that offers you an advantage.
Also be honest about your weaknesses. List them out, and minimize your need to use those traits. It will save you time and angst! And it’ll free up the energy to focus on your strengths.
The point is not to have “more” strengths… but rather, to know what is your specific combination and then to lean into it — to spend more time and energy on making that alchemy more potent.
List of traits that could be strengths or weaknesses:
- If you’re often told that you’re attractive, you obviously would have an advantage if you post selfies or make talking head videos. No judgment either way… other than the fact that your audience will naturally judge since they’re human! Some of us — like me — who don’t have this natural advantage, will buck the trend and force our way onto video anyway ;-) and eventually, our true fans don’t mind, but it takes a long time of audience nurturing. Really, the reason I do so much on video is because I teach content creation. So you could say that my strategic advantage is that I sell what I do… video being one of those regular actions. I’m not saying you shouldn’t make videos if you’re not gorgeous but just know that it’ll take you much longer to grow a fanbase than a model 🤩
- Got a pleasant voice? This can help with video too, actually. I’ve been told by people that my voice is quite nice, so I’ve got that going for me. Podcasting would be a natural here as well, which is why years into my business I finally started one.
- Got more time than most of your peers? That means you get to experiment more with content, offers, netcaring and collaborations. The more experiments, the more you learn how to do it well, and to do it your way!
- Got more ability to spend money on paid ads? That means you’ll have an easier time building an audience that way. Use it! If interested, I teach several related courses: Facebook Ads Course, LinkedIn Ads Course, YouTube Mastery (including simple ads).
- Got more tech savviness than the average person? That means you can experiment with more techy ways of growing an audience such as SEO or Google Ads, versus the person who finds tech difficult (who should instead lean in on more humanistic marketing such as social media and netcaring.) Your tech savviness allows you to apply more automation to your online activities, saving you time!
- Do you like spreadsheets? That means you’ll have an easier time organizing info. You can have the advantage of being a curator of lots of information.
- Live in a place with beautiful surroundings? Lucky you. Video and pictures will be to your advantage.
- Love to write? You’re blessed! By contrast — I hated writing most of my life. Still to this day, I have resistance to doing it. If I didn’t teach content creation, I doubt I’d be doing so much writing.
- Are you a good teacher? Great! You will do well with creating online courses and group programs.
- Have cute animals that are willing to be on camera with you? I wish my fur-kids weren’t so resistant to being on camera! 😼🐶
- Got a network of influential people? You’re so fortunate! Focus on netcaring with them and seeking their support in promoting your content and offers.
- Got graphic design skills? Cool! You will have an easier time with your website, Instagram (and social media in general) and video thumbnails. I don’t have such skills so I keep my designs stupidly simple 😆 Not my advantage but that’s ok, I use other strengths.
- Naturally funny? Rock it in your content!
- Naturally charismatic and motivational? Content is great for you. And you’ll also have an easier time selling stuff!
- Got a unique quirky or unusual style or energy that comes across in writing (or on video)? It makes your content stand out, so lean into it :)
- Are you good at conversation? Do more market discovery calls with your audience and netcaring with colleagues.
- Good at copywriting? I’m barely average at it — but I can instantly tell what’s good when I see it. If you’re good at copywriting, which is salesmanship-in-writing, then you’ll have a much easier time selling things in writing.
Some of the above strengths can be developed, of course… but if you begin with an advantage, you progress much faster with it.
That’s why everyone should focus on their rare combination of gifts and minimize using their weaknesses.
Additional gifts you might have…
- Lower cost of living
- Younger (more years to experiment!)
- “Older” (let your wisdom lines shine!)
- Certification(s) that your audience knows & cares about
- Non-American accent (sounds more interesting and credible, less boring!)
- Less requirement for business income, therefore, being at peace with a more gradual pace of growing your business!
- Languages which allow you to reach other audiences.
- Gender, race, and other personal characteristics — find audiences who would naturally appreciate those traits!
- Multiple interests that you can combine into a rare but interesting offering
- Multiple aspects of your history / background / trauma / life experiences — that you can combine into a uniquely strong offering.
What else did I miss?
Comment below.
The saying goes: Don’t be the best, be the ONLY.
(Trying to be the best is exhausting. Instead, when you find your unique combination of strengths and lean into it, you come alive!)
The less advantages you have, the more you must lean into the few that you do have. And we all have some!
The more advantages you have, the more opportunity you have to help those who are less advantaged.
Feel free to comment below with what you think your unique combination of gifts might be…
And perhaps tag a friend or supportive colleague: tell them what you perceive their strengths to be. It might really encourage them 🤗
