The Importance of Authentic Business

Let’s face it – your persona is the thing that dictates whether your business sells, or smells. How many times have you bought a widget, or a service, and been put off by a disinterested service person or salesperson who is most obviously resenting your presence and, is irritated that you would interrupt their crossword?

Or have you ever seen right through that service person’s ‘interest’ in your problem, realising that they’re really only ‘interested’ in your money?

Unfortunately, these things happen all too often. Why would a business owner or staff member behave like this?

• they don’t want to be there
• they’re overworked
• they hate the job
• the job is a ‘filler’ until something better comes up
• they are driven by money above all else.

You can see the pattern. The persona might need an attitude check in order to retain happy customers! 

The magic ingredients that create this switch are PASSION AND AUTHENTICITY. 
Passion is loving what you do; living and breathing it; knowing it inside out. Authenticity encompasses truthfulness (honesty), sincerity and openness. Genuine passion for your business gives you authenticity by default – it’s obvious that you believe in what you’re doing and it’s value. 

An authentic business persona offers great benefits for your customers.  They will: 

• be drawn to your passion 
• tell others about your knowledge and enthusiasm
• feel that you’re genuinely interested in them
• feel that you understand their need/problem 
• trust you – therefore be more likely to buy from you
• feel that your value and ethics match theirs. 

In other words, an authentic persona becomes a client-magnet. There are also clear links to Martin Seligman’s five elements of well being (PERMA): 

• Positive emotion
• Engagement
• Positive relationships
• Meaning
• Accomplishment

Your passion drives inspiration and aspiration. You are a role-model; a living, breathing advocate of your craft. Your skill, confidence and belief in your product is real – tangible. You love helping people and building relationships with people who share your beliefs and convictions. Clients trust your genuine passion. Trust builds rapport. 

Your meaning and values are loud and clear – right there on your face and the face of your business.

The Importance of Being Earnest is about being the person you want to attract, then engaging those you attract in a way that is mutually meaningful and ‘profitable’.