Have you ever spoken with a prospect, only to have them sign up with a competitor the same day?
It could be because you are making this personal branding mistake.
There are many, many reasons they could have chosen to work with the other person, but maybe it could be as simple as ‘something didn’t feel quite right”. And they couldn’t put their finger on it…
Back in 2010, I heard of a strategy called ‘modelling’ (and it doesn’t have anything to do with someone strutting down a catwalk).
Modelling is where we witness the behaviour of someone we admire, and we model it.
It could be the style of the way someone puts their outfits together, a certain way of speaking or use of words, or it could be their mannerisms.
Modelling is a great tool to have in the belt to help us move through a situation which is challenging us to move forward.
For example, if you’re having trouble making a decision about a staff issue maybe you could ask yourself “What would Richard Branson do in this situation?” Or any other great leader who you admire.
Modelling a particular aspect of someone you respect and admire is an excellent strategy to divert attention from the negative thoughts which can keep you in a holding pattern, and enable you to make a decision to move forward.
Modelling can also be used to answer a myriad of other questions. Some examples are:
- What would Brené Brown say right now?
- Would Richard Branson accept this deal?
- How would Ivanka Trump dress for this occasion?
- What body language would Tony Robbins use to make his point?
Modelling is a great tool to not only make quick decisions, but also to improve things like content creation or presentation skills.
However, many people confuse modelling with copying.
Copying isn’t taking a certain aspect of a person. It’s pretending to BE that person, and there’s a very big difference.
When people try and wholly copy someone who they look up to, it never works and people feel a disconnect. Why? Because it’s not their authentic voice and people don’t feel a connection with that person. Instead, they intuitively know something just isn’t right – they may not be able to put their finger on it, but it just seems a bit ‘off’.
The distinction here is we need to acknowledge a few people who we admire for different reasons, and take one ASPECT to model from each and bring these aspects together in a way which still allows our authenticity to shine through.
I love the outfits Marie Forleo wears on Marie TV, and I love to model the classy way Marie presents herself to her tribe.
I admire Oprah Winfrey for the way she connects with people deeply, through her brilliant use of insightful questions.
I share alot of the beliefs around hustle and social media as Gary Vaynerchuk. I love his no bullshit attitude in saying what he really believes.
However, if I turned up to a speaking engagement in jeans and a hoodie, my tribe would be in shock and disbelief.
I don’t do Gary very well, but I do Sam really well.
When you’re not being authentically you and you’re copying someone else rather than modelling, your message isn’t being heard. What a waste of your message!
Embrace expressing your authentic self, and allow your prospects to get to know the real you.
Related Tags: Attract Clients Online | How To Grow My Coaching Business
