46 - “Be Authentic” Can Be Bad Advice: The Truth About Authenticity & Marketing
The word “authentic” is tossed around a lot. But what does it really mean? Listen in as I share the truth about authenticity and how to create a marketing strategy that suits your authentic expression right now and works.
“Your online persona is your image, not your being.”
– Rachel Bell
In this episode, I will share why the simple advice to just “be authentic” is always a losing battle. You’ll listen in as I break down the definition of authenticity, why NO ONE can tell you what is or isn’t authentic, and how you can approach your journey towards authenticity with confidence– and you’ll hear the Personal Manifesto I live by and learn how to create your own. We’ll also talk about authentic marketing and how to create an authentic online persona so you can get that payday in a way that’s wildly effective and feels good.
Here’s a glance at what you’ll learn from me in this episode:
Why trying to “be authentic” will always be a losing battle.
What it means to be authentic and why authenticity is ever-evolving.
The intersection where your authenticity lies and how to attract the right people.
How to create a Personal Manifesto and the traits and values I live by.
How to bring authenticity to your marketing in a way that feels right.
Why you should stop judging strategies (and how to think about them differently…).
How to create an authentic online brand persona.
Show Notes
00:40 – Introducing today’s episode: Authenticity & Marketing.
03:20 – “Authenticity” is a buzzword.
04:40 – Every day you’re a different person; you can’t fully portray your essence.
05:10 – People commend your image, not your being, online; remember that.
05:50 – Trying to always be authentic will paralyze you.
06:45 – Your authentic journey can’t be defined by anyone else; it’s about you.
07:40 – Your “authenticity” can evolve and grow; and you can never fully arrive.
08:10 – What does “authentic” really mean for you?
09:15 – The definition of “authenticity” for this conversation: Representing one’s true nature or beliefs; true to one’s self or to the person identified
10:50 – Control tactics in life and online: Manipulation and influence exist, primarily in the form of guilt, shame, and fear, and it can be overt or subtle.
12:10 – No one can tell you what is or isn’t authentic; that’s your journey.
13:35 – We are all inauthentic and deeply authentic at the same time.
14:30 – Your authenticity is the intersection of your beliefs/values and your actions/behaviors – put it out there to attract people you want to attract.
17:40 – Perfectionism is a mask for a deep level of insecurity; prioritize alignment and discern what it is for you.
19:00 – The personal manifesto:
19:30 – We are all the masters of our fate and captains of our soul.
19:55 – Read your manifesto every day as a reminder and as a way to guide your decisions and direction.
20:15 – You deserve to be free and not be chained by other people’s judgement; you are a sovereign being.
22:25 – I share my manifesto, my ten character traits, and my four core values.
29:50 – What are you going to be proud of on your deathbed; what values will you have wanted to embody?
31:08 – Authenticity in your marketing:
32:05 – The mosquito example.
32:45 – Look into “Spiral Dynamics” and see where you sit.
36:00 – Sometimes marketing strategies won’t feel authentic; sometimes you’ll grow into strategies that didn’t feel authentic before.
36:50 – Learn the why and how of strategies first, before you make the judgement.
37:50 – My best advice:
37:55 – Allow yourself to flip-flop between structure and flow, control and creativity, discipline and impulse, knowing both sides are necessary.
38:30 – Every step is a necessary milestone; you’ll get stuck when you make principles/strategies “wrong”.
39:15 – Transcend and include things in your journey, even if you grow away from things; sometimes strategies work when you have others foundationally.
39:50 – Every step is necessary.
40:10 – Authentic online personas:
40:30 – Study branding and brand archetypes; start here.
“Your authenticity is the intersection of your beliefs/values and your actions/behaviors.”
– Rachel Bell
Exercise
Go here to discover what brand archetypes might suit your authentic expression right now.
