Reflections on Authenticity for your Business, Site and Marketing

I see the words authentic and authenticity bandied around a lot these days, it seems that being heart centered and authentic are the new catch phrases of marketing as they world demands more trustworthiness and more truth from its marketers online and off. However, is everyone who is using the terminology really being authentic or even truthful?

Sorry to say, no. But I really believe you already knew that, didn’t you?

Authenticity and heart centeredness is all about being self aware, it is knowing where you stand and then “standing in the truth of who you are and speaking from the heart.” I have been asked if it is possible to do that and still market your business. My answer, “Yes! Yes! and Yes!” If you are not, then what are you marketing? If you are marketing dreams and not fulfilling them I must ask you, where are your ethics?

Authenticity demands ethics, morality and truth on every level and if this is not how your are marketing, if you are using hype and scams to market, I also must ask are you passionate about your business, product or service. When you are passionate about your business, when you know that you have something of value to offer you will never need to sell it, or advertise is in inauthentic ways!

That is why we at The Zen Bull prefer to work with people who love what they do, are passionate about what they are offering to the world, because that passion – their own authenticity will shine through everything we and they do to market their product. They and we know that they have something valuable enough to recommend highly, something of value to others that will sell itself with a few honest and authentic recommendations.

During our interviews with our clients we ask a question of them. “What would you like others to know about you and your business?” The answers to this seemingly simple question are varied, however what we are looking for is for the passion to show in the words used about the clients product or service, if they are not there the next question is, “So why are you in this business?”

Is it just a good idea? Is it something another person has made money doing? Is it a so-called entrepreneurial venture? I have to let you in on a secret – if it is not an entrepreneurial ADventure there is more than likely not enough passion to sustain it going forward through the first 12 to 18 months.

Being authentic means you have not only sold yourself on the vision and mission of your business you can sell us on it too and then that passion, that authentic vision and mission permeates your marketing and your market without even trying. You don’t have to sell a thing, that authenticity shines through with such brightness that the whole world sees your business in a spotlight and is instantly attracted to your vision and mission because they can see ‘what’s in it for them.’ You have answered some question they have – you have the answer to their need, it is clear to see and being authentic is how you attract the right people to you.

Every marketing quest is about finding qualified purchasers, authenticity (real authenticity) shines from you, your business, your website and your marketing because it is congruent with your vision and mission – your purpose and with you. Qualified purchasers are found through that path and they are the ones who will take that authenticity out into the world for you as word of mouth (the holy grail of marketing) in their testimonials – they got exactly what they purchased and more from you. In other words they bought your dream, and your authenticity is what sold them on it – and if you think you can fake that, I cannot help you.

Please, be truly authentic about your business, market with integrity in truthful and congruent ways and word of you will spread far and wide, and marketing will become the smallest part of your business budget.

TheZenBull.com

© 2009, AnnieInfinite. All rights reserved.

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