306 – What is Your Brand Story? How to Talk about your Small Business with Confidence with Dr. Michelle Mazur

Do you struggle with how to talk about your small business? If so, you're not alone. This is something many people struggle with. So today, let's discuss how to tell your brand story with confidence. Dr. Michelle works with brilliant business owners who are shaking things up but having trouble talking about it. She combines the tools of successful social movements with the qualitative research skills she earned in her Communications Ph.D., to help them craft their powerful, captivating message. Author of the 3 Word Rebellion, host of the Rebel Uprising podcast, and featured in Fast Company, Entrepreneur and Inc., Dr. Michelle knows that speaking about what you do in a clear and captivating way is the key to reaching the people you can help the most AND making more money in your business. This is part 2 of our Self-Confidence mini-series: Part 1 - Makeup Talk to Show Up as Your Best Beautiful Confident Self Part 2 - What is Your Brand Story? How to Talk about your Small Business with Confidence <-- YOU ARE HERE BUSINESS BUILDING INSIGHTS Understand that when you own a business, it means you're a salesperson. Don't be afraid to sell - instead, learn how to do it in a way that aligns with your values. If you know what your customer's problem is and the solution you have that solves it makes selling easier and more comfortable. Be honest and truthful when you give information to people. Avoid manipulating and making people fear that they’re missing out on something. Be of service to your customers so they can make a purchasing decision versus shutting down their critical thinking ability. Help people process your message rather than buying out of fear. You don't have to use the hard-sell marketing tactics you see online. Despite what 'bro-marketers' say, that is not the only or even the best way to sell. Tune in to the full episode to catch the full conversation about selling your one-of-a-kind or limited inventory items!  How To Tell Your Brand Story Tap into the excitement of creating whatever it is you create. Talk about your work, how it was created, or how they can use it from that place of excitement. If you're excited about your thing, the person you're talking to is will be excited, too. Knowing what to say in order to sell comes along with knowing your message and how you describe your product. Think about your audience or potential client - Why would they be interested in purchasing your thing? How could use it in their life? - and speak to that need. Make the conversation more about them than about you. Capture your client's language and how they talk about your product. When someone is looking at your product, ask them what they like about it.  <-- Pro tip! Create a love file of positive reviews and nice emails you get from people about your products. Go into your love file to remind yourself your work has value.  It has meaning. It touches people's lives. It makes their life better in some way. Prepare a statement that is short, conversational, and curiosity-provoking so you know what to say when someone asks what you do.  It