Marketers and business owners need charisma magic sauce. Charisma is the ability to attract people to your business. It's getting people to listen to you and take your advice… follow your lead.
When that happens, your business grows. Your customers are loyal and become your most dedicated influencers.
Martin Luther King, Jr. could inspire. He was also passionate about changing things. But King couldn't do it alone. He knew that making a social change would take thousands of average Americans … a movement.
1963 was pre-internet. The civil rights movement didn't have the funds to send out thousands of invitations to hear Dr. King speak. But people came and kept coming. A quarter of a million people gathered in Washington DC to listen to him talk.
"I have a dream."
His words ignited a movement that changed America.
People knew things needed to change. But it was Dr. King who inspired the country to change for the good of everyone. King shared his personal "why." His dream was the secret sauce that attracted people like a magnet.
They wanted to listen to him and follow him because he spoke to something in them.
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Charisma has always fascinated me, so I've studied it. It works for businesses like Apple, Disney, and the Wright brothers.
It's not exclusive to dreamers like Dr. King or professional lecturers like Bo Eason, Brenè Brown, or Oprah Winfrey. And you don't have to be born with it.
I never thought of myself as charismatic, even though I've led groups successfully. So I studied to learn how it worked.
It's something you can learn and use to improve your own life and that of the people around you.
That's the fascinating thing about charisma. It's discovering your why and using the right skill sets.
Charisma isn't something most people are born with. Instead, it's developed using listening, engaging, supporting, and leading skills. And each of us has our own unique version of charisma.
In her book The Charisma Code, Robin Sol Lieberman teaches us how to connect with anyone anywhere using these charisma tools.
Then when we share our "why," people connect with us. We touch something that resonates with them. They want to be a part of our "why," our dream, our vision, and support it.
Robin breaks building your charisma into a three-step process. First, discover your confidence by knowing your value. Simon Sinek (author of Start With Why) would call this finding your "why."
Next, create magnetism by showing your value - giving. Robin and Sinek both share that when you share your why, you attract people who share your vision.
Then you build connections by seeing others' value. When we appreciate and let others know, it takes the magnetic attraction and converts it into engagement or a relationship.
Three components put your charisma magic sauce to work. First, you start by focusing on your audience and clarifying who they are. Then you need to share value with them. And most importantly, you need to be genuine and authentic—sincere.
When you know your why you should also know your ideal audience. If it's not crystal clear, do a deep dive and get to know them as well as you know a sibling.
Create your audience a persona that is clear and detailed. These are going to be your best customers. So, create an audience that you like and want to engage.
With their demographics and psychographics, you'll be able to write to them in a way that helps you engage with them.
As humans, we are hard-wired to want to belong, to be part of something. So you'll get a positive response when you share your why with a group that shares your vision or beliefs. They want to be a part of what you are doing and support you.
For example, some businesses promote that they sell only planet-friendly products. Or perhaps they believe in a give-back program tied to purchases.
Maybe you offer a better sleep guide to assist those millions who have trouble sleeping. Perhaps you share a new home buyer's guide for first-time buyers. There are many different ways to share value with your audience. Tie what you are sharing back into your why for continuity.
If you have a membership or subscription program, tie your value into supporting this.
I'm a big fan of Brian Kurtz's techniques on Overdeliver. Give more than your prospect or customer expects. It makes them more receptive because of the imbalance it creates. When someone gives us something, we want to reciprocate.
The classic example is a neighbor brings you fruit from their garden or holiday treats— we want to reciprocate. It's another of our innate things. We don't want to feel indebted. So we respond by doing something for the giver.
For your charisma sauce to work, you must be sincere. If you aren't being authentic, it will come through.
In today's world, you can't hide. If you say one thing and do another, word gets around—fast.
Take the case of a women-owned job help network. The business touted they were by women for women, supporting women.
But then they sent an email to a large group of employees telling them they were let go. Fired. They could no longer log in to work portals.
One of the distressed recipients put a post up on LinkedIn. A co-worker confirmed she'd gotten the same email. Comments were thick and fast in support of the workers. And there were lots of negative comments about the company. It was a poorly handled situation that impacted that company's reputation.
Sometimes it's challenging to get your charisma sauce's components blended just right. Like with cooking, it takes some work and adjusting for the flavors to be the perfect blend.
I help clients do that. I help them get their "why," vision, and the perfect seasoning mix to score the sauce blend a 10.
Judith is a copywriter and consultant for wellness brands. She helps you improve your clients' lives. You can reach her at: [email protected].
You might also enjoy this article on Creating Audience Personas.
Or this article on using charisma with a Brand Personality.
Watch Simon Sinek's TED talk about leadership "why."
The Charisma Code by Robin Sol Lieberman is available in multiple formats on Amazon and other stores.
Judith Culp Pearson receives three top honors
at the annual Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals in
Ft. Worth, Texas - October 7-9, 2023
