Years ago, Chris Rock did a joke regarding dating. He basically said when you meet someone for the first time you're not meeting them, you're meeting their representative. They're presenting the person they think you want to see.
I remember the first time I interviewed for a corporate position. I was in high school and it was for a summer internship. My mom and I went all over town looking for the perfect navy blue suit, medium heeled navy blue pumps, and a button up blouse.
I even got a leather padfolio to hold a legal pad and calculator. I was seriously ready for my interview. However, I felt extremely awkward, but this was how things were done. Right?
If I had known then what I know now, I would have have been okay with the fact that a business suit wasn't my thing. It's like playing dress up, but definitely doesn't speak to my personality or image.
A suit makes me feel like I'm being a fake professional. I'm not saying anyone who wears a suit is faking it, I'm saying when I wear a suite that's how it makes me feel. I'm much more professional in dressy casual attire with a pair of high heel boots.
I'm most comfortable when I'm my authentic self. This same concept applies to your website.
The way you approach your web projects is completely different when you embrace your authentic self and what you like as opposed to what you've been told. There's a difference between getting advice and being told what to do.
Are you allowing the gurus to tell you what to do with YOUR website?
Does your website look like it belongs to a corporate lawyer as opposed to a fitness expert?
Do you have fire red as your main color because someone said it will really grab visitors attention? But you are a mellow personality and fire red is completely opposite from your authentic self.
When there's a disconnect between who you are and your website, your visitors will feel that as well. It will come off in your blog posts because your voice and webstyle don't match.
Your website is an extension of you, just like the clothes you wear. If you're not real everyone will see straight through you.
When selecting colors, style, and images for your header choose based on what appeals to YOU, not the masses. YOUR AUDIENCE LOVES YOU, not your representative!
Great Stuff… ~ If you’re not real everyone will see straight through you. ~ Exactly… I appreciate this, I actually needed to hear this today… Keep up the great work..
My pleasure! Thanks so, so much Roderick:) Amazing how information comes right when you need it.
I've been battling with this since I started writing for my site – thank you for confirming that it's OK to be me!
My pleasure:)
Great post and so on target for so many areas of life!
Thanks Tom!
Very nice article Tiffany. When we are not true to ourselves we can not be true to our business.
Thanks Debra! Amazing:) If we get us right everything else falls into place.
Ooooo….Tiffany I loved this! I completely identify with you. I even had a navy blue suit but I feel much better when I'm not stuffed into a jacket that makes me feel confined! Thanks for encouraging us to be authentic in every aspect of life and business!
Thanks Mandy, I’m so glad you loved it! I haven’t had a navy blue suit since:) When we can be ourselves we draw those ideal clients automatically. They’re coming because of who we are not just because of what we do.
Tiffany, this was sooo helpful. I like the correlation you made between being your authentic self in life and in your web presence. I had this problem! Doing what everyone said was the best way to attract visitors but got lost in trying to be somebody I wasnt. I finally went with what I felt represented me using tips from the experts to enhance and monetize. This is great stuff. Thank you lady!
Thanks so much LaTalya! I love that no one else can beat us at being ourselves so we don’t have to worry about doing what everyone says is the “right” way.
Tiffany, I absolutely felt that at times in my interviews so I would just wear a buttone blouse or top and some slacks and comfortable heals and my personality does flow better. Maybe thats probably why I never got the jobs when I wore the full business suite and was so nervous it pratically made me feel like I was in court….lol Thank you for your post look forward to more of these…and I like how you bridge it with how we dress up our websites to be you and it will flow through your sites!
Thanks so much Ruth! You made me LOL with the part about court, so true! It’s funny how completely strangers can see straight through us. They may not understand it, but the awkwardness definitely shows.
Tiffany, you really speak from the heart and I love how we can do business from the heart… you provide a great illustration, about meeting a person's "representative" – so true… hopefully more and more of us can model a different way to do business, working from the heart!
Thanks so much Susan! I’d love to see everyone doing that.
Tiffany,
It is interesting how that idea if being authentic comes through even by the colors you choose and the layout you design. Thanks for your insight.
Yes, it speaks volumes.