The Authenticity Project
I got lost down a social media rabbit hole last week. Laughing and cringing at photos of my teenaged-self figuring out her place in the world personally and professionally. Those awkward years of trying to be liked, be funnier, be smarter, be… more.
And yet, as I can now look back and laugh at the naivety, I realised I found those tendencies in recent years flooding their way into my fledgling business. I wanted ED Creative to be cool and elegant. I wanted it to be fresh and stylish. Traits I rarely exude and feel clumsy portraying. And so, now into the seventh year of business, I have finally come to relax into the personality of my brand, be proud of the quirks and focus on authenticity. Something I am eager to reflect through my work and ensure clients are mirroring too.
Yes, it may be cliché, but there really is nothing more refreshing and believable with a brand than them just being, them. Being authentic is about truly believing in your cause and knowing that what you are bringing to the table is absolutely something the consumer wants to bite. This authenticity may come from any number of roots. Maybe you are supremely talented in a particular craft, maybe you are particularly passionate about an important cause, or maybe you just really bloody love turning your hobby into a career. It doesn’t really matter; What matters is you let your consumers see it. Positivity breeds positivity and the more you can strip away the nonsense and truly shout from the rooftops WHY you do what you do, consumers will see WHY they love you too.
Ever bought anything online, only to receive it and it’s not as good as they promoted it to be? Ever watched a movie and it was much less captivating than the trailer? It’s because they weren’t a true reflection of the bigger picture. And so, when marketing your business, it’s all about being honest, open and confident in your capabilities to provide a product or service they will love. The more genuine you are, they happier they will be when they engage with your brand.
Being authentic with your brand enables you to show your vision and values and will help you thrive by connecting with your audience on a human, personal level. By being open and ‘real’, you’re allowing the consumer a peak behind the mask to gain trust and maintain loyalty. Put genuine experiences and emotion at the forefront of your marketing. Be consistent in your message and empower the consumer to know they are making the right choice with a like-minded person behind the branding.
So here it is. I have always loved being creative. I get excited (over-excited) seeing a client brief and having a spark of an idea. That fervent hunger for creativity is something I want my brand to reflect. I’m excitable, positive and pro-active. No, I didn’t go to university and get that degree, but I have worked damned hard for the last 14 years to get the experience I need to help brands thrive. I’m a dreamer and a do-er and I adore working with clients throughout the world to build their brand into something they once dreamed of. I’m a mother and a wife and I work hard to show my kids that they can do whatever they wish if they are willing to put the hours in. ED Creative is a business I have developed to bring clients a whole collection of services and skills I have crafted in writing, voicing and production to ensure they get the complete package. No nonsense, no frills, just brilliant ideas, reliability and positivity.
When was the last time you took a good long look at your business? Is it a true reflection of who you really are? It’s time to strip away the nonsense and be proud of who we are, what we do and why we do it.
Are you for real?
