How To Build Deeper Resonance With the Right Audience
3 things that are working for my business
80% of my clients come from word-of-mouth.
It means they’ve usually been given two or three referrals to folks who can potentially help them solve (x,y,z) problem in their business by someone they trust. So this begs the question, why would they choose me over my peers and “competitors”?
Resonance.
Before working with me, I always ask, why do you want to work with me specifically? And here are some of the actual responses I’ve received:
“Because I feel like I know you.”
“Your online presence is professional, yet personal.”
“You get me!”
“Your aesthetic feels calming and that’s what I need right now.”
“Your values resonate with my own.”
And my personal favourite, “I love your authenticity and your words speak to my soul”.
Resonance means that when the right people finally find you, they’re curious to learn more about you, or they’re excited to hop on a Discovery Call because you’re speaking the same language (this is literally what my clients say).
It establishes trust. Builds loyalty. And most importantly, it helps people feel safe to work with you.
So how do you build resonance with the right people?
I’m not talking about “hooking” your audience and stringing them along, but rather, how do you make a genuine, organic connection with the folks who’d truly benefit from your work?
There are many ways you can build resonance, and at a high level, here’s what’s worked for me in my business.
#1. Knowing your audience
How do you communicate while relating to your ideal audience’s experiences, challenges, goals and desires? You’ve got to get to know them. Most people write website copy, create content and craft offers they think people need and want, versus, finding out what would actually benefit them right now. It can be pretty disheartening when you pour your heart and soul into a beautifully packaged offer, only to find out, nobody cares (or at least not today).
Getting on calls and talking with people in your community is greatly underestimated by most solopreneurs. It’s one of the marketing practices I start clients off with because it’s essential to everything else we do. You want to create resonant offers that people want? Know your audience. You want to write website copy that speaks to the right people? Know your audience. You want more engagement on social media? Know your audience and create content that speaks to the exact problems, challenges and desires your people have every day.
If market research isn’t a consistent marketing practice in your business, find a way to build it into your schedule each week and see the clarity that arises as a result.
#2. Clear and concise message
It’s not enough to know your clients, you’ve also got to know yourself. This means having a clear message that reflects your unique perspective, personality and process for working with people. It also means speaking in a way that your clients will feel seen, heard and understood which is why knowing your audience is the best place to start if you haven’t explored that yet.
I’ve written about resonant copywriting before in my work, and I’ve shared tips in this podcast, so if you’re familiar with my work, then you might’ve heard me say how sharing your point-of-view when it’s relevant and meaningful for your audience is powerful because it’s a natural way for others who share your beliefs to connect with you.
Bonds formed on beliefs are deeply resonant because your worldview resembles their own thinking. How many connections and friendships have you made based on a shared experience or philosophy? This is why making your point-of-view known and having the ability to articulate it clearly and succinctly is a vital element of resonant marketing. Just as your unique perspective is important, so is your personality and expressing yourself authentically in your business.
There are all kinds of business coaches in the marketplace, and if I didn’t know better, I might be inclined to say, does the world really need another business coach? The fact is, there isn’t a business coach like me with my precise perspective, personality and process. Combined, these things are enough of a differentiator to stand out in a saturated market and appeal to the right people.
It’s important to remember that you’re not just talking to a “persona,” you’re dealing with real people and their real needs.
People want to hear stories that relate to them on some level. Your message has to speak to something inside them that makes them sit up and take notice.
Let’s not forget to talk about your process or the journey you take clients on to help them solve their problem and reach (x) destination. Take this email, for example, I’m sharing my point-of-view, it’s infused with my personality and style, and I’ve given you a process that explains an aspect of what I do.
The more you can express your perspective, personality and process in your work, the stronger your connection will be with your audience.
#3. Clean and simple aesthetic
Aesthetics also play a role in communicating your message. If you’re curious, I taught a whole course about it here. Some authentic marketers believe that design and aesthetics are superficial and attract superficial engagement. Of course, that’s often true. However, visual design is a very effective (and authentic) way to build resonance with the people you’d like to draw into your business. You can learn how to use visuals to engage your audience authentically here.
Besides being a meaningful form of self-expression, good design is also vital for clear communication. It brings structure, order and clarity to your content and has the power to convey your message in a way that some words can’t. For instance, you can evoke the mood, tone and energy of your business and personality simply from the colours, fonts and design layouts you choose. Each element speaks a visual language that can either inspire or repel the people you want to serve.
Tad Hargrave from Marketing for Hippies says:
“Resonance is when we express ourselves so beautifully and honestly that people can’t help but feel it.”
I love that and feel this, too. However, many people who come to me say, they’re not excited to send potential clients to their website because it doesn’t reflect who they are. They have website shame and are embarrassed for anyone to see it.
They don’t want clients to find them on social media because their content doesn’t express what’s truly on their heart. They can’t articulate what they need to say in a way that’s concise and personal.
Their sales page has a lot of fancy words but isn’t sparking interest with the right people. They’re getting click-throughs, but no one’s enrolling.
If that’s you, here’s a few questions you can ask yourself:
- What do you stand for in your business/industry/niche? What won’t you stand for?
- What problem do you help people solve? Why does it matter?
- What would your ideal clients say when they discover you now? How would they feel reading your copy, or perusing your website or social media profiles?
- If you only had 8 words to describe how you help people, what would you say?
When people encounter you online for the first time, what tone or message does your online presence convey? Does it align with who you are and the people you want to work with?
Do you feel your message and online presence is resonating with the right people? Why or why not?
