As the old saying goes, “IF IT HAS TO BE, ITS UP TO ME!!”
Whether you are speaking to one person or a thousand people,
your message should resonate volumes when it relates to promoting your cause.
People listening to you should be able to feel your passion and conviction each
time you open your mouth. When one looks back on influencers of the world, such
as Mahma Gandi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, Dr. Martin Luther King, even
Steve Jobs, the pivotal point in each of their lives were when they made a
conscious decision to speak globally about a cause they were very passionate
about, even willing to die for. We, as entrepreneurs must exemplify that same
passion for our cause. You may say, "but I don't have a cause, I run a
business!" Well, let's explore how your business represents your cause,
how you can LEVERAGE your business through cause marketing, and how speaking
can catapult your business to the NEXT LEVEL!
Your Business Represents Your Cause
As the Emcee and Panel Moderator for a national tour this
Fall, I got the opportunity to listen to women entrepreneurs express their
passion that they turned into a business. These "experts" on the
panels spoke enthusiastically about how they branded their business, how they
conveyed their message, and the tools they used to brand it. Each women
displayed passion for helping women succeed in life and business While each
panelist was clear, thorough, and articulate in their purpose of support for
women in all different roles in life, several women stood out by branding their
style in a memorable way. In Houston,
Texas, Kristi Jackson, Women CEO project, spelled out 5 points that showed how
focused and passionate she was about women leaving the tour with a strong
take-away message. Toni Harris, National Speaker and Trainer, strategically
collaborated with her circle beyond the tour and established a group, Bigger
Than Bloggers, to put information into practice. In addition, she demonstrated
how to use tools available to simplify blogging and using email marketing and
video to elevate their business. She left a lasting impression on the women in
her circle, and me...who invaded the group to participate.
Leverage Your Business Through Cause Marketing
Also, when it came to showing how they conveyed their
message, Dana Sidberry, Motivational Marketing and hostess for the tour in
Charlotte, North Carolina epitomized this point. Everyone knew who and where
she was located based on her signage and strategic placement of volunteers. The
location had plush seats, decorative cloths, delicious food, desserts, and
drinks. Then, to top it off, she had FABULOUS swag bags promoting her clients,
speakers, and the founder of the tour! Dr. Yashima Azilove, Magnate
Advertising, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania exuded powerful communication skills
as she shared how she has captured corporate clients and powerful women
executives as a coach. Her words were so powerful, the 16-year old student
recruited to volunteer, heard me describe my mentoring program for girls and
approached me to connect her with Dr. Azilove. We made the connections and the
mentoring process has begun. These women's message is their LIFESTYLE and
everyone who met them understood their passion for their business immediately!
On the other hand, common tools mentioned for branding was
social media, email marketing, and networking. Several women had established a
strong following also through radio talk shows, blogs, as authors, and creators
of special events. However, several women had very unique branding tools that
stood out. Christine Gallagher, She's Got Clients, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
uses a dynamic CD to draw women in to join her mailing list and develop clients
based on her step-by-step approach. She also uses unique tools for marketing I
had never heard of (and can't remember at this time either) and that drew me in
to want to connect with her after the tour. Vanessa Maddox, TheGirlFriendGroup,
in Virginia and Washington, DC, described how she was breaking barriers by
joining usually closed and inaccessible women organizations to open
opportunities for her 1300 women international group. ShaKenya Calhoun, The Calhoun Group,
Montgomery, Alabama demonstrated the tool she uses (good ole' fashion person to
person networking) when she approached the owners of the venue to ask,
"How can I help you market this venue because more people should know
about it." Finally, Lynn White, NonTechiePros/LynnWhite Designs,
Washington, DC recognized a need for women to learn how to operate their own
website when she had to teach herself. Afterwards, she implemented seminars and
coaching sessions to teach other women how to do the same. Now, she's known as
the "TechLady"(or something similiar).You Go Ladies!!
Speaking to Catapult Your Cause
Therefore, LEVERAGING your business through cause marketing
occurs when you focus on a cause you are very passionate about and you want to
convey it to a particular audience. From helping women build websites, providing
guidance as a marketing specialist, developing women networks, establishing
online communities, to coaching aspiring, experienced, or advanced women
entrepreneurs, all the panelists, mentioned and not mentioned, have positioned
themselves as "experts in their perspective fields" and discovered
how to garnish every opportunity to promote their product, service, or
nonprofit organization as speakers. The common thread for most women in all
five cities of the tour was "your message is in your mess" as Fusion
Tour Founder, Vernetta Freeney stated on almost every stop. The only place she
did not make that statement, another panelist stated it and all we could do was
look at each other afterwards, in agreement.
As a pioneering life
and business mentor, it was refreshing to see so many women truly believing in
what they were doing to support women. So speak up and leverage your cause as a
public speaker!!
Originally posted Saturday, October 26, 2013 on http://eladiesnetwork.blogspot.com/2013/
For more information on how you can share your wisdom on our
Females are Fabulous platform, go to Essence of a
Lady, Inc and become a philanthropist; then Females are Fabulous to share your
story of success with the world.
Dr. JoAnn Ajayi-Scott is a professor who provides
instruction for graduate students in writing and public speaking, publisher of
blogs and magazines, and philanthropist to nonprofits and community
organizations. Her goal is to create a community of entrepreneurs providing
products and services to each other in one place. You may reach her at www.joannajayiscott.com. Twitter: @ELadiesNetwork Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn: @DrJoAnnAjayiScott
Comments
Post a Comment