Clarity isn't a magical fairy or an overnight potion...
But Clarity has POWER in your business, communication, and when building trust with your community.
In this episode, we’ll look at how clarity comes through in our messaging and communication as we establish a clear, solid foundation for trust in our community, with collaborators and clients.
Clarity is King
When it comes to our businesses, forget content, forget cash, forget all the other stuff they say is king… Clarity is King.
But what does clarity even mean? And how does it play out in our messaging, business, and communication. Read on to discover how establishing a solid and clear foundation builds incredible trust for your community, collaborators, and clients.
First, let’s explore what clarity isn’t.
Clarity is NOT:
- Asking every single person in your life what they think you should do.
- Hiring an expert to help you get clarity and then completely dismissing what they recommend.
- Piling on more “strategy” to add to your collection. Strategy without clarity is like a GPS with no destination.
- Another freebie, worksheet, download, tarot reading, reflection, webinar, course, fill in the blank with your shiny object of choice. Typically, clarity comes not with MORE input but simplifying, slowing down, and reducing.
- Copying someone else or dulling down who you are. You can get inspired, but don’t expect clarity to come from someone else’s brand colors or voice.
- Organizing or color coding your Google Drive folders. That’s called procrastination.
- Being perfect or landing on the ONE true, final solution. Brands evolve, voices evolve, and clarity evolves as you grow. New clarity is found, and former clarity becomes irrelevant.
- Saying EVERYTHING – it’s about selecting carefully the right things to say and what to omit
- Vague overused buzzwords.
Clarity is something you nurture, cultivate, grow, bring to life from within.
Clarity creates a ripple effect. Being clear on the inside spreads your message outward in bigger, more impactful ways.
It builds trust, confidence, expertise, and credibility.
It also looks and feels different for everyone!
Reflection: What did it feel like last time you experienced clarity? Did you feel light and airy? Grounded? Joyful? Exuberant? Solemn? Reserved? Determined?
Keys to Bringing Clarity to Your Communication
- Structure
I know I said that organization itself is not clarity, but being organized and structured can HELP foster clarity. How we organize information in podcasts, on our websites, in our social media posts, speaking engagements, newsletters, all play a role in how clearly the message is conveyed (and received).
Examples:
- Pre-outlining blogs or podcast episodes
- Providing a solid direction in social posts
- Guiding people to next steps on your website with a flow
- Using repetition and cohesion throughout your marketing
Structure brings a relaxation and sense of ease, they don’t have to wonder what’s coming next and they know you’re prepared. It’s a TRUST builder
2. Repetition
Repetition, repetition, repetition. I did an episode called “Repetition vs. Cohesion” all about why I want you repeating yourself MORE.
Repetition isn’t annoying. It’s creating a cohesive, interwoven, strong message. Repetition:
- Allows those who haven’t heard it yet to access it
- Provides a way for those who weren’t ready the first time to approach it again
- Says it a little differently to offer a new perspective
- Is consistency at it’s finest!
I encourage you to repeat the crux of your message over and over and over again.
3. Remove the Noise
Turn down the distractions. De-clutter the speech, the content, the writing, the urge to say, “But wait, there’s more!”
4. Be Intentional with Your Language
As a small business copywriter, I know firsthand that words are POWERFUL. Some people don’t see the copy on their websites as anything more than just some fancy words.
Words provoke feelings, imagery, and connection.
They’re invitations for transformation. Your words are powerful. Use them intentionally.
Your words can shape an opinion or provide an insight, and information. They can make you money. Your words can make people feel a certain way around you, or about you, or what you’re sharing.
Words shape WORLDS. And yours play a role in that too! You can help shape WORLDS in the way you creatively and intentionally use your words.
Examples:
- Saying what you mean, meaning what you say
- Practicing what you teach, walking your walk
- Speaking simply, conversationally, GENUINELY
- Using your words and copy ethically
Craft your messaging with intention, purpose, and care.
For me, trust is a huge thing as a person and business owner. I’m constantly on the lookout for signs that something might not be legit/trustworthy.
Trust starts on the inside.
Reflection: Are you a person to be trusted? Can clients, friends, family members, my spouse, my children trust you? Do YOU trust you?
Trust is a subtle, quiet, consistent build.
Keys to Building Trust with Clarity
1. Reciprocity and Consistency
Showing up when you say you will, doing what you say you’ll do. Following through on your word regularly and dependably. Consistency builds trust when you’re “impeccable with your word” (Paulo Coehlo, The Four Agreements).
2. Showing Your Hands, Face, and Personality
Weird, I know. Hear me out. Showing your face in your marketing and your personality are important to building trust. People need to know you’re a real person and get to learn who you are because people trust PEOPLE. Be a person not a chatbot. Remember also the power of showing your hands on Zoom and in your marketing. Showing your hands can help you convey warmth and competency. And it’s a subtle-trust builder.
3. Present Information with Accuracy and Integrity
Incorrect information is no small thing. In the case you do mess up, make sure to go back and correct the mistake. Intentionally providing unresearched or false information is a different matter. One way to help avoid this is to stay in your lane and genius zone and not try to tackle things outside of your scope. Know what you know, and clearly share when you do not know the answer to something!
Accuracy, honesty, and integrity build trust.
Be truthful. Avoid exaggerating OR minimizing your expertise – be real about what you can do or not do, and remember that those small details matter and can build safety and trust for people while nodding to your expertise and professional experience.
Your people will trust you more when you’re:
- Consistent and recipricol
- When you communicate clearly and simply
- Committed to choosing your words with intention and purpose
Clarity → Confident Communication
Confident and Intentional Communication Creates TRUST.
