How Harry Styles Helped Me Grow My Impact Business
“What sets you apart from others in your industry?”
I used to hate this question. On the surface, the answer seems straightforward. Simply tell people what you do and how you help people. After all, there’s uniqueness in the way in which you do your work, and depending on the field you're in and the market you serve, that could be enough.
But when the market is insanely crowded, when you’re in communities that have businesses that deliver similar products and services, that won’t be enough. Talking about who you serve, what you do, and how you help people is surface-level messaging, but in order to really set yourself apart, you have to go deeper. You have to give people a glimpse into what you’re all about.
As Simon Sinek so aptly said, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”
This seems obvious, and quite frankly, I’m guessing you’ve heard that before. Unfortunately, most of us don’t lead with WHY. We focus our networking introductions on WHAT we do or WHO we help, and while that’s important, it doesn’t draw people in the way the WHY does. People want to know why your business exists and what you care about. They want to know if your business exists to do good in the world, why that’s important to you, and how you go about doing it. They want to know what - and who - you stand for.
That’s why having three core layers of business messaging is essential for business growth.
Layer 1: The Foundation
What is the number one result you get for people? Who do you do this work for? How do you teach or share your work?
These are the surface questions that you need to be able to clearly and concisely articulate when someone asks you about your business. But if you were to answer these, I bet I could find someone who would or could say they do almost identical work with a similar delivery mechanism. That’s why it’s not enough and where we need to go deeper.
Layer 2: The Impact
Why does your business exist? What impact do you want to have locally? Globally? What’s important to you on a personal and professional level? What do you care about? What are you passionate about? What are you for? What are you against? What change do you want to see in your industry?
This is the layer where real differentiation happens. It’s where people get a glimpse into your heart and soul. It’s where they get the opportunity to understand the deep why behind your business and how you want to change the world. Layer 2, when spoken boldly and confidently, is where thought leaders are born.
And yet, we don’t often hear this in 30 second elevator pitches at networking events. We rarely lead with this information, but think about how compelling it would be and the follow on questions that would ensue.
What’s more compelling?
“Jessica Sato Consulting helps women-owned businesses increase their impact globally without complicated technology or expensive ads. We do this through 1:1 and group coaching, workshops, and speaking.”
Or…
“I imagine a world where women are free to use their voices, unique skills, and their experience to create opportunities for themselves and others. Entrepreneurship uniquely affords women this opportunity, especially in the developing world. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to support female founders and social impact entrepreneurs as they actively build and grow their businesses.”
Doesn’t that sound better than the first statement? Both are true. Both address who I serve and what I do, but it’s only in the second that you get a deeper glimpse into what I’m all about. This level of differentiation makes all the difference and has the power to really connect you with the best, right-fit clients.
The beauty of starting with why and digging into the impact you’re trying to create in the world, is the next obvious question: “So, how do you do that?”
Now, the door is open for a richer, deeper conversation about the work you do, the transformation you create, and how you help people.
Take a hard look at your messaging. Are you clear on why you do the work you do? Is your reason compelling? Do you talk about it? Do you take a stand on issues that matter? What are you known for?
These questions and countless others establish you as a thought leader in your field, they draw the right people to you, and that’s where the traction for business growth comes from.
Layer 3: The Fun
This is where the playfulness and humanness of your business comes to light. People want to know who they’re doing business with. That means, they want to know YOU.
What are some of the quirky things about you? What’s one thing that automatically makes people think of you? What are some of the fun, non-business things you talk about? What phrases do you use on the regular? How do you spend your time? What’s important to you on a personal level?
Here’s a few of mine: I love boybands and Harry Styles. I climb rocks, read an insane amount of books, and avoid hot fruit and watermelon like the plague. I use the word ROBUST a lot, have two elite athletes, and travel a lot to support them.
There are loads of other things I could add here, but I can’t tell you how many times people tag me in posts about Harry Styles. I routinely get texts with gifs, screenshots when one of his songs comes on the radio, or the latest magazines where he graces the cover. I've hosted business retreats where Harry Styles is on replay, and now, it's part of our respective business soundtracks. I bet I could ask anyone in my audience to name a fun or quirky thing about me, and Harry Styles would be at the top of the list.
Layer 3 is what makes you human and connects you to your ideal client.
These things often don't have a thing to do with your business, but when people see or hear things that remind them of you, you stay top of mind, which is essential to growing your business.
What is one fun thing that your audience associates with you?
These three layers are critical to building know, like, and trust with your ideal client. How do they show up in your messaging? Is there room for improvement? More boldness?
Remember: your mission is your competitive advantage, so shout it from the rooftops.
Here’s to making an impact!
If you’re looking for ways to go deeper, grab these two resources to help you get started.
10 Questions to Help You Align Your Purpose and Business Strategy
