Finding Your Voice in Business By Felice Gerwitz

It's my honor to introduce you to today's guest, Felice Gerwitz. Felice is an author, consultant and publisher and the head of the Ultimate Women's Expo. Her Blog Talk Radio program, Information In A Nutshell Radio Show, is heard by thousands. Today, Felice will help us find our voice in the noisy, competing world we're in with some great tips.

Before we get to her post, I wanted to touch base with you about last week. Blogger (owned by Google) had some major issues when they rolled out an upgrade. The issues took Blogger offline for a while. Everything is now up and running, but I had to move Friday's post to Sunday.

To make sure you don't miss anything, here are the links to the last two posts. I thank you for your patience through this outage. (I'll be writing more about the outage from a marketer's perspective in the near future):

Resource Of The Week: MobiPocket Ebook Creator
Book Marketing Strategies And Tips Around The Net: May 15th

Now, on to Felice's post...


Finding Your Voice in Business
By Felice Gerwitz

What do you do? Can you answer that question briefly?

"I'm an author."
"I'm a publisher."
"I'm a social media 'expert.'"
"I'm a ghost writer."
"I'm a blogger."
"I'm a speaker."
"I'm a webinar host."
"I host a podcast."
"I'm a social media guru, Internet junkie."

Many of you reading this today are one or more of the above. If you learn nothing else from this article, learn that you must be able to articulate in under one-minute exactly what it is you do with clarity. If you don't know, then how can you explain it when someone asks? Obviously you can not. Being passionate about your work allows you to explain it with appeal and zeal!

For example you can condense all of the above with a simple sentence such as:

"My work is helping aspiring authors realize their dreams."

This will either lead to further discussion or end the conversation right there. So, now that you can explain what you do, how can you be heard in a very loud and competing world?

With all the noise in the world, the thought that someone might not have a voice might be appealing, but the point of this article is to not only articulate your message with clarity but be heard above the crowd.

How can you do this?

By reading, looking, studying and analyzing what works for you.

What have you purchased impulsively lately?
Why did you purchase it?
What made you decide you must have this product or service?
Is there a blog(s) you follow? Why?
Who are the thought leaders you turn to when you need a question answered?
Who's Twitter feed do you follow and who's messages do you retweet?

Look at it, dissect it and get a feel for what the person is doing. They've found their voice and achieved their goal: YOUR ATTENTION. They are being heard, they are making an impact, they are very possibly successful at what they do.

I've found the most effective sales person is one who genuinely cares and has confidence in his or her product or service. Relationships matter, and more so in the Internet World, where trust can be difficult.

Fine tune your voice. What is it your really want to say? How are you going to say it? As you work through your business goals you can find mentors along the way. Make sure you are not copying someone else. Be innovative.

So, how can you be heard?

1. Give more than you receive.
   
2. Don't give up, those who continue the race finish even if not first.
   
3. Don't color in the lines, be innovative find an angle.
   
4. Make friends, be social and say something meaningful.
   

It takes time but a slow and steady space can finally pay off. I knew I wanted to market my book for authors several years ago after the first blush of new sales were wearing thin. I launched a podcast for authors with a twist. This would be information and help for aspiring authors and anyone interested in the writing and publishing process. After two years my show has had tens of thousands of listens on iTunes and across the internet on BlogTalk Radio and I've interviewed some notable personalities. As a side bonus, I've sold books.

By keeping your eyes on the goal (if you don't have one get one!) you will reach your target. You can find your voice and be heard in this very loud and often confusing world. Get to it! I'm listening.

--------

Felice Gerwitz is busy wife, mom, and the author of Information in a Nutshell: Writing and Publishing. She is an author-consultant and publisher. She is currently trying out her new voice as a webinar host and will be gearing up for her first job at the helm of the Ultimate Women's Expo launching in May 2011. You can listen to her podcast for authors weekly at http://www.WritingandPublishingRadio.com or read her blog at http://www.WritingandPublishingBlog.com.

















Related Posts
Mentors and Masterminds- Why You Need Them
Building Your Reputation As A Guest Blogging Powerhouse With Shelley Hitz
Audio Podcast: Authors Promoting Through Blogtalkradio By Jo-Anne Vandermeulen
Podcasting for Authors By Yvonne Perry



 -------- Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect, an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests.