You probably have one to three “intentional” words describing what you do for your clients as part of your branded identity. (If not, you can drill down to the core one to three things you do for every client you serve. For me, three words describe what I do: “Reassure, Support, and Empower.)
You might also have picked an “intentional” word for yourself at the beginning of the year. (My word is “Trust.”)
When I was ruminating on the whole “intentional words” thing, I suddenly realized that all the “special words” were for ME, what I do, what I want or need to do more of.
That got me thinking, “What about our clients? Do you have a word or set of words for them?” In other words, what word represents the core vision you hold for your clients that guides your work with them?
While we already do whatever it is we do, and our clients benefit from that, I think it can be helpful to drill down to one to three words that describe what that is so we can hold the intention more consciously and allow the word/s to inspire us on our less-than-inspired days.
So here’s a simple little exercise you can use to drill down to the inspiring word or words representing what you want for your clients.
1. What do you see your ideal clients struggling with (or putting up with) that hurts your heart?
In my case, as I explored this in my journal, I realized that what hurts my heart the most is seeing introverted women business owners pushing themselves to act like extroverts and not shining like the extroverts doing those same things, because they’re told that’s what you’re “supposed” to do.
2. What describes what your clients are feeling or doing or being after they work with you – and that makes your heart sing to witness it? (You’ll probably see it in your answer to #1.)
My “word for my clients” jumped out at me when contemplating and journaling question #1. Can you guess what it is? I realized that my ideal (introverted) clients are pushing themselves to do what’s inside the extroverts’ Comfort Zone.
For example, attending large, noisy networking events. I watched the extroverts shining more and more as the event wore on, while the introverts looked awkward and increasingly low-energy as they pushed themselves to meet new people.
So the extroverts were shining and the introverts looked like their battery was draining by the minute (which is a good metaphor for what’s happening neurologically to the introverts). So, I thought, “Who’s going to attract new prospects from this event? The ones who are shining!”
Have you guessed what my one word for my clients is yet?
It’s SHINE!
Bottom line, the transformation after working with me is that they shine! Yes, I get them good-to-go in showing up for their business in ways that work with their brain wiring, by teaching them how to operate from inside their own particular Comfort Zone, yadayadayada… But what thrills my heart and serves as the vision I hold for every client who comes to me is that they will SHINE after working with me.
To find your own word or words for the core vision you hold for your clients, feel free to reword the questions (above) to whatever you need them to be to elicit what’s in your heart for them.
Want to jump on a call with me to talk about why you’re not SHINING in this extrovert-favored world? Fill out the form on the coaching page of my website to start the conversation: Exploratory consult.