Every time you communicate, you’re doing one of two things:
- You’re adding value…
- You’re taking up space.
If you’re taking up space, you’re in trouble. You’re not contributing. You’re not building connections.
If you make a clunky cold call, or waste a customer’s time with self-promotional fluff, you’re viewed as an interruption rather than an asset.
Yet there’s another way to communicate— one that’s based on the way in which your personality is most likely to add value.
Once you know what makes you valuable to others, you’re more authentic and confident, and more likely to make a positive impression.
Your personality adds value in a very specific way.
There are seven different ways to add value, and communicate so that others want to listen and take action:
- If you fascinate with Passion, like me, you speak the language of relationship.
- If you speak the language of confidence, you use Power to lead with authority.
- Mystique thinks through decisions carefully and speaks the language of listening.
- Innovation will surprise your customers with creativity and bold ideas.
- Trust personalities are counted on for their loyalty and stability.
- You might use Alert, the language of details, if you watch the details carefully.
- Prestige continually raises the bar with higher standards and is the language of excellence.
By understanding your personality’s Advantages, you can shape your entire communication plan around it. Everything from your marketing to your email list to your social media.
Here’s a little example.
If you speak the language of creativity (Innovation) you're far more likely to succeed with customers when you brainstorm big ideas for them and think of new ways to do things, than if you tried to follow a one-size-fits-all business model (which would probably feel unnatural to you – almost like drowning in metaphorical quicksand).
Your emails could be eye-catching and even a little irreverent. Instead of following the same way every other business in your industry is doing things, you could break out. You could be heard and remembered.
And the customers you want to attract would love you for it.
According to Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman, “people would rather do business with a person they like and trust rather than someone they don’t, even if the likeable person is offering a lower quality product or service at a higher price.”
The lesson from this is simple: you add value when you're communicating as your most authentic self. This isn’t something you have to learn or change. It’s already inside you.
So ask yourself… are you losing business (or failing to gain new business altogether) because you’re just taking up space?
The Fascinate Test reveals the way in which you are most likely to add distinct value. Log into your account and revisit your Profile today.
Hi Adam, Mystique people communicate WITH care, meaning that they think before speaking. Mystique personalities tend to be highly analytical, and their highest value often doesn't reside in showing grand outpours of emotion. (That's more of Passion's forte.)
Is this saying that a Mystique is most likely to add value by caring? http://www.howtofascinate.com/the-fascinate-system/the-7-advantages-of-fascination/ says that we adds most value by communicating clearly. Can you help resolve the discrepancy?
If you make a clunky cold call, or waste a customer’s time with self-promotional fluff, you’re viewed as an interruption rather than an asset.Good share
Wendy: That is a valuable insight. Individuals with Alarm triggers are highly valuable team members who closely watch the details. For instance, our project manager Elizabeth is a Quick-Start (Rebellion + Alarm) and executive assistant Kristen is a Sustainer (Alarm + Trust). Thanks for sharing!
Instead of calling it "Alarm", I would call it "Precision" which has a more positive connotation, but is conveying the same message/value.
Hugh: A pragmatic man - I like it. Taking our friend Ramon's inquiry as an example, here's a "how to" to help build opinions of authority to exercise the power trigger: http://www.howtofascinate.com/blog/bid/178291/How-to-be-Powerful
Ramon: Let your individual archetype be your guide. That is your home base and what comes the most natural to you. However, depending on the ideal client you want to attract, that's when you want to evoke the various triggers. If you want to demonstrate power, don't be afraid to express opinions of authority.
Luv Sally's work But [to use the 'critical' trigger], without giving a current streetwise/rubber-hits-the-road example/story. it's just hogwash /resounding gong! Come-on Sally, you can do it. Give the hordes of your flock real-life examples.
Loved the book and the current blog post. I think I would lead with the power trigger since I want customers to know they should come to me, the expert, if they need help with their job situation. When posting in my blog, would it be a better idea to stick to one trigger or can I switch triggers depending in the subject of the post?