You Are Not Here to Smile. You’re Here to RISE.

As a woman, you’re here to rise. But, this is what you’ve probably heard most:

You should smile more

Smile

You’d be so much cuter if you smiled

You’re too loud

Come on, give us a smile

That’s not very ladylike

Don’t be so bossy

You’re too emotional

Don’t come across like a bitch

I AM SO TIRED of it. Aren’t you?

Woman, you are not here to smile. You are here to RISE.

These are the stats of people who KNOW their shizz:

• • 86% of consumers say authenticity is a key factor when deciding what brands they like and support.
  • 81% of consumers say they need to be able to trust the brand in order to buy from them.
  • 66% of consumers think transparency is one of the most attractive qualities in a brand.
  • Most consumers want brands to take a stand on social or political issues. In
    fact, nearly two-thirds (64%) of consumers around the world say they would buy
    from a brand or boycott it solely because of its position on a social or
    political issue.
  • 77% of consumers buy from brands that share the same values as they do.

What does this mean for YOU?

We’ve been internalizing a falsehood for far too long. The real, deep-in-your-guts, unsilenced voice is the voice people want to hear. A lot of people call it ‘the authentic brand voice.’ That word ‘authentic’ seems to have lost its punch, though. It’s the voice inside you that people say is too loud. Or too quiet. Or too much. Or to sweary. Or to BOSSY. It’s that voice. It’s time to raise that voice, woman. Because that makes your brand stand out.

As I approach 40, the thing I’m protecting more than anything is my voice. As a younger me, I wanted someone to be in my corner, to say to me, “Hey, Ash. Your voice matters. You’re important. Your voice counts.” So, now I’m the one who tells her that. Because I am here to rise.

That means that my business is filled with my voice. That’s what makes my business stand out (on top of the deadline-hitting over-the-top radness that I offer in the delivery of my copywriting service).

Your business has to be filled with your voice, too, so that you talk to the people you should be talking to. It creates connection. In the world of conversion, connection is everything.

If people find you too much, not enough, too loud, too quiet, too anything…those are not your people.

Different people will experience your business and brand differently

My first mistake when I started my business? I wanted everyone to be my client. No. That’s never going to work. When you take that approach, you dilute your voice. You weaken it.

Speak with the voice that you have. That voice is going to speak to alllll the right people. Trust me. Trust yourself.

Stick with it

Don’t doubt yourself. If you’re out there raising your voice, it will feel right. It will feel absolutely second nature. And that is gold.

But, remember, when you put yourself and your business out there in this way, you’re making a promise. You’re telling your clients and your customers, and prospects, who you are. This is serious. This is like…meeting someone and they show you a side of themselves. And you BELIEVE that side of themselves. So, you date them and you invest in the relationship. You tell them that you love them. You move in with them. YOU MARRY THEM.

And then…boom. They’re not that person anymore. They change into something you don’t quite recognize. They look the same. But there’s something off. Nobody has time for that, especially not your clients.

Here to rise…Hand in hand

Eventually, your ICA and brand voice will work together. Hand in hand. They’ll talk to each other and infuse each other and almost become one and the same thing. Like gin and tonic. Peanut butter and Jam. Sonny and Cher (without the divorce).

Your brand guides every decision you make. When you’re building your brand, whether you’re sharing content, giving advice, deciding who to work with, communicating with your team…you have to be consistent. This is tough. Sometimes I just don’t want to fight the fight for women. It’s exhausting. I want to sit and ignore the everyday sexism and not tell women that they have to find their real and authentic voice. But that’s not my brand.

Sometimes I really want to take on a job that pays a ton of money, because it pays a ton of money. But…if you’re a company that sells leather or any animal by-product…you’re not my client.

Stay consistent. People will see you and respect you. And that’s gold in a world where people shift and often don’t stand for anything.

You’re here to RISE…

Raising your voice lets you just be YOU. It pushes you to be the best you. And yes, that can be tricky sometimes, especially when your best you is hidden away underneath the you that only got three hours of sleep last night, and your brain feels like it’s going to leak out of your ears. But it will set you free, and it will help you scale your business. I promise.

Be you. Always Everywhere.

*Take a fun, quick quiz to find out your business’s Grammy-winning brand voice!