Ep 58. How introverts can reflect their values in content (without listing them)

My guess is that you’ve probably sat down at some point and written a values list.

It may even have words like honesty, integrity, authenticity, connection, growth.

They feel really good to write in the moment, but then you go to write content, and none of those values show up in it.

So today, I want to talk about the difference between having values and showing them in your content, if you’re new here, hello, and a very warm welcome to Quiet Confidence with myself, Anita Popat. I’m a marketing strategist for introverts who want to show up online without changing who they are.

I see this a lot. You create a list of core values, but then they stay as a nice list only you know about. And that’s because a lot of people don’t know how to showcase them in their content.

For Example, if one of your values is honesty, That’s lovely, but it doesn’t really tell your audience anything because almost everyone is gonna say that they value honesty, right?

It’s not really gonna be specific to you, so it can’t land as something that makes someone stop and think, “Oh, that’s exactly why I wanna work with her.”

[00:00:57] What makes a particular value useful in your marketing is turning it from a word into a decision.

[00:01:03] If we talk about honesty as an example, you talk about the time you told a potential client they weren’t quite ready to join your program yet, and then you may have pointed them somewhere else instead. That’s showcasing honesty in a moment without actually saying that one of your values is honesty, if that makes sense.

[00:01:17] You probably do little things like this without thinking that they’re connected to your values all the time.

[00:01:22] But I want you to notice them so that you can put them into your content. So think about the times that you might have said no to a sale because someone wasn’t the right fit. And that’s not just you being nice, that’s one of your values in action. And when you share that as a story, that’s gonna be worth so much more to your audience than a caption that just says, “I believe in honesty and integrity.”

[00:01:40] You’re actually showing that you live them.

[00:01:42] When it comes to creating content, think about the choices you made in your business that other people might not make because they’re gonna be guided by your values.

[00:01:49] maybe you told a client something that they didn’t wanna hear because you knew it would help them more than just agreeing with them.

[00:01:55] So each one of your values, if you are really true to them and really living them in your day-to-day life, [00:02:00] they’re gonna be creating little moments, and each one of those moments is content because stories are more interesting, right?

[00:02:05] And no, that’s not you bragging,

[00:02:07] You’re just sharing how you work and painting a picture so the audience can see what your version of integrity or honesty looks like. because We all have our different lenses, right?

[00:02:15] Honesty, integrity to someone else might be different to your version of honesty, integrity. So by sharing all these little moments, it helps your audience build a picture of the kind of person you are and what it would be like to work with you

[00:02:26] I get this can feel uncomfortable for a lot of us because sharing the actual moment feels a lot more exposing than just sharing the word.

[00:02:33] But anyone can write a particular value in their bio. It takes a bit more nerve to tell the story about the time that you turned away money because it didn’t sit right with you, for example.

[00:02:42] But that’s exactly why it works, because it’s specific, it’s real, And it’s not something 100 other people in your industry could say word for word in the same way that you have

[00:02:50] so that’s one way to paint a picture or create moments. 

[00:02:53] there’s also another way which I like to use with clients sometimes as well.

[00:02:56] It’s less about thinking about your individual values and more about the overall feeling you want someone to have when they land on your profile website podcast or whatever marketing channel 

[00:03:05] it’s more like your brand feeling. So forget the words for a second, and I’m gonna ask you two questions, and I’d love to hear your answers if you wanna DM me on Instagram.

[00:03:13] If your brand was a color, what would it be? And if it was an element, would it be water, fire, earth, or air? Now, they might sound like strange questions,

[00:03:24] but they force you to think about how you want your content to feel. Like when we compare water to fire, you’re instantly gonna feel something different.

[00:03:31] For me, I’d say my marketing is more earth than fire.

[00:03:34] and hopefully you think the same, is calm, steady, grounded, it’s still moving forward, but I’m not too loud about it

[00:03:41] I like to use colors and music that are chilled and calm. And when I’m creating B-roll for my reels as well, I’m not running around and doing a lot of dancing and stuff. It’s just me chilled, maybe having a sip of coffee or sitting in my car or doing something.

[00:03:52] So the point is that I’m creating a feeling. When you land on my page, hopefully you get that instant feeling of calm, and [00:04:00] groundedness, and it makes you want to stay there and read what I’ve written

[00:04:03] so once you’ve got your color and element, go to your profiles and just check your content against it. Like, does your post feel calm and steady, or does it feel like you’re trying to sound like fire because that’s what someone in your industry said that you should be doing.

[00:04:14] Because that mismatch is usually why content feels a bit off even when you can’t quite explain why.

[00:04:20] It’s not that it’s wrong, it’s just that it doesn’t match the feeling that you want people to walk away with

[00:04:25] So think of it as a whole, not only in your words, but also with the colors, the B-roll, and the music that you use as well to create that overall feeling. And one last thing I think is worth mentioning is that your values will evolve the same way that everything else about your foundations does.

[00:04:38] What mattered to you one season of your business, maybe the start of it, might not be what matters most to you now, and that’s completely normal. it’s worth occasionally checking in and just asking, “Are these values still true to me?”

[00:04:50] Or am I living by a different set of rules now?

[00:04:52] and if you only take one thing from this episode, I want it to be this. Like, stop trying to state your values and start trying to show them in your content.

[00:05:00] Think about a decision that you’ve made recently that you’re proud of, even if it’s a small one, And ask yourself what it actually says about what you stand for and that’s gonna be your next piece of content.

[00:05:09] this is exactly the kind of stuff I love to dive into inside Silent Storm. So if you’d like to work with me one-to-one on your marketing foundations, then head over to the link in the bio, and you could have a look at all of the lovely experience of my previous clients, and apply if you’d like the same.

[00:05:23] Until then, keep showing up with your quiet confidence so you can make a loud impact, and I shall speak to you soon.

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