The following is a guest post by Monica Mo, PhD - the founder and CEO of WellSeek, a brand and media company on a mission to dispel myths and spread truth in the health and wellness world. Read more about Monica & how WellSeek can help YOU at the end of the post...

Many health entrepreneurs lack confidence that their business brand is uniquely different from others. They don’t believe they have something special that helps them stand out among other health professionals who offer similar services or share the same practice philosophy.

But there’s one simple thing that’s commonly overlooked, and can guarantee that their brand stands out from everyone else:

Their story.

No two people have the same personal and professional experiences, and these experiences represent the collective knowledge and insight they’ve gained over the years. That is what shapes them as a person, and helps others connect with them as the authentic people that they are.  By recognizing they have qualities and experiences that mold their unique perception of the world, they can better communicate why they are the best ones to help those who are seeking their guidance.

Here are a few things to consider:

1. Be genuine and authentic.

Don’t look to define yourself based on what you think others will want from you, or try to fit a mold of what already exists or is successful. Ask yourself what your special gifts are that truly make you shine. Be clear on what motivates and drives your passion in doing the work that you do. It’s the only way to build an authentic bridge to your audience, because anything else that relies on external factors will just feel phony. Own your own story with confidence, and step into who you were meant to be.

2. Don’t lead with your services.

Many health professionals often lead with ‘what they do’, rather than ‘how they can help’. People are paying for outcomes and experiences, and not a product or service such as a meal plan or counseling session. Get a better understanding of the problem that you are helping them solve, and the motivation behind why you started your business in the first place to solve that problem. The caveat here, of course, is to first understand what your audience’s struggles are, and how you will help them overcome both the perceived problem and the emotional tolls that come along with them.  Focus not only on the challenge you’re helping them overcome, but also the emotional experience your client will receive once they get there. Some examples include confidence, happiness, fulfillment, satisfaction, flexibility, and freedom.

3. Tell your brand story.

Your brand is not your business philosophy or a logo, it is the emotional feeling you evoke in others through your message.  A good brand has the ability to elicit a positive response in an individual, which gains their trust so they will want to continue engaging with you. Always keep in mind that people are drawn to stories that emotionally connect and resonate with them, versus logical facts that are simply being told. After all, 95% of people make decisions based on emotional drivers to their perceived problem, then follow up and identify logic to validate their decision to follow a solution.

Consider these 3 elements as you build out your story:

• Origin: This sets the foundation and paints a picture for your audience of who you are. It grounds their expectation of who you once were so they can relate to you as a person. If there are any struggles you may have experienced along the way, this is the place to share it.
• Shift: Share the revelation or perspective shift that moved you away from that origin, and took you out of your previous mindset and into the new one that you’re currently in. This helps reveal your purpose and the meaningful ‘why’ behind your business.
• Now:  Tell them how this perspective shift has helped you gain a newer understanding of why things need to be done differently, and how learning this new perspective can also benefit your audience. This will relay why you’re the best one to help them.

Remember, when you own your story, you can harness your excitement and passion behind your work. This will ultimately help your audience have confidence in you, and solidify in their mind why you’re the best to help them achieve the outcome they desire.

While your technical knowledge and advice may be no different from other experts out there, it is how you deliver it that makes you truly unique.   It doesn't matter if you’re not the first one out there with a novel idea or message, it's about how effective you own and communicate your insight with an audience.

Through the words you speak and the words that you write, those will always be uniquely yours.

Ready to tell your story, but don’t know how? We help entrepreneurs and businesses stand out with purpose in the health and wellness industry.

Monica Mo, PhD is the founder and CEO of WellSeek, a brand and media company on a mission to dispel myths and spread truth in the health and wellness world. She’s the Curating Editor of the WellSeek Collective and a member of the Council of Directors at True Health Initiative, a global coalition of world-renowned health experts, alongside David L. Katz, Sanjay Gupta, and Deepak Chopra.

What began as a passion for health and science led to Monica’s realization that her own behaviours contradicted her knowledge, inspiring the conception of WellSeek as a way to guide everyone towards discovering their own path to health and happiness. Monica works with WellSeek’s nationwide community of health professionals to dissect our media’s cultural influence on public health in the diet and health industry. As a former biotech scientist, Monica was a member of the academic teams that pioneered the “Google map of human metabolism” that was featured in TIME, CNET and CNN.  Monica holds her Ph.D. from the top-ranking, nationally-recognized Bioengineering program at the University of California, San Diego. Making her home in San Diego, she’s at her happiest when surrounded by her husband and two kids, great coffee, and roasted veggies.

brand voice, brand development, Getting Started, growing your business

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