Have you ever been to a business meet and greet where you met the guy with the stick up his ass? I have. You know the old saying, “If you don’t know who the sucker at the poker table is, it’s probably you.” Well if you don’t know who the guy at the party is with the stick up his ass, it’s probably you. Don’t be that guy. You don’t have to act professional to win people over. Actually, acting in such a robotic manner will do just the opposite.

When someone acts like a cardboard cut-out, they become a commodity. Why the hell would I go with your business when I can go with the cheaper megacorp reps and get treated the same way by the same greasy-haired wannabe cheeseball? I don’t want the cheeseballs - I hate cheese. Instead, tell me about your passions, your worries, what keeps you up at night, how your business is struggling, etc. That’s the real shit, not some fake-ass facade that you think I want to hear. Megacorp can spit your widgets out at twice the speed and half the cost. But they can’t make a YOU. Only you can be you. So don’t hide your individuality, celebrate it in every interaction.

Amanda Brand of JetScapeInk put it perfectly:

My core value is authenticity. Never pretend to be something you’re not. It has helped me in business more than I ever could have expected. People find me refreshing because I don’t put on an act. I am who I am whether you meet me at a big gala or a baseball game.

Amanda’s right. I don’t want to run into Jo Schmo business owner at a baseball game to find out that he’s really a cool dude who loves the Celtics (shameless team plug). Sure, he might be laid back, but now I don’t know what to expect when I do business with him. I also don’t know how to act around him. Should I act extra professional? Should I act laid back? I don’t know and the inconsistency makes me anxious. People need safety, and that safety is a real connection. I can know that you’re the biggest asshole in the world but at least I know what I’m getting when we do business.

So just be yourself. You ARE the brand and people will be able to connect with your business if they can connect with you.

Follow me on Twitter

-Brian Lambelet