Many people don't have a clear grasp of what having influence means. Understanding this concept could give you just the advantage you need in the market.
Influence is an elusive concept that can mean many things to different people. However, one thing everyone can agree on is that exerting influence can provide great advantages in business. And that includes your bookkeeping business.
The Successful Bookkeeper podcast recently had an expert on this subject as a guest. Her name is Stacey Hanke and she leads a company that specializes in enabling organization leaders in confident communication, presence, and authenticity.
Stacey is also the author of Influence Redefined - Be the Leader You Were Meant to Be.
She was in the corporate world throughout her entire career. Her current business is 16 years old now, established based on the techniques and skills that she developed over time.
Initially, Stacey only needed those skills to start connecting to people. But in time, she learned how to translate them into a method for influencing and attracting clients. Today, Stacey has positioned herself as an authority on the subject of influence in business.
In this article, we'll shed some light on the concept of influence and its meaning. You'll also learn about the crucial aspects that will make your brand more influential on the market.
What is Influence?
Many people have specific beliefs when it comes to influence.
In particular, a widespread belief is that influential people can simply turn the switch on, focus, and put on their A-game. It's almost as if influence is an on-demand feature that you can turn on before a high-stakes conversation or an important meeting.
However, the real secret of influence is that it's a trait you can develop. In particular, Stacey says that the most effective way of communicating influence is through the consistency of your personal brand. So, it wouldn't be an overstatement to say that influence equals consistency.
Being influential is no different than being perceived as trustworthy and confident by people every day. The result is that people will want to follow your lead.
Stacey also noted that it's unclear whether anyone can be born influential. Instead, it seems more like a skill similar to those that athletes develop. Influence requires work, consistency, and constructive feedback to guide you in the right direction.
Alternatively, you could look at influence as something we're all born with but would go on to lose along the way. After all, any parents can testify that their two or three-year-old have plenty of influence over them. In either case, it's vital to understand that you can improve your ability to influence other people. When it comes to your bookkeeping business, having influence means the same as making your brand stand out and becoming a leader in your market.
The following section will explain how you can achieve greater influence in your bookkeeping business and turn your brand into a unique factor among the competition.
Making Your Brand Stand Out
Creativity is a Primary Influence of Your Brand
That’s why when you send an email to someone, the crucial question you should be asking is, "Does this email sound like every other message that person receives?"
If you want to spread your influence and get people to respond to your emails or return a phone call, you'll need to invest heavily in coming up with creative solutions.
Think of the way you communicate as an advertisement for the value you provide. So, you have to make your voice unique among the constant noise surrounding your audience.
Being Concise is a Vital Principle
Exerting influence has to do with the other person as much as it has to do with your skill. It's about not wasting people's time and keeping your points short.
Whether you're leaving a text message, email, or voicemail, you should aim to get to the point immediately. That’s why your short messages should be very clear on what you want to communicate. Remember, your influence will become apparent once people start opening every email they get from you. They should feel that, whenever you contact them, there's a point behind it.
Driving Value Means More Than Being a Great Bookkeeper
Building a strong reputation for your brand will also require you to add as much value as possible to your communication. After all, adding value will show your audience that you mean business, reinforcing your influence in the market.
This concept ties into the ideas of creativity and conciseness.
You use creativity to provide unique value that will resonate with people. On the other hand, communicating with brevity and clarity will ensure that value gets into the forefront. With this approach, all three concepts will build off of each other, growing your influence further.
Maintaining Focus Might be the Most Important Aspect of Strengthening Your Brand
We're all guilty of sometimes not taking the time to respond to an email, even though it would take just a minute. But when you lack focus on that moment, you’ll likely respond to that email for the sake of responding to it.
Being conscious about what's going on at any given time is at the core of your focus.
This means being aware of the broader impact of every action you take, including daily tasks. Remember, you aren't just sending a message or checking your inbox. You're directing your attention outward to the person on the other end.
Using the example above, maintaining focus means taking time to really understand what the person who sent the email is saying to you. Because you know what you want from them, you can influence them to make it happen through your response.
To recap, the essential factors of building your influence and making your brand stand out include:
- Creativity
- Conciseness
- Value
- Focus
Establish these traits in your bookkeeping business and you'll increase the influence your brand holds over the market.
Greater Influence Leads to Success
Building influence should be a priority in your bookkeeping business. Not only will it turn you into an industry leader, but you’ll also build your credibility and authenticity along the way.
More influence will positively impact your marketing, customer relations, and your sales process.
And if you pay enough attention to it, you might find your bookkeeping business growing much faster than you ever thought possible.
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