August 2, 2023 • 24 mins
Send me a text message and get your questions answered on the podcast! I'd love to hear from you!
Mastering your messaging is the secret sauce to navigating conversations with authority and ease. In this episode, we will reveal a proven model for crafting a message that sells itself. We also delve into the importance of continually evolving your practice and staying ahead of the curve to offer beyond-the-textbook solutions that separate the good from the great. Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your consulting business to the next level, you'll want to tune in.
******
If you want to learn more about The Consulting Code and are ready to grow your consulting business and take it to the next level, visit https://excelatconsulting.com/work-with-me/ for more information.
Let's Connect!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drangelinadavis/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drangelinadavis/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I used to believe that you had to be almost at the
point of retirement before youeven thought about going into
consulting.
I mean, after all, these werepeople that seemed to know
everything.
They knew everything and theyknew everybody.
So the thought of being able toenter into the industry a lot
earlier as an entrepreneurialconsultant did not seem feasible
(00:22):
but a long shot.
But I think one of the reasonswhy it was the case is because
so many of these individualsthat I had seen for so long had
a message that they had mappedout over years.
It wasn't like they really kneweverything as a matter of fact
(00:44):
they didn't but there was aparticular method that many of
them used that I can say wasvery helpful.
So in this episode, if you'rewondering how you can do the
same, then you need to tune in.
Alright, let's get started.
There's a misconception that wedon't exist, that somehow our
(01:07):
ability to excel at the highestlevel of our industry is limited
, that overcoming barriers as awoman of color would be
insurmountable.
But what would happen if wedecided to venture out on our
own, despite everything we're upagainst?
I'll tell you Welcome to theBlack Girls Consult 2 Podcast.
I'm your host, dr AngelinaDavis, a healthcare consultant,
(01:30):
consulting coach, highperformance fanatic wife and
proud girl mom.
I help transform femaleprofessionals into thriving solo
consultants and, just like you,I'm wearing all the hats and
doing all the things.
So this podcast is to empowerthe busy female professionals to
move past fear to start andgrow a successful consulting
(01:51):
business.
Despite the obstacles you mayencounter, we'll dive deep into
consulting practice, businessstrategy, mindset and more.
So grab your cup of coffee ortea, if that's your thing, and
let's get started.
(02:15):
Hello, hello, hello.
Welcome to the Black GirlsConsult 2 Podcast.
I'm your host, dr AngelinaDavis, and I want to have a real
discussion today because Ithink we need like a come
together, come to Jesus momentwith one another, mainly because
we are allowing our minds andour mindset to kind of get in
(02:39):
the way when it comes to landingthe clients that we want to
land, navigating the types ofcontracts that we want to secure
, just showing up as boldly aswe know how we're letting other
things get in our way.
And you know, when I thinkabout why we do this, it's often
because we see others assomehow having a greater
(03:01):
advantage, or maybe like theyhave a skill set that we don't
have, or they have, some othertype of talent or hidden
superpower that we can't seem tomuster up, when much of that is
not true, there is, you know,actually, nothing worse than for
you to be in a situation whereyou have no idea what you want
(03:23):
to say or do when you'resupposed to be the expert.
I've been there.
I don't know if you've beenthere, but I have been there
before you get put on the spot,or maybe someone is even trying
to somewhat push back on anargument that you're making, and
in that moment all eyes are onyou.
You want to shrink and kind ofcrumble and melt us in the
ground, but instead of doingthat, we have to show up more
(03:46):
boldly and be able to reallyhold our spot, hold our position
.
That is going to be the easiestway for us to secure the
confidence that we need in orderto continue to land the
business that we want, as wellas to grow and evolve over time.
But that's much easier saidthan done, mainly because in
those moments it's not becauseyou don't know the answer or you
(04:11):
don't really know what to say.
If you just had a moment tothink about it, I know that you
can come up with the perfectcomeback.
But sometimes it's just becauseyou get caught in your head,
you're caught off guard andyou're thinking too hard about
the situation.
It's just difficult to reallygather all of your thoughts fast
enough and because of that, andbecause we don't want to be
(04:31):
seen as making some type ofmistake that we feel like we
can't recover from, we take theapproach of just being silent.
And that silence can carry alot of weight.
It can cause someone toquestion whether or not we truly
are an expert or knowledgeablein our space.
It can cause us to questionwhether or not we're qualified
(04:54):
and kind of eat away at ourconfidence and break that
confidence down.
It can also put us in aposition where we feel the
weight of another individualtrying to judge us.
Maybe we're in a situationwhere we're the minority which
is not an unusual situation tobe in as a woman and consultant,
especially a woman of color andyou start to think that you're
(05:16):
carrying the whole burden of allof the women in your industry,
or all of the black women orpeople of color, just on your
back as you make this nextargument, because you feel as if
people are waiting for you tofail.
Those can be reallyuncomfortable feelings, and why
(05:37):
we question ourselves is becausewe watch others and we think to
ourselves you know, I never seethem do that.
You know, we always think Inever see them make this same
mistake.
They always seem to have acomeback.
They always seem to be able tosay something.
I actually worked with someonelong ago.
I thought that he was supergreat at really speaking off the
(05:58):
cuff and coming up with answersand I, upon first meeting him,
was extremely impressed by hisability to do that so swiftly.
But over time I started torealize a few things.
One of the things that Irealized for this particular
situation is that often what hewas saying was not correct, but
he said it with such confidencethat no one questioned that fact
(06:20):
.
No one called anything that hesaid into question because he
said it with authority, and alot of times that's what's also
happening in these situationsthat we're in.
One of our biggest fears is thatwe will be somehow found out,
whether you're naming that asimposter syndrome or something
else.
It's a fear that we are not theexpert that we say that we are,
(06:44):
and we watch others seeminglynavigate these conversations
without skipping a beat.
But I wonder have you everreally taken the time to think
about why this is the case?
Why is it that they seem toknow it all?
Why is it that, in theparticular situation I was
discussing, why is it that hecould come back so swiftly with
(07:07):
his next comeback and gain somuch authority, even though he
may have been saying somethingthat was incorrect?
Why could that happen?
It doesn't happen by chance.
Most often, it doesn't happenby chance.
These are not people that arespeaking this depth of knowledge
off the top of their heads.
There is a system and a pattern,and I am going to share with
(07:32):
you a model for how you begin tocommunicate all the information
that you need to highlight andshowcase your expertise.
Whether you're doing that inthe form of a speaking
engagement or a one-on-onemeeting or any other type of
negotiation circumstance, orsimply using it for creating
content, there is a way for youto approach how you developed
(07:58):
your core foundational messagingthat keeps you from being in
that situation where you feel souneasy and unsupported.
That's what we're going tobreak down today.
A thriving consulting businessis built on a solid business
foundation and a consulting codethat leads you toward your
(08:19):
ideal business and your ideallifestyle.
And the great thing about thiscode is that it works for any
type of consulting practice,whether you help clients with
professional development,business management, grant
writing, it or somethingentirely different.
This consulting code is notrocket science and is not beyond
your reach, and when you crackthe code, it can jumpstart the
(08:41):
growth of your solo consultingpractice and is what you need to
know to get started and lendyour first clients, and nothing
more.
This is a step-by-step processI wish I had so many years ago,
and that's why I wanted to sharethis with you and how you can
do this too.
So if you're interested instarting your consulting
(09:01):
business and creating adesirable offer to generate
leads for your offer and to makesales, then the consulting code
is your solution.
Visit wwwexcelatconsultingcomfor more information.
So you can ever spend a lot oftime just listening to what
people say and paying attention,not just in the moment, but
(09:26):
really focusing in on whatthey've been saying.
Over time, you start to realizethat a lot of what they're
saying has been on repeat.
After a while, some of the casestudies that they talk about
sound a little bit familiar.
The stats that they throw outin the middle of the meeting.
(09:46):
Yeah, they'll sound familiartoo, and let's see how.
About some of their opinions?
Or the way that they havebroken down some aspect of your
industry and where things aregoing to go, kind of giving
their forecast of the future.
All of those things begin tosound very familiar when you
(10:08):
really pay attention.
But very few of us actually arelistening to that extent.
And just to prove to you thatI'm not making this up, I want
to give you an exercise that Inormally give clients.
I want you to think about yourfavorite coach or consultant or
expert in your field and I wantyou to look at some of the
(10:30):
things that they have put outover time in some shape or
fashion, whether that is apresentation, a YouTube video,
some aspect of content on socialmedia or LinkedIn, instagram,
facebook, wherever.
I want you to go back.
As far as you can See, part ofthe problem is that we live in
this society where we are solelyfocused on what's happening in
(10:50):
our immediate time frame.
We're not thinking back yearsin terms of what people have
been saying previously.
We're solely focused on whatwe've heard last week,
oftentimes not even last week,yesterday, even just an hour ago
.
We're not going back in time,but if you actually pay
(11:11):
attention to what has been saidover an extended period of time,
what you'll often find is thata lot of this messaging is the
same, is on repeat and it'sbeing communicated from various
angles.
So it's not that, in theinstance of someone who has
(11:31):
truly made a name for themselvesin their industry and are
respected and have actuallycontributed to the space, those
individuals are not coming upwith new information all the
time, and there is a reason forthat.
This is not a bad thing.
This is not.
Oh well, they're saying thesame old thing and that's why it
(11:51):
doesn't matter.
No, they're saying it over andover and over again for a reason
, and part of that reason isthat it's going to help them
communicate their message moreeffectively, build a movement
around their message, as well asbuild the credibility and the
(12:13):
level of influence and authoritythat they need in order to be
more of a thought leader intheir space.
So go back and look throughtheir content, see what they
were talking about three yearsago, four years ago, five years
ago, more.
I bet you that you're going tofind that much of what you heard
in something that is veryrecent is very similar, eerily
(12:37):
similar, to what they've saidbefore.
So that's part of what you wantto begin to build, and the
expert messaging model isstructured where there are
really four components thatbegan to highlight your
expertise.
And when you craft this out,not only do you get clarity
around your message and what youstand for and what your
(12:59):
business is all about and theservices that you provide and
how you help, and your missionand your purpose.
Not only do you get clarityaround all of those things, but
you also create a way for you tocommunicate key aspects of your
business and business model ina way that begins to sell itself
(13:20):
.
So here are the four components.
So one of the first things westart off with is your personal
code.
What are you focused on, withyour purpose, with your mission?
What are you all about?
I think that's where we alwayshave to start, especially when
we're thinking about any type ofbusiness that is fueled and
(13:42):
driven from our purpose.
If there's a purpose or amission to what we're doing and
the type of work that we havebegun to put out and create and
the mission that we've beengetting to shape and mold, then
we have to start out there.
There has to be some level ofrealization and clarity around
(14:09):
what we actually hold to be trueand valuable.
What's our identity, what's ourpurpose, what are our values?
Those things matter.
That's really at the heart ofit all, because from that point
is where everything else beginsto evolve.
And then, when you think aboutyour personal code and kind of
(14:30):
who you are, you want to expandbeyond that, from who you are to
what you think and believe.
And that is looking at yourphilosophy.
What are the principles youlive by?
What's your point of view whenit comes to key aspects?
What are the frameworks thatyou've been able to distill
(14:50):
information into or down to sothat you're able to communicate
knowledge and expertise moreeffectively?
What are those things thattruly are behind your
recommendations and your adviceand your suggestions?
What are those guidingprinciples and thoughts?
(15:13):
And then, beyond that, you haveto have proof.
And what I'm talking about?
Proof?
I'm not talking about justsocial proof, just being able to
say that you have a testimonialor two, but I'm really talking
about what's the proof thatyou've been there, what's the
proof that you've been in thetrenches, that you have this
lived experience, that you havethe accomplishments and the
education and the knowledge thatis real, because in this age,
(15:35):
when we're living in between ourreal lives and this online
space, there are many peoplethat don't technically have this
legitimate proof, but they'velearned how to spin the
narrative For you.
You have to be able to stand onmore than that.
You're in an area, in a field,in an industry that's going to
(15:58):
expect you to know more, that'sgoing to expect you to be able
to show that you have a certainlevel of knowledge and
experience before they're goingto ever trust you with something
that's so major, such as theirbusiness or maybe even some
aspects of their personal life.
So personal call philosophyproof.
(16:20):
But then really, at the crux ofit all, and what makes the work
that we do so special, is thefact that we can distill all of
those things down into aprescription, and that's really
the solution and the insight andthe outcomes and the forecast
that we can provide.
What can we tell people rightnow that will transform who they
(16:44):
are today into someone they'regoing to be tomorrow?
That was going to transformtheir business into the point of
which they may be strugglingtoday, but then thriving and
prospering tomorrow.
That all comes from ourprescription.
What we are saying is asolution, those things that we
have crafted and put together.
(17:05):
And what I love about thismodel if you can picture this is
that this model is not a linearprocess.
It's not like you create yourpersonal code and then you have
a set philosophy, and then youhave your proof established and
then you're going to give aprescription.
No, that's not how it works.
The great part about being anexpert is that it's a continual
(17:29):
process.
There's a reason why we talkabout having a consulting
practice, because when you thinkabout a practice, that's
something that has to continueto evolve.
With time, you continue tolearn more, you continue to
shift in, edit and iterate andchange, modify, adapt over time.
(17:50):
So this is more of a cycle thatyou're going through as you
evolve.
This model evolves with you.
It changes within our industry.
A good example is when we thinkabout our philosophy when it
comes to some aspects of work.
(18:10):
Is that philosophy the sametoday, in the age of chat, gpt
and AI, as it was five or tenyears ago?
No, if it is, then that'sproblematic.
That person would more thanlikely not be a leader in their
field today, because today wehave the reality of a lot of
other tools that are availableto us that we don't want to run
(18:33):
from but actually incorporateinto the work that we do.
That, then, is going to reshapethe way that we see ourselves
in the work and the way that wecan visualize and envision the
outcome.
All of those things change, andthat's what's so great about
this model is that the modeladapts with you, and when you
(18:57):
map these things out foryourself, you become clear about
who you are, what you stand for, what your mission is, how you
approach problems, how you thinkabout issues, the things that
you prioritize, what you find tobe valuable for your lived
(19:18):
experience, how you're able toadapt and change and shift your
strategies based upon what youhave already seen work or even
not work.
You can give solutions that notjust are textbook answers but
are going to be answers thatpeople can use when those
textbook answers are not comingthrough.
(19:40):
That is what builds ourpractice.
That's what builds thefoundation of the messaging that
we want to begin to create, andonce that's created, it makes
everything a lot easier.
It does, and then you don'thave to have those fears and
that nervous energy runningthrough you when you're in those
(20:01):
moments and you feel likeyou're being put on the spot and
you're trying to race throughyour brain as fast as you can,
almost like your brain is goingthrough these little foul
folders trying to find the rightanswer and the time is ticking
super slow as everybody isstaring at you.
You don't have to have thosemoments.
You don't have to have thosemoments because you're going to
be better equipped.
You're going to have a solidfoundation and guide for you to
(20:26):
follow.
I like to call it my cheat sheet.
You know, like old school, youhave a cheat sheet for studying
for a test.
I know I did studying for atest, especially if it was
something that you had tomemorize, like if I had to
memorize facts for socialstudies or maybe even biology.
That was another subject whereI feel like you always had to
memorize something.
But the cheat sheet would comein handy because it was like
(20:48):
your quick reference when youneeded to learn or find some
information, like really quicklyon the spot.
That's what this becomes foryou.
It becomes almost like thecheat sheet for your business.
And I'm telling you, this modelcan completely Transform how
(21:09):
you do business, because youwill be amazed at how confident
you will become when you'resuper clear about what you are
saying, what you offer and thetype of Transformation that you
can provide.
When you have all those thingsnailed down Everything else from
your marketing to yourselves toany aspect of your business in
(21:33):
terms of visibility throughPodcasts or talking on stages or
writing articles or however,whatever you're gonna do all of
those things become Easier.
And it all starts with justmastering your message, not any
message, not thinking aboutcopywriting, not thinking about
just social media posts.
I'm talking about yourfoundational, expert messaging.
(21:57):
This, I'm telling you, is key.
There's really the secret thata lot of people have been using
for a very long time.
This is just a framework thathelps you do it a little bit
more concisely.
All right, guys, I hope that youenjoyed this episode.
It's my hope that you foundthis helpful and that you're
beginning to think about how youcan begin to craft this
(22:21):
Messaging for yourself.
Actually have a Workshop thatwill be coming up very soon that
will walk you through theelements of how to craft this
messaging, how to develop thelevel of clarity in your
business that you need, and thenalso how you're able to utilize
that in various aspects of yourbusiness, everything from
(22:42):
content creation to sales, tomarketing, to Talks, lectures,
books, you name it how you canutilize this framework, and on a
much greater scale, so that youare able to amplify your
message.
So be able to look out for that.
It's coming very, very soon and, hey, we're gonna talk about
(23:03):
more and more of just greattopics around consulting in the
upcoming week, so make sureyou're tuning back in.
Don't forget to subscribe if youhaven't done so already, and be
sure to share it with a friend.
All right, guys, I can't waitto talk to you very soon.
Take care, have a good one.
Thank you for tuning in to theblack girls console 2 podcast.
(23:24):
If you enjoyed today's episode,be sure to leave your review on
Apple podcast, subscribe andshare it with a friend.
We're on a mission to increasethe success and longevity of
women in consulting and you canhelp us do that.
Also, I'd love to hear from you.
So let's connect at dr AngelinaDavis on Instagram or LinkedIn,
(23:45):
and don't forget to visit excelat consulting comm for more
Information to support yourconsulting journey.
Until next time, take care.
I used to believe that you had to be almost at the
point of retirement before youeven thought about going into
consulting.
I mean, after all, these werepeople that seemed to know
everything.
They knew everything and theyknew everybody.
So the thought of being able toenter into the industry a lot
earlier as an entrepreneurialconsultant did not seem feasible
(00:22):
but a long shot.
But I think one of the reasonswhy it was the case is because
so many of these individualsthat I had seen for so long had
a message that they had mappedout over years.
It wasn't like they really kneweverything as a matter of fact
(00:44):
they didn't but there was aparticular method that many of
them used that I can say wasvery helpful.
So in this episode, if you'rewondering how you can do the
same, then you need to tune in.
Alright, let's get started.
There's a misconception that wedon't exist, that somehow our
(01:07):
ability to excel at the highestlevel of our industry is limited
, that overcoming barriers as awoman of color would be
insurmountable.
But what would happen if wedecided to venture out on our
own, despite everything we're upagainst?
I'll tell you Welcome to theBlack Girls Consult 2 Podcast.
I'm your host, dr AngelinaDavis, a healthcare consultant,
(01:30):
consulting coach, highperformance fanatic wife and
proud girl mom.
I help transform femaleprofessionals into thriving solo
consultants and, just like you,I'm wearing all the hats and
doing all the things.
So this podcast is to empowerthe busy female professionals to
move past fear to start andgrow a successful consulting
(01:51):
business.
Despite the obstacles you mayencounter, we'll dive deep into
consulting practice, businessstrategy, mindset and more.
So grab your cup of coffee ortea, if that's your thing, and
let's get started.
(02:15):
Hello, hello, hello.
Welcome to the Black GirlsConsult 2 Podcast.
I'm your host, dr AngelinaDavis, and I want to have a real
discussion today because Ithink we need like a come
together, come to Jesus momentwith one another, mainly because
we are allowing our minds andour mindset to kind of get in
(02:39):
the way when it comes to landingthe clients that we want to
land, navigating the types ofcontracts that we want to secure
, just showing up as boldly aswe know how we're letting other
things get in our way.
And you know, when I thinkabout why we do this, it's often
because we see others assomehow having a greater
(03:01):
advantage, or maybe like theyhave a skill set that we don't
have, or they have, some othertype of talent or hidden
superpower that we can't seem tomuster up, when much of that is
not true, there is, you know,actually, nothing worse than for
you to be in a situation whereyou have no idea what you want
(03:23):
to say or do when you'resupposed to be the expert.
I've been there.
I don't know if you've beenthere, but I have been there
before you get put on the spot,or maybe someone is even trying
to somewhat push back on anargument that you're making, and
in that moment all eyes are onyou.
You want to shrink and kind ofcrumble and melt us in the
ground, but instead of doingthat, we have to show up more
(03:46):
boldly and be able to reallyhold our spot, hold our position
.
That is going to be the easiestway for us to secure the
confidence that we need in orderto continue to land the
business that we want, as wellas to grow and evolve over time.
But that's much easier saidthan done, mainly because in
those moments it's not becauseyou don't know the answer or you
(04:11):
don't really know what to say.
If you just had a moment tothink about it, I know that you
can come up with the perfectcomeback.
But sometimes it's just becauseyou get caught in your head,
you're caught off guard andyou're thinking too hard about
the situation.
It's just difficult to reallygather all of your thoughts fast
enough and because of that, andbecause we don't want to be
(04:31):
seen as making some type ofmistake that we feel like we
can't recover from, we take theapproach of just being silent.
And that silence can carry alot of weight.
It can cause someone toquestion whether or not we truly
are an expert or knowledgeablein our space.
It can cause us to questionwhether or not we're qualified
(04:54):
and kind of eat away at ourconfidence and break that
confidence down.
It can also put us in aposition where we feel the
weight of another individualtrying to judge us.
Maybe we're in a situationwhere we're the minority which
is not an unusual situation tobe in as a woman and consultant,
especially a woman of color andyou start to think that you're
(05:16):
carrying the whole burden of allof the women in your industry,
or all of the black women orpeople of color, just on your
back as you make this nextargument, because you feel as if
people are waiting for you tofail.
Those can be reallyuncomfortable feelings, and why
(05:37):
we question ourselves is becausewe watch others and we think to
ourselves you know, I never seethem do that.
You know, we always think Inever see them make this same
mistake.
They always seem to have acomeback.
They always seem to be able tosay something.
I actually worked with someonelong ago.
I thought that he was supergreat at really speaking off the
(05:58):
cuff and coming up with answersand I, upon first meeting him,
was extremely impressed by hisability to do that so swiftly.
But over time I started torealize a few things.
One of the things that Irealized for this particular
situation is that often what hewas saying was not correct, but
he said it with such confidencethat no one questioned that fact
(06:20):
.
No one called anything that hesaid into question because he
said it with authority, and alot of times that's what's also
happening in these situationsthat we're in.
One of our biggest fears is thatwe will be somehow found out,
whether you're naming that asimposter syndrome or something
else.
It's a fear that we are not theexpert that we say that we are,
(06:44):
and we watch others seeminglynavigate these conversations
without skipping a beat.
But I wonder have you everreally taken the time to think
about why this is the case?
Why is it that they seem toknow it all?
Why is it that, in theparticular situation I was
discussing, why is it that hecould come back so swiftly with
(07:07):
his next comeback and gain somuch authority, even though he
may have been saying somethingthat was incorrect?
Why could that happen?
It doesn't happen by chance.
Most often, it doesn't happenby chance.
These are not people that arespeaking this depth of knowledge
off the top of their heads.
There is a system and a pattern,and I am going to share with
(07:32):
you a model for how you begin tocommunicate all the information
that you need to highlight andshowcase your expertise.
Whether you're doing that inthe form of a speaking
engagement or a one-on-onemeeting or any other type of
negotiation circumstance, orsimply using it for creating
content, there is a way for youto approach how you developed
(07:58):
your core foundational messagingthat keeps you from being in
that situation where you feel souneasy and unsupported.
That's what we're going tobreak down today.
A thriving consulting businessis built on a solid business
foundation and a consulting codethat leads you toward your
(08:19):
ideal business and your ideallifestyle.
And the great thing about thiscode is that it works for any
type of consulting practice,whether you help clients with
professional development,business management, grant
writing, it or somethingentirely different.
This consulting code is notrocket science and is not beyond
your reach, and when you crackthe code, it can jumpstart the
(08:41):
growth of your solo consultingpractice and is what you need to
know to get started and lendyour first clients, and nothing
more.
This is a step-by-step processI wish I had so many years ago,
and that's why I wanted to sharethis with you and how you can
do this too.
So if you're interested instarting your consulting
(09:01):
business and creating adesirable offer to generate
leads for your offer and to makesales, then the consulting code
is your solution.
Visit wwwexcelatconsultingcomfor more information.
So you can ever spend a lot oftime just listening to what
people say and paying attention,not just in the moment, but
(09:26):
really focusing in on whatthey've been saying.
Over time, you start to realizethat a lot of what they're
saying has been on repeat.
After a while, some of the casestudies that they talk about
sound a little bit familiar.
The stats that they throw outin the middle of the meeting.
(09:46):
Yeah, they'll sound familiartoo, and let's see how.
About some of their opinions?
Or the way that they havebroken down some aspect of your
industry and where things aregoing to go, kind of giving
their forecast of the future.
All of those things begin tosound very familiar when you
(10:08):
really pay attention.
But very few of us actually arelistening to that extent.
And just to prove to you thatI'm not making this up, I want
to give you an exercise that Inormally give clients.
I want you to think about yourfavorite coach or consultant or
expert in your field and I wantyou to look at some of the
(10:30):
things that they have put outover time in some shape or
fashion, whether that is apresentation, a YouTube video,
some aspect of content on socialmedia or LinkedIn, instagram,
facebook, wherever.
I want you to go back.
As far as you can See, part ofthe problem is that we live in
this society where we are solelyfocused on what's happening in
(10:50):
our immediate time frame.
We're not thinking back yearsin terms of what people have
been saying previously.
We're solely focused on whatwe've heard last week,
oftentimes not even last week,yesterday, even just an hour ago
.
We're not going back in time,but if you actually pay
(11:11):
attention to what has been saidover an extended period of time,
what you'll often find is thata lot of this messaging is the
same, is on repeat and it'sbeing communicated from various
angles.
So it's not that, in theinstance of someone who has
(11:31):
truly made a name for themselvesin their industry and are
respected and have actuallycontributed to the space, those
individuals are not coming upwith new information all the
time, and there is a reason forthat.
This is not a bad thing.
This is not.
Oh well, they're saying thesame old thing and that's why it
(11:51):
doesn't matter.
No, they're saying it over andover and over again for a reason
, and part of that reason isthat it's going to help them
communicate their message moreeffectively, build a movement
around their message, as well asbuild the credibility and the
(12:13):
level of influence and authoritythat they need in order to be
more of a thought leader intheir space.
So go back and look throughtheir content, see what they
were talking about three yearsago, four years ago, five years
ago, more.
I bet you that you're going tofind that much of what you heard
in something that is veryrecent is very similar, eerily
(12:37):
similar, to what they've saidbefore.
So that's part of what you wantto begin to build, and the
expert messaging model isstructured where there are
really four components thatbegan to highlight your
expertise.
And when you craft this out,not only do you get clarity
around your message and what youstand for and what your
(12:59):
business is all about and theservices that you provide and
how you help, and your missionand your purpose.
Not only do you get clarityaround all of those things, but
you also create a way for you tocommunicate key aspects of your
business and business model ina way that begins to sell itself
(13:20):
.
So here are the four components.
So one of the first things westart off with is your personal
code.
What are you focused on, withyour purpose, with your mission?
What are you all about?
I think that's where we alwayshave to start, especially when
we're thinking about any type ofbusiness that is fueled and
(13:42):
driven from our purpose.
If there's a purpose or amission to what we're doing and
the type of work that we havebegun to put out and create and
the mission that we've beengetting to shape and mold, then
we have to start out there.
There has to be some level ofrealization and clarity around
(14:09):
what we actually hold to be trueand valuable.
What's our identity, what's ourpurpose, what are our values?
Those things matter.
That's really at the heart ofit all, because from that point
is where everything else beginsto evolve.
And then, when you think aboutyour personal code and kind of
(14:30):
who you are, you want to expandbeyond that, from who you are to
what you think and believe.
And that is looking at yourphilosophy.
What are the principles youlive by?
What's your point of view whenit comes to key aspects?
What are the frameworks thatyou've been able to distill
(14:50):
information into or down to sothat you're able to communicate
knowledge and expertise moreeffectively?
What are those things thattruly are behind your
recommendations and your adviceand your suggestions?
What are those guidingprinciples and thoughts?
(15:13):
And then, beyond that, you haveto have proof.
And what I'm talking about?
Proof?
I'm not talking about justsocial proof, just being able to
say that you have a testimonialor two, but I'm really talking
about what's the proof thatyou've been there, what's the
proof that you've been in thetrenches, that you have this
lived experience, that you havethe accomplishments and the
education and the knowledge thatis real, because in this age,
(15:35):
when we're living in between ourreal lives and this online
space, there are many peoplethat don't technically have this
legitimate proof, but they'velearned how to spin the
narrative For you.
You have to be able to stand onmore than that.
You're in an area, in a field,in an industry that's going to
(15:58):
expect you to know more, that'sgoing to expect you to be able
to show that you have a certainlevel of knowledge and
experience before they're goingto ever trust you with something
that's so major, such as theirbusiness or maybe even some
aspects of their personal life.
So personal call philosophyproof.
(16:20):
But then really, at the crux ofit all, and what makes the work
that we do so special, is thefact that we can distill all of
those things down into aprescription, and that's really
the solution and the insight andthe outcomes and the forecast
that we can provide.
What can we tell people rightnow that will transform who they
(16:44):
are today into someone they'regoing to be tomorrow?
That was going to transformtheir business into the point of
which they may be strugglingtoday, but then thriving and
prospering tomorrow.
That all comes from ourprescription.
What we are saying is asolution, those things that we
have crafted and put together.
(17:05):
And what I love about thismodel if you can picture this is
that this model is not a linearprocess.
It's not like you create yourpersonal code and then you have
a set philosophy, and then youhave your proof established and
then you're going to give aprescription.
No, that's not how it works.
The great part about being anexpert is that it's a continual
(17:29):
process.
There's a reason why we talkabout having a consulting
practice, because when you thinkabout a practice, that's
something that has to continueto evolve.
With time, you continue tolearn more, you continue to
shift in, edit and iterate andchange, modify, adapt over time.
(17:50):
So this is more of a cycle thatyou're going through as you
evolve.
This model evolves with you.
It changes within our industry.
A good example is when we thinkabout our philosophy when it
comes to some aspects of work.
(18:10):
Is that philosophy the sametoday, in the age of chat, gpt
and AI, as it was five or tenyears ago?
No, if it is, then that'sproblematic.
That person would more thanlikely not be a leader in their
field today, because today wehave the reality of a lot of
other tools that are availableto us that we don't want to run
(18:33):
from but actually incorporateinto the work that we do.
That, then, is going to reshapethe way that we see ourselves
in the work and the way that wecan visualize and envision the
outcome.
All of those things change, andthat's what's so great about
this model is that the modeladapts with you, and when you
(18:57):
map these things out foryourself, you become clear about
who you are, what you stand for, what your mission is, how you
approach problems, how you thinkabout issues, the things that
you prioritize, what you find tobe valuable for your lived
(19:18):
experience, how you're able toadapt and change and shift your
strategies based upon what youhave already seen work or even
not work.
You can give solutions that notjust are textbook answers but
are going to be answers thatpeople can use when those
textbook answers are not comingthrough.
(19:40):
That is what builds ourpractice.
That's what builds thefoundation of the messaging that
we want to begin to create, andonce that's created, it makes
everything a lot easier.
It does, and then you don'thave to have those fears and
that nervous energy runningthrough you when you're in those
(20:01):
moments and you feel likeyou're being put on the spot and
you're trying to race throughyour brain as fast as you can,
almost like your brain is goingthrough these little foul
folders trying to find the rightanswer and the time is ticking
super slow as everybody isstaring at you.
You don't have to have thosemoments.
You don't have to have thosemoments because you're going to
be better equipped.
You're going to have a solidfoundation and guide for you to
(20:26):
follow.
I like to call it my cheat sheet.
You know, like old school, youhave a cheat sheet for studying
for a test.
I know I did studying for atest, especially if it was
something that you had tomemorize, like if I had to
memorize facts for socialstudies or maybe even biology.
That was another subject whereI feel like you always had to
memorize something.
But the cheat sheet would comein handy because it was like
(20:48):
your quick reference when youneeded to learn or find some
information, like really quicklyon the spot.
That's what this becomes foryou.
It becomes almost like thecheat sheet for your business.
And I'm telling you, this modelcan completely Transform how
(21:09):
you do business, because youwill be amazed at how confident
you will become when you'resuper clear about what you are
saying, what you offer and thetype of Transformation that you
can provide.
When you have all those thingsnailed down Everything else from
your marketing to yourselves toany aspect of your business in
(21:33):
terms of visibility throughPodcasts or talking on stages or
writing articles or however,whatever you're gonna do all of
those things become Easier.
And it all starts with justmastering your message, not any
message, not thinking aboutcopywriting, not thinking about
just social media posts.
I'm talking about yourfoundational, expert messaging.
(21:57):
This, I'm telling you, is key.
There's really the secret thata lot of people have been using
for a very long time.
This is just a framework thathelps you do it a little bit
more concisely.
All right, guys, I hope that youenjoyed this episode.
It's my hope that you foundthis helpful and that you're
beginning to think about how youcan begin to craft this
(22:21):
Messaging for yourself.
Actually have a Workshop thatwill be coming up very soon that
will walk you through theelements of how to craft this
messaging, how to develop thelevel of clarity in your
business that you need, and thenalso how you're able to utilize
that in various aspects of yourbusiness, everything from
(22:42):
content creation to sales, tomarketing, to Talks, lectures,
books, you name it how you canutilize this framework, and on a
much greater scale, so that youare able to amplify your
message.
So be able to look out for that.
It's coming very, very soon and, hey, we're gonna talk about
(23:03):
more and more of just greattopics around consulting in the
upcoming week, so make sureyou're tuning back in.
Don't forget to subscribe if youhaven't done so already, and be
sure to share it with a friend.
All right, guys, I can't waitto talk to you very soon.
Take care, have a good one.
Thank you for tuning in to theblack girls console 2 podcast.
(23:24):
If you enjoyed today's episode,be sure to leave your review on
Apple podcast, subscribe andshare it with a friend.
We're on a mission to increasethe success and longevity of
women in consulting and you canhelp us do that.
Also, I'd love to hear from you.
So let's connect at dr AngelinaDavis on Instagram or LinkedIn,
(23:45):
and don't forget to visit excelat consulting comm for more
Information to support yourconsulting journey.
Until next time, take care.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!