How I help clients clarify their "why," and why it's important!
The ability to put myself in someone else's shoes comes second nature to me. That is one of the aspects that drew me to ghostwriting in the first place. There is an adventure in allowing yourself to be all-in on someone else's hopes and dreams; and a level of finesse to effectively align yourself with someone else's experiences, emotions, and beliefs.
The beginning of any new business or idea stems from curiosity. Curiosity is a natural part of human development. God created us as curious beings. The old adage curiosity killed the cat may be true, but it is also true that curiosity is the spark behind every new idea, invention, and discovery. Our curiosity causes us to dig in and learn about things that interest us.
What would happen if I …..?
Why isn't anyone doing anything about …….?
Isn't……. easy for everyone?
Does anyone else also struggle with……..?
Out of curiosity for what could be, a business or organization is born, I love to help my clients get curious about their why.
One of the first things I ask when meeting with a new client is for them to define their why. It is important to me to understand their intentions and motives to be an effective support.
Regardless of the type of business, clients often respond with something like;
"I want to help people become better at _______," or
"I want to offer ______service to people so that they have more time to do the things they enjoy." These are great starting points, but they are only the tip of the iceberg!
Their why is the foundational purpose for their business or organization. The foundation of this business holds the roots from which it will grow.
The foundation determines
The mission statement
Vibe
Morals
Character
Ultimate success or failure of the business.
Asking W.H.Y.
One method I use to help clarify my client's foundational purpose is to ask them W.H.Y.
W-ho. Who exactly does your business serve? (Be super duper specific.)
H-ow. What problems do those specific people face? How exactly are you solving those problems?
Y-ou. What is it about you that has made you invested in solving this problem for these people?
((I will get more specific with each step in upcoming posts, but for now, here is a brief overview of each. ))
Who
Getting clear about who exactly their business serves helps my clients identify their ideal clients' specific wants, needs, hopes, fears, hang-ups, and conversation style.
Content will mean absolutely nothing if we aren't clear about exactly to whom we are writing.
How
How my client is helping the people they serve is another essential piece of information. How they serve their clients directly affects the type, location, length, and depth of content we create.
You
This is where the heart comes out. This is my favorite puzzle piece! I listen to my client's stories about what has brought them to this moment in time. What gets them excited, ignited, and passionate about helping these specific people solve this problem in this particular way.
Helping clients build their foundational purpose, their why, sets the stage for effective content with a clear, compelling, on brand and passionate voice.
........Also, it is like a treasure hunt for me! I thoroughly enjoy discovering all the layers to my client's story and helping them make sense of the pieces to help them say just the right thing, in just the right way.
As a ghostwriter, it's my job to put myself in my client's shoes. Regardless of the product they are producing, I need to be able to see the world from their point of view, empathize with their struggles-both past and present, and become emotionally invested in their experience to capture their unique voice accurately. When my clients are passionate about something, I feel just as excited as they are about their pursuit!