Are You Valuable…Or Interesting?

I’ve been talking to a number of new bloggers the past several weeks, and it seems that they’re all getting the same advice from the experts, namely that they should focus on providing valuable content.  This might come as a surprise, but I’ve told all of them to ignore that advice.  Why?

Before I tell you why, let me say for the record that I’m all for valuable content.  I think valuable content is great.  It’s what makes a blog worth reading.  It’s what makes the internet…well, valuable.  But here’s the thing: whether or not you provide valuable content is entirely secondary to what really matters: whether or not you’re interesting.

That’s why I tell people to ignore the advice about valuable content, at least at the beginning.  The directive to “provide valuable content” bogs down a lot of new, and even seasoned, bloggers because they end up spending all their time trying to figure out what readers will find “valuable” instead of actually writing anything.  Readers can never be interested in, and never, ever find value in what never gets written.

The same is true in sales.  I’ve seen salespeople who are completely obsessed with creating the perfect script to use when they make calls or deliver presentations.  In fact, they get so obsessed that they never actually get around to calling, let alone making any presentations.  Again, the desire to provide value gets in the way of actually delivering something valuable.

So how can you get out of your own way?  How can you create something that will grab the interest and attention of your readers or prospects?  How can you craft the perfect post or the perfect pitch to bring them in?

I can only tell you this: stop trying so hard and just go do it.  One of my favorite quotes from Ken Blanchard is this: “Trying is just a noisy way of not doing.”  If you really want to make an impact on others, either through blogging or through your efforts as a salesperson, you’re going to have to connect with them.  And the only way you can truly connect with others is to stop trying to be something else and start being yourself.

This is a powerful lesson that I’m still in the process of learning, and the best advice I can offer is to just let your guard down and embrace who you really are.   Even if it’s only for a minute or two, or however much you can handle without having a meltdown, just feel what it’s like to be totally exposed, basking in the glow of your true self.  It will simultaneously exhilarate and terrify you, especially if you’ve been trying to be someone else for a long time.

Do this, and learn to be good at it, and you’ll have no problem at all being interesting.  People will be drawn from miles around.  Those who resonate with your particular frequency will be attracted to the real you.  They will come from far and wide to read your words or buy your stuff.  And when they do, you’ll be in the perfect position to provide exactly the value they need.