This article is brought to us by our latest guest blogger and freelance copywriter, Nichole Bazemore. Nichole spends her days writing about awesome small business owners just like you. She writes catchy, clever marketing copy that “cuts to the chase” for small businesses, coaches, and consultants through her company, Simply Stated Solutions. If you need help simply stating the “Ooh” of you, find out more via e-mail, her website, LinkedIn or Twitter.

   I recently spoke at a gathering of local small businesswomen who were given a simple assignment which was broken into three parts. First, tell the group your name and a little bit about your company. Second, give one compliment to each person sitting at your table. And finally, state one compliment about yourself.

One by one, the women popped out of their seats, eager to introduce themselves and their companies. They graciously complimented the other women at their table. But when it was time to extend that same graciousness to themselves, can you guess what happened?

Silence.  Eyes opened wide, searching the ceiling for some hidden answer.  Fidgeting and lip biting. And a lot of verbal mumbling and fumbling which was punctuated by awkward “ums” and pensive statements like, “let’s see…”

Why is it so easy to talk about what we do for business but so hard to talk about who we are in business?

Haven’t we read all those articles about our “unique service proposition,” or USP? That’s just a fancy acronym for that “thing” you do that no one else can. Think of it as the “Ooh” of you.  What do you do that makes people go, “Ooh”!?

How do you find it? For starters, listen. People have a hard time keeping good things to themselves, and I guarantee that in the course of your daily living, people make complimentary observations about you quite regularly. Listen to what they say. Notice a pattern or theme? That’s your USP.

You can also ask. Poll colleagues or former and current clients; ask them to fill out an anonymous survey about your work and comb the answers for similar comments or observations about your personality, communications style, or creativity.

You can also review emails from satisfied clients, the ones which begin, “Thank you so much! This is perfect!” What are they raving about? Probably, the “Ooh!” of you.

If clients who respond to your query say your work needs improvement in any area, be receptive and grateful and then get to work improving.

But if they say you’re awesome, easy to work with, on time, professional, highly-talented, or any other adjective that would describe your sheer fabulousness, you have to accept it. Wear it proudly and boldly. Stick your chest out and reflect that confidence in your marketing materials, on your website, at networking events, and in your elevator pitch.

In my experience, it’s not a sub-standard product or service that keeps small business owners from shining.  Nor is it the competitors who would love to take your place.  Rather, I believe it’s a general uncertainty, fear, or disbelief that they really have something valuable to offer in the first place.

People can give you applause and accolades all day long. They can tell you you’re fabulous, unlike anything or anyone in the marketplace.

In the end, all they can do is tell you. It’s up to you, and only you, to believe it.

As Chief Operating Officer of wordZXpressed, I oversee the day to day operations, IT and marketing aspects of our business. I continue to serve as Project Manager for EHR/EMR interfaces with our customers as well as other IT functions. I am always interested in migration projects, implementation projects and emerging technologies in the healthcare industry. I am also a BIG fan of social media in business.

Connect me on Website