You wouldn’t know it by the way I run my mouth off sometimes, but I spend lots of time mulling over ideas of image, presentation, and messaging.  Today I’m thinking about authenticity…that hard to define, je ne sais quois that every company wants but not everyone can achieve.  All too often, I’m struck by the almost-right-but-oh-so-wrongness of a company’s message…the communications equivalent of a creepy pageant contestant who looks great but just doesn’t act like a normal human.  And an inability to communicate with genuine credibility is often to blame.

What’s authenticity? To me, the word “authenticity” defies a dictionary definition.  It’s the perfect balance and blend of truth, transparency, and individuality.  It evokes trustworthiness and comfort.  And it doesn’t shy away from warts, wrinkles, and hard-to-discuss subjects.

What do businesses and brands gain from authenticity? An authentic voice establishes credibility and familiarity, lending a “known quantity” feeling to a brand that creates trust.  Authenticity has a holy grail kind of feel…you want your message to come off clearly, simply, and truthfully, and you probably want even complex or crafty messages to sound unforced and truthful.

What’s the catch? The catch is that, by default, marketing and PR communications involve a level of thought, planning, and skill that at its core can come off as inauthentic.  Simply telling someone you’re great isn’t enough…in fact, it could be the worst possible thing to do.  Instead, there’s a complex balancing act that comes into play when creating authentic communications.  You have to imply your greatness (or funness, or usefulness, or whatever value your brand brings to customers) through demonstrable actions (results, benefits).  The problem?  It’s not enough to appear to be genuine. Yes, it’s okay to think through your communications strategy (um, a bit more than okay)…but if it comes off as forced, it won’t work.  Consumers smell inauthenticity.  They see it coming.  It’s the marketing equivalent of a blind date sensing desperation or a dog picking up on your emotional state.

So how do you foster authenticity?  Here are a few recommendations:

• Keep it simple.  It’s way easier to drive home one point at a time.
• Get your values in line.  Speak from a place of true conviction and passion.  If the underpinnings are right, you can’t help but nail it.
• Remember the humans.  Customers and clients aren’t just dollars…they’re people.  Fix a picture of your client or customer firmly in your mind…then talk to them!  No bull allowed.  It is shocking how many companies — big, well-funded, supposedly brand-savvy companies — seem unwilling or unable to acknowledge the needs, wants, desires, and realities of their customers as they are, not as they want them to be.
• Don’t hide. Develop a habit of facing objections, challenges, and pitfalls head-on.  Does that mean you need to broadcast all of your problems at all times?  No, but you need to be willing to address them in a straightforward and transparent manner.  Let the truth be your guide, even when it’s challenging.
• Practice.  Try out your message and see if it rings true.  Not hitting the right note?  Solicit feedback, tweak, and try again.

What’s your take on authenticity?  I’d genuinely (har) love to know.  – Erin

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