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Key Takeaways<\/p>\n
\u2022 On Education Day at ASI Fort Worth, Shawna Suckow encouraged small businesses to lead with authenticity rather than rigid professionalism, arguing that genuine emotion and personality build stronger relationships and trust. <\/p>\n
\u2022 She said it\u2019s an ideal time to be a small business because consumers increasingly distrust large corporations, and humanizing a brand helps attract the right customers. <\/p>\n
\u2022 Suckow emphasizes transparent communication, showcasing real personalities on websites and materials, and using tools like conversation-starting business cards to \u201cout-human the competition.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shawna Suckow believes professionalism is overrated.<\/p>\n
That may not be the first thing you\u2019d expect from a business owner, professional speaker and author of seven books on marketing and leadership. But Suckow of The Buyer Insider says leading with authenticity and emotion, rather than pretending to be someone she\u2019s not, has helped her sustain a thriving business.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not everyone\u2019s favorite person or brand,\u201d she said during her Education Day session at ASI Fort Worth titled \u201cBuild Trust & Be Unforgettable: Modern Marketing Tactics for Small Businesses.\u201d \u201cBut the people I choose to work with really get me. The problem is when we try to be everything to everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Shawna Suckow speaks to ASI Fort Worth attendees about how to stand out in a crowded market.<\/p>\n
A Good Time To Be a Small Business<\/p>\n
According to Suckow, who runs her own small business helping individuals and teams transform their sales and marketing based on changing customer trends, now is a good time to be a small business.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is our era,\u201d she said to an audience of distributors, most of whom identified as small businesses with fewer than 10 employees. \u201cIt\u2019s an asset to be small. It\u2019s never been easier to win people\u2019s trust because people distrust large corporations right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
But standing out in a crowded market can be a challenge, especially in promo where, as Suckow points out, many distributors are selling the same things.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe sell commodities,\u201d she said. \u201cWe sell things that the person next to you could just as easily source. But we all realize the importance of relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first step to getting customers and prospects to trust you, said Suckow, is to humanize your company. Integrating that human element into the work will help attract the types of people distributors actually want as customers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThink about your favorite customer to work with,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat if you could only work with people like them? How much more fun would your job be? How much easier would your marketing be?\u201d<\/p>\n
Communicating Openly & Transparently<\/p>\n
To successfully build trust with customers, authenticity is critical. \u201cWe don\u2019t trust perfection,\u201d Suckow said. \u201cWe trust regular people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Regular people, like those who are bold enough to talk openly about that order that went wrong. \u201cWe want to see the messy middle,\u201d Suckow said. \u201cWe want to know what your business did to handle it. \u2026 You can out-human the competition.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added that distributors and other small businesses can leverage websites as opportunities to show potential buyers who they are.<\/p>\n
\u201cBe relatable,\u201d she said. \u201cTalk about your family, pets, kids as much as you feel comfortable with.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even opting for photos that highlight employees\u2019 distinct personalities, as opposed to featuring standard headshots, can go a long way toward helping a brand stand out.<\/p>\n
Suckow\u2019s business cards are a prime example of how she integrates her authentic personality into her business. With 20 different styles, all Suckow\u2019s business cards ask a specific question, such as \u201cWho inspires you?\u201d or \u201cWhat fear have you overcome?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe business cards should start a conversation rather than end it,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n
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Suckow\u2019s business cards show the person behind the business.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s just another way Suckow builds trust. By inviting potential customers to get to know her as a person, not just a name or a business, Suckow stands out in a crowded market. She hopes more businesses start to do the same.<\/p>\n
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Stay Ahead of the Curve<\/p>\n