Kent Sanders

Reflections on Writing & Creativity

Podcast: Finding Clarity and Getting Unstuck (with Steve Woodruff, King of Clarity)

February 14, 2019 by Kent Sanders | Leave a Comment

Imagine that you and I are having coffee together, and I looked across the table at you and said, “Give me a clear summary of what you do in 1-2 sentences” … what would you say? If you would struggle to answer that question, you have a clarity problem. I can relate because this is an area where I have struggled as well. We’re in luck because our guest today shares a massive amount of wisdom and practical tips for getting clarity about your creative work, your business, and your ideal customer, client, or reader.

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I’m excited to bring you this conversation with Steve Woodruff, who is known as the “King of Clarity.” He helps people find their professional purpose through his Clarity Consulting process. Steve works with businesses as well as individuals in career transition to help them be more effective and discover their fit in the marketplace. He is also the author of the excellent book Clarity Wins: Get Heard, Get Referred.

This episode is packed with a ton of amazing information, as you can see from the length of the episode highlights I’ve listed in the show notes. But just to give you a couple of highlights, you’ll learn how to start thinking like a business person, how to determine your ideal customer or client (this applies to authors, not just “business” people), and how to effectively network with people as an introvert. Steve also gives me a mini coaching session and shares his very personal journey through depression.

Episode Highlights

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • Why so many entrepreneurs and creative types are confused by what they are doing.
  • The value of joining the creative and business aspects to find a profitable and fulfilling avenue for yourself.
  • How you can begin thinking like a business person.
  • The difference between a business and a hobby.
  • How to get feedback on what problems you can solve or pain points you can address.
  • How to speak about yourself so others know who to refer you to, and why.
  • Why it’s good to pigeonhole yourself when it comes to getting business.
  • How to choose your business focus when you are good at multiple things.
  • Networking strategies for introverts, and why Steve chooses to “go deep” with individuals instead of schmoozing in large groups.
  • A key question to ask when networking with others: “Tell me how you go there”  (Steve calls this “story asking” or the “evolution story.”)
  • How Steve uses LinkedIn and Twitter to build relationships and add value.
  • Steve’s mini clarity coaching session with me! (My mind is still reeling from his ideas.)
  • The importance of packaging and labeling your offerings to your audience. (People love packages!)
  • The two HU’s of the people Steve likes to work with: they are hungry and humble.
  • What Steve has learned from his journey through depression.
  • Practical steps to start gaining more clarity in your business: Who is my ideal customer, and what do they feel?

Key Takeaways

1. You must decide whether you have a business or a hobby.

This question can be hard on us artists and creatives. We have a tendency to dabble to follow our curiosity. While curiosity is great, it doesn’t always pay the bills. If we want to make income from our creative work, we need to identify a pain or aspiration that people are willing to open their wallets for. This means joining our creativity with practical needs that people are feeling.

I’ve heard it said that everyone is tuned into the station WIIFM: “What In It For Me?” That’s a great reminder that ultimately, people are most concerned with how we can help them. So we must ask the question: How can we use our creative talents to meet a need that people will pay for?

2. Don’t resist the need to pigeonhole yourself.

Following on from the first point: while it’s good to explore our curiosity, at the end of the day we need to be clear about what we do and the value we provide. I confess this is something I have really struggled with. I’m a perfectionist by nature and tend to get “paralysis by analysis.” I am multi-talented and can do a variety of things. Maybe you feel that way as well.

But the reality is that people only have so much mental space for us, and they are going to pigeonhole us anyway. It’s better to create that specific image for people and make it easier for them, than leave it up to chance. So decide what you want to be known for.

3. Follow Steve’s strategy for networking.

Steve mentioned how he uses LinkedIn and Twitter. He shares short videos and regularly posts content. I love that strategy and am going to start following it more. He also mentioned that he prefers to network one-on-one with people, which builds strong relationships of mutual support over time.

So if you’re an introvert, these are great suggestions that won’t emotionally drain you. At the end of the day, it’s much better to have a key number of deep relationships than it is to have a bunch of superficial ones.

Resources

I want to thank Steve for taking the time out of his busy schedule to share this amazing conversation!