The Best Marketing Advice? Sound Like Yourself

On a recent walk, I found myself replaying a conversation we had with Michelle Borkowski from F2 Strategy on the WomenShare podcast. We were talking about authenticity in marketing—not as a trendy word, but as a real, critical part of how we show up in business today.

In industries built on trust—like wealth management—authenticity isn’t optional. It’s essential.

Alignment Builds Trust

If you think about how most people choose a financial advisor or wealth manager, it’s rarely a snap decision. It’s likely something a person will only do once or twice in their life. Before a future client ever commits to a meeting, they’re quietly doing their homework: reading your posts, scanning your website, checking your bio, flipping through your thought leadership articles, or skimming a client newsletter you sent out.

They’re not just asking, Can this person manage my money?
They’re asking, Can I trust them with my future? Do they understand what matters to me?

And when everything you put out there sounds scripted, overly polished, or disconnected from who you really are—it creates a gap. A gap between the person they think they’ll meet and the person they actually meet. And gaps erode trust.

Marketing—whether it’s a media interview, a LinkedIn post, or a video on your website—is your chance to help close that gap, not widen it.

How to Find What Feels Real to You

Authenticity starts by reconnecting with your own voice.

Here are a few simple questions to help you get there:

• What would you say if you were speaking with a longtime client?
• What topics make you light up when you talk about them?
• What stories from your own career or life do you keep telling—and why?
• If someone read your bio or attended your webinar, would it feel seamless when they met you in person?

And full disclosure: I’m reminding myself of this just as much as I'm reminding you. There are still times when I overthink what to say or hesitate before sharing something real. I’m learning, just like you, that it's better to sound like myself—even if it feels a little vulnerable—than to sound like a perfectly edited version of someone I’m not.

5 Ways to Bring More Authenticity Into Your Marketing

1. Write and speak without perfect phrasing.
   It’s easy to over-edit ourselves, whether it’s drafting a client letter, crafting an article, or preparing for a presentation. But connection often comes through in the imperfect moments. Aim for clear and genuine over polished and detached.
   
   
2. Share thoughts when they’re fresh—even if they’re not fully formed.
   Some of the most memorable marketing doesn’t come from a grand strategy session. It comes from real-time reflections—a note after a client meeting, an article you wrote on a plane, a comment during a podcast interview that made you stop and think.
   
   
3. Let your real personality show across every touchpoint.
   Whether it’s the tone of your newsletters, the stories you tell on a panel, or the way you structure your website bio, don’t be afraid to let your energy, humor, or passion show through.
   
   
4. Choose personal glimpses that build trust.
   You don’t have to share everything. But letting people glimpse the causes you support, the teams you celebrate, or the values that drive you can help bridge the human-to-human connection, not just professional-to-professional.
   
   
5. Don’t worry about chasing formats or formulas.
   The best marketing isn’t always the most polished or viral. It’s the marketing that makes a prospective client think, “I could see myself working with them.” That’s the real win.

Get Over the Awkwardness—and Hit Post (Or Publish, Or Send)

Putting yourself out there can feel awkward—whether you're posting online, sending a newsletter, publishing an article, or speaking at a conference.

And it’s easy to get in our own way, worrying about what colleagues, former coworkers, or industry peers (who aren’t our clients) will think.

But here’s the thing: they’re not your audience. Your prospective clients are.

When I'm posting about WomenShare, I picture a specific woman: Mid-career. Passionate about learning. Focused on growing, and on mentoring others in the industry. That’s who I’m speaking to. Not the 500 random connections who might scroll by.

And when I focus on her—the woman who would find value in the conversation or encouragement I'm sharing—it gets so much easier to hit “publish” without second-guessing.

If you create with the intention of helping someone instead of impressing everyone, the pressure fades—and the authenticity shines through.

(And yes, I’m reminding myself of this every time I hover over the "Post" or "Send" button too.)

You’re Allowed to Sound Like You

Here’s the bottom line: In wealth management and other trust-driven industries, people aren’t just buying a service. They’re buying into a relationship, a philosophy, a future vision for their lives.

They’re looking for someone who feels trustworthy—not just technically skilled. Someone who understands the emotional side of money as much as the numbers.

And that trust-building starts long before the first meeting. It starts the moment they encounter your voice—whether it’s on your website, in your newsletter, at a conference, or online.

So if you find yourself second-guessing what to write, say, or post—pause and ask yourself: What would I say to a friend who trusts me?

Say that.

That’s the real you. And that’s who they want to meet.