As someone with a petite stature, confidence was not an easy find for me in my early years. I used to feel like the smallest in the room, and this reflected. It reflected in the carriage, and interaction with others.
Over time, I saw that the lack of confidence did more harm than good. So, even if I didn’t feel like it, I started to project confidence. One thing that really helped me was that I recognized the reason I lacked confidence. It was my stature, a phenomenon I had no control over. I learned to accept it, and even fall in love. At the same time, I did things that fueled my confidence. Like my outfit. I found myself getting drawn to outfits that would flatter and draw attention. That way, I had no choice but to interact. Another thing I invested in was knowledge. See, knowledge is a confidence builder. The feeling you get when you’re sure of what you’re saying is unparalleled.
Fun fact: Most people that know me would find this unbelievable, but every time I have to talk in a new room, I do it afraid.
A lack of confidence can be perceived miles away and it discourages people from approaching you with opportunities. While it is important to not be all talk and have evidence to back up claims you can do what you say you can. It is also important to learn how to talk about your craft, and service, especially online. A multitude of people are met daily and unless you make an impression or continuously appear in people’s faces, it is easy to forget about you.
Confidence in what you do is believing in it. It is knowing that you put in your best and did an excellent job. It is being able to defend it anytime because you’re certain of the result.
In freelancing, getting a job depends on how well you can convince people that you know how to do what you say you can do and that you are the best man for the job. To convince people that you can do something, you have to convince yourself. You have to believe in yourself and be confident in your ability
Confidence is essential in job hunting, and that is a solid fact.
Meanwhile, it is one thing to be confident, it is another to be able to showcase this confidence. A lot of freelancers have missed out on opportunities not even due to a lack of confidence but due to not coming across as confident when communicating with a prospective client.
You do not only need confidence, you also need to know how to communicate confidently to showcase your confidence.
How can I improve my confidence and effectively communicate it?
9 Ways to build Confidence and effectively communicate it
- Invest in yourself
- Look at what you have achieved and how good it makes you feel.
- Focus on your strengths while accepting your flaws
- Accept that no one is perfect and we all are trying to improve.
- Think of what it can cost you to come off as unconfident.
- Use strong words such as, ‘I believe I can…’ when communicating with a prospect.
- Be bold and speak audibly.
- Be sure of your prices and services.
- Do your research before making that first contact as that improves your confidence level.
For me, my outfits or knowledge about a subject matter boosts my confidence so you see me invest in those. Buy nice clothes, read books, and invest in things that boost your confidence. Invest in your development.
Take a step back and look at your track record. See the things you’ve done in the past and how good they made you feel. If you’ve done it before, you definitely can do it again. That alone is a huge boost to one’s confidence.
Self-awareness is a very important thing. Remember how I mentioned I had to recognize what was putting a damper on my confidence, that’s what self-awareness does. It is recognizing where you’re at, your strengths and weaknesses. It is capitalizing on your strengths, building on them while accepting your flaws, and seeking improvement in aspects that can be improved upon. When you’re aware, nothing comes as a shock anymore and it becomes easy to find that confidence.
One thing you should know is that no one is perfect. The picture-perfect people or situations probably have the most chaotic background. Everyone curates their best part to be put out there. You do yourself a great disservice if you start to make comparisons between yourself and images of others. Though, you should know that while perfection is a myth, it is essential to continually work on improvement. That’s what smart people do. Even that person you think has it all together is continually trying to improve so why can’t you?
Put yourself in the position of a client faced with two prospects. There’s one, all confident and able to communicate her offering in clear terms of how to be of benefit to you. And another is inarticulate and acts like she doesn’t believe what she’s saying. Who will attract you? The second person might even know more about the subject matter. But the inability to communicate that knowledge points against her.
In your interaction, avoid words like “I think, I should be able to” and employ words like “I believe, I can”. This sends a positive signal to your brain and to the prospective client.
Do not try to hide your voice when communicating. Ensure you’re audible and your voice carries your intended information across clearly.
Be sure of your offerings. Know exactly what service you have to offer and at what price. Decide prior to the meeting whether or not you will be giving discounts and to what extent. Be aware of how your services can be of benefit to the prospective client and leverage this. It is easier to be confident when you know what you’re doing.
The worst thing to do for yourself is to go into a conversation unprepared. Before that initial contact, ensure you have done your research. Be armed with the necessary information about the other party required to direct your meeting. Your ability to carry on the conversation and answer questions thrown at you gives your confidence a major boost.
Confidence building does not start in a day and the journey is not an easy one, but at the end of the day, it is worth it and the returns are great.
What are the activities you do that boost your confidence? Share with me in the comment section
