How do you automate with authenticity?

The one thing people seem to associate with direct sales is "spam" aka tons of robotic, copy-paste insincere messages. With that in mind, it's understandable that many direct sellers are afraid of appearing spammy and don't want to send inauthentic messages about their business. But is automating parts of your business actually inauthentic? Let's break it down.

What is authenticity?

Some words the dictionary uses to help describe the word authenticity include: genuine, original, accurate, and reliable. Synonyms of authentic are things like trustworthy, honest, dependable, and real. 

For those of us that started our direct sales business because of products we loved, a mission we cared about, or to create opportunities for our families, authenticity is at the core of what we do. Everything about our business stems from a genuine, honest, and real place. 

Why is authenticity important?

As human beings, we rely on personal connection and trust for pretty much everything. Authenticity is the foundation for our relationships with each other and with the world. Basically, it's essential. In the context of sales, customers have to know, like, and trust you before choosing to shop with you. Of course, they get to know, like, and trust you when you're authentically and intentionally building a relationship with them and providing them value.

And this is where automation comes in.

Does automation work against authenticity?

No, quite the opposite actually. Automation, in and of itself, is neither authentic nor inauthentic. It's a neutral action taken to streamline or speed up tasks. The tasks get automated, not the experience, the relationship, or your business. You and your business are still authentic, genuine, trustworthy, and real even if you schedule social media posts ahead of time or plan out text messages and emails in advance. Automation is about task management. Authenticity is about how you interact and relate to people.

How do you automate authentically?

I thought you'd never ask! Automation actually enables you to spend more time on your relationships. The less time you spend clicking send, typing, and editing, the more time you have to check in on your customers, ask how they like their orders, and offer helpful tips. When you automate your tasks, you're not sacrificing authenticity, you're allowing it to have more space. Automation actually assists you to be more authentic and connect personally and genuinely with more people.