What people pay attention to

I was updating my LinkedIn profile and was given the option for AI to rewrite it.

You’ve probably seen these AI integrations across a number of different platforms?

And to my delight, AI did an excellent job.

It covered all bases and flowed really nicely. (You can read for yourself it at the bottom of this post).

So I pressed publish.

But then I started to wonder, what is the point of my profile?

What am I trying to communicate BEYOND the words?

Because there were two problems with how AI had drafted my profile.

The first?

It was written in third person. It was about me not from me.

“Bri Williams is this…she does that…” type of thing.

The second?

It was all about ME.

“Gee, Bri” you might be thinking, “fancy your LinkedIn profile being about you!”

But here’s what I mean.

When people are reading your profile or website, they want to learn about you in the context of what you mean for them.

Because they are their main character.

👉 You therefore need to answer, either explicitly or implicitly, the “what that means for you is…” question.

Now, I said there were two problems.

There are actually three.

Because the BIGGEST problem with AI – at least, my experiences of AI so far – is this.

👉👉 Convention.

As it’s algorithmically based, when you use AI you will receive a homogenised, safe, conventional spiel.

❌ Spiel that does NOT incorporate behavioural science, by the way.

I noticed this when my online course software provider pre-populated course structure and content for my free small business course.

What it returned was good. But what it returned was BLAND.

Same with my LinkedIn profile.

Now, you may be tempted to use AI to short cut your writing process. Plenty of marketers, HR professionals and small business owners are.

But be careful. Output ≠ engagement.

👉 👉👉 People pay attention to what’s different, not what’s the same.

And that's why I rewrote my LinkedIn profile (see below).

To know the science behind how and when to break with convention, email me.

The last thing I'd want for you is to be bland.

Here's the AI generated version of my LinkedIn profile

"Bri Williams is a Managing Director and Behavioural Expert with over 12 years of experience in helping clients change behaviour, either their own or someone else's. 

She is the founder of People Patterns, a consultancy that applies behavioural economics to influence action in business. 

She is also a keynote speaker, a contributing writer, and the host of Talking Talks podcast.

Bri works with clients who are curious about behavioural science, seeking change and growth in their business, and leaders with decision-making authority. 

She helps them maximise each and every interaction, whether it is with customers, suppliers, staff, investors, or stakeholders. She specialises in the behavioural science behind business conversion, personal effectiveness, and getting people to take action.

Bri has written multiple books, including The Williams Behaviour Book, Behavioural Economics for Business and The How of Habits, and has delivered multiple presentations and speaking engagements on various topics related to behaviour change. 

A CPA, a B.Applied Psych, a B.Accounting, and an ILPM, Bri has also completed executive education at Yale School of Management, wellness coaching at Wellness Coaching Australia, and persuasive design bootcamp with Professor BJ Fogg.

She believes that everything we do in business is about changing behaviour, and that there is a better way to do it than what we have been doing. 

When you know how to change behaviour you can change your world."

And here's how I wrote it:

First I confound them. Then I delight them. Then they delight me.

Hi, I’m Bri and I work with two types of people:

➡ Corporate HR leaders
➡ Small Business Owners.

But...what on earth do these groups have in common?

A sense that things can and should be better in their business.

And because everything in business is about behaviour – getting someone to do something – that means…

➡ For HR leaders, helping their people influence their own behaviour, their colleagues’ behaviour and the behaviour of their customers, suppliers and stakeholders.

➡ For Small Business Owners, optimising every touch point in their business so it generates the results they expect and deserve.

Gee, that’s a lot of words Bri.

What do you really do?

🤔 First I confound them.
😃 Then I delight them.
🙌 Then they delight me.

And I do this with behavioural science.

Curious? Send me a DM.