|
“You know what really sets us apart? XYZ. But we can’t say that. Our competitors would hate us!” I’ve heard some variation of this from multiple clients over the years. And it always surprises me. So many businesses are struggling to identify the one thing that sets them apart — if you’ve found yours, why wouldn’t you want to shout it from the rooftops? Clearly, my clients are coming from a place of fear. Everyone else’s website looks like this. We can’t say or do something different! This is the lizard brain speaking, and it’s hard to resist. We’re wired to want to blend in. There’s safety in numbers. But in business, blending in is death. To grow your business, you need to stand out. You need to be the weirdo with blue hair… the rebel who raises the bar… the only solution that does XYZ. And you need to highlight that difference everywhere you can: your messaging, your branding, your content, etc. When a client tells me they can’t say XYZ, I usually try to find a way to tell the story for them. It may be a blurb on the website or a full-length blog post or video. But I capture the magic for them and show them what it looks like. Invariably, they become giddy with excitement. “My competitors are going to hate us for this!” It’s true. They might. But only because, now, they have to work harder to keep up. This week, I want you to take a hard look at the messaging around your business, your product, or offer. And be honest with yourself. Is it different? Does it stop your prospect in their tracks? Does it clearly distinguish you from everyone else in the market? There are lots of ways you can differentiate. Probably the most common are to:
But honestly, there are no rules to this. Your goal is to separate yourself from the crowd. Beyond that, anything goes. Here’s to the weirdos! Let’s be among them! Kathryn Aragon P.S. Learn how I helped RoofSimple grow their business by crafting messaging that clearly set them apart from their competitors. P.P.S. Need help with marketing that makes you a market of one? Hit reply and let me know what your challenge is. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. |
I've helped marketers and founders grow their business for 20 years. Get weekly tips and tactical ideas that will accelerate your growth.
Many marketers treat tactics like a checklist. Social media? Check. SEO? Check. Lead funnel? Check. What they don’t realize is that by focusing on tactics, they’re leaving gaps in the customer journey where it’s too easy for people to exit or engage with your competitor. Every business that’s thriving today is laser focused on their customer: their experience and the path they travel from awareness, to engagement, to acquisition, and beyond. Even more importantly, these businesses are...
After the fourth stem cell treatment for my spinal cord injury, I thought I’d finally begin regaining my life. So of course, I got a job in Seattle and traveled there once a quarter. I even decided to attend Social Media Marketing World in San Diego, my first big event since before the injury. I obviously believed I was on the mend. And I did great… Until I didn’t. It was the last day of the event. I had walked the length of the San Diego convention center multiple times over the previous two...
In recent years, there’s been a move within companies to consolidate the teams that drive revenue. It makes sense on the surface — get them all on the same page, working together, and revenue should improve, right? But there’s a problem. The focus of this effort is usually on uniting Marketing and Sales. Marketing still has to perform their top-of-funnel activities, but their priority is to drive leads for Sales, making them an ipso facto sales development team. I could talk for an hour about...