How can you stand out in your industry or niche?

To stand out, we must know our audience deeply, understanding their likes, dislikes, and dreams, just like a chef who knows everyone's favorite dish. It's not just age or location; it's their hobbies and aspirations. By seeing each group as a unique puzzle, we can craft messages that not just resonate but feel personal and special, showcasing that we have exactly what they're seeking.

To stand out in your industry or niche, you need to be different and better in a way that matters to your customers. Understand what your customers want and need, and make sure your products or services meet those needs exceptionally well. Create a strong and memorable brand, provide excellent customer service, and show your commitment to quality. Also, keep an eye on what your competitors are doing and find ways to do things differently or better than them. Building a reputation for excellence, innovation, and customer care will help you stand out and attract more customers.

The secret to standing out in any industry is being authentic and true to yourself, rather than trying to be like someone else. No one can be you, but you. Make your presence be known.

Be unique… Bring value. Every. Single. Time. Know who you want your audience to be, and how to communicate to them effectively.

Your target audience is your guiding star. Deeply understanding their needs and desires empowers you to create resonant messages and tailored solutions. Segment your audience, embrace their intricacies, and establish profound connections. This strategic approach becomes your beacon in a crowded landscape, illuminating your path to prominence and influence.

1- Specialize: When you specialize, you focus on a specific area within your industry. Specialization can lead to better understanding and insights into the unique challenges and opportunities within that niche. This expertise can help you provide tailored solutions that competitors might not offer. 2- Create your UVP (Unique Value Proposition): Your UVP is the core message that communicates what makes your business special. It should highlight the unique benefits and advantages of your products or services. To develop a compelling UVP, consider what problems you solve for your customers, what makes your approach different, and how your offerings improve their lives or businesses.

Different is better than better. (Read that again.) Brands spend their lives competing in a game they can’t win, instead of having the courage to create their own game. That means 'they' set the agenda in the minds of the category. Not you. They frame the problem. They educate the world on how to solve the problem and what the product or service is worth. So, you will always be compared to “them.”

A simple framework for Brand Story: First, the best brands instill an affinity in their tribe. It's like a seed has been planted in their mind, and it grows to be a giant tree. To that end, your goal is to become a SOWER. S=Surprise Every story starts when something changes. Illustrate the shifts in customers' lives. O=Opportunity These surprises create high stakes. There's an opportunity to either win or fail. W=Worldview What point of view, principles, or worldview is necessary to overcome this surprise, and take advantage of the opportunity? E=Energy That worldview translates to Energy: the steps required to overcome these surprises, and win that opportunity. R=Result The quantifiable end state. Returning transformed. ✌️

The question you should be obsessing over is: What’s our unique selling point (USP)? What is the characteristic that sets us apart from the rest of the herd? Is it a specific feature? Is it quality? Is it price? Is it tradition? Is it innovation? All if these (and others) are valid USPs, but you must clarify which one you stand behind. Once you clarify your brand/product identity then your marketing message will follow naturally and clearly.

Businesses always miss the accurate interpretation of branding by assuming they understand their consumer. They create mission statements, core values, and bold interpretations of what they stand for when, all the while, the world changes by the minute outside their galvanized positioning. They lead with push-directed content that is lost in the noise of their competitors as they stop asking questions, accepting change, and look at shifting trending sentiment as a burden, as opposed to enrichment. No, your brand cannot be all things to all people. Powerful brands, albeit small or large, understand that it's about playing a part in the lives of their consumer's ecosystems and not being seen as a one-and-done or fixed archetype.

You can brand yourself or bland yourself. You have to think of yourself as a brand and act accordingly. Your brand extends from the way you dress to the content you post.

Creativity Unleashed: Embracing creativity is essential. It's not just about thinking outside the box; it's about reimagining the box altogether. Be innovative, take risks, and do things differently.

Your brand is a promise to customers...a promise of what they can expect when they interact with you. You will want to stand out, but you'll still likely want to appeal to certain psychological principles. Color psychology, for example, says that colors "mean" certain things to people. (e.g., Blue for Confidence, Green for Health or Nature, White for Exclusive) This applies to all brand elements, and each should work to reinforce the promise you're making to customers.

#PURPLECOW I’ve always resonated with Seth Godin's “Purple Cow” principle which suggests that in a world full of ordinary brands (brown cows), a remarkable, unique product or idea (purple cow) is essential to capture attention and create a lasting impression and memorable brand. People need to remember your brand when their need/desire arises. If not - they will engage with what’s closest and most convenient. Not necessarily what’s best. So… Make it sticky. Made it memorable. Make it purple if you have too.

Visual Impact: Your visual identity isn't just a logo; it's the visual language of your brand. It should be unique, memorable, and consistent across all platforms, ensuring your brand is instantly recognizable.

Saved post and shared links are the *real* metrics. True experts are not afraid to give away their secrets. Why? They have more, they know how to apply the principles, they have networks to help execute... HubSpot Academy is a great example: They are teaching the next crop of marketers how to be marketers with HubSpot's tools, templates and methodologies. Brilliantly, they are building brand affinity with customers who aren't customers yet. All by giving. All for free. Knowing *what* to do is very different from having the experience, infrastructure, and keyed-in approach to execute. They'll come to you when they're ready. You've been helping them up until this point with your valuable content. The contract is a formality.

Content is king but consistency is key. Plus… Understanding how your audience consumes your content is as important. Don’t waste content. If your viewer only watches 3 minutes of your 30 minute video. Make 10 x 3 minute videos instead. We expect people to chug a 2 liter bottle when all they want is a 100 calorie can.

Content is King: Content isn't just about words; it's about providing value. Educate, inspire, or entertain your audience through diverse content formats like blogs, videos, and podcasts.

Consistently deliver value, and don't forget the power of inspiration—something I hold dear as one of my core values. When building a community, these two ingredients can be your secret sauce, along with being authentic, for success. #CommunityBuilding #ValueCreation #Inspiration

Always think about what you want to achieve when building your community. You want to build a community with substance and not just build a community to build a community. The more you hand pick and really put thought into who is in the circle the more you will get out of the content and so will the users. You will have the real professionals and audience you are trying to reach involved in the conversations that can lead to actual deals.

ABCs of building community….. -Ask questions. -Be kind. -Collaborate. -Dance ( have fun ) -Engage Newbies -Free stuff -Give Credit … keep it going y’all:

Community Building: Your community is your brand's backbone. By providing value and fostering connections within your community, you can turn customers into loyal advocates who amplify your message.

Always keep moving forward! Check out others to see what works or get inspired for new ideas that may work in your own way. You never want to stay idle. Read the Book "Who Moved My Cheese". This will show you the way!! Keep moving, keep evolving, and keep innovating. This will lead to multiple doors.

Never Stop Evolving: Innovation is key to staying relevant. Continuously adapt, listen to your audience, and be open to change. Experimentation is how you discover what truly sets you apart. Standing out requires more than superficial differences; it's about infusing your brand with purpose, creativity, and authenticity while continually evolving to meet your audience's evolving needs.