“Stand out!” is something a stage mom would shout from the wings as her child takes the stage. The aspiring young performer probably has an idea on just how to do just that, too. Sing louder, dancer bigger, or act funnier. But, in growing your business, mom isn’t there to offer such wisdom. Besides, even if she were, how would you know how to… stand out.
Whether your biz is in its infancy stages, idea stages, or you just want to take it to the next level, you have to consider brand.
And yes, one of the things I find most people struggle with is what actually makes their brand stand out.
Because, let’s be honest, everything’s been done. Or so it feels.
When we think of brands or personalities that stand out, we can’t help but first think of people who are outrageously different.
Honestly, though, it’s almost a shame we keep perpetuating this scary idea. The fact of the matter is, what makes you unique is a collection of the things that make you you. All stacked together.
Many of these unique qualities — in and of themselves — aren’t that special. It’s when they’re combined all together that people are attracted to you.
What we have to do is figure out which of your collective pieces are the things you want to emphasize and broadcast. There’s a lot of important pieces to you and we can’t highlight all of them, so what we’re going to do now is figure out the ones that matter the most.
So, here are 3 questions to help you figure out how to stand out the most.
How To Stand Out Question 1: What personality traits do you have that you also find attractive in other people?
For me, sense of humor. Absolutely a must. You don’t have to be funny but you have to get funny, know how to laugh at a good joke, and appreciate sarcasm — because I do.
If you look for the personality traits you share with others and, then, attract those particular types of customers…
- they’re going to find you more familiar.
- you’re going to have a whole lot more fun being you.
How To Stand Out Question 2: What is your voice, your language, your tone?
These need to be consistent across all of your platforms. Obviously, we’re not the same person every single day, every single hour. Most of us are multifaceted. But, in general, there are words you will use and words you won’t.
You’ve heard me on my podcasts. I’ll slip in an occasional four-letter word, but there are just certain words I’m not dropping (like THAT four-letter word). It’s just not central to who I am. That said, I’m not offended when other people use them.
Which words will you and will you not use?
Here’s a concrete example:
The 131 Method is a nutritional program that helps people get healthy from the inside out by healing their gut health, balancing their hormones, and helping people to lose weight. The brand voice needs to have a sense of humor and forgiveness. We use language in our books, lectures, blogs, and emails that is forgiving. Instead of saying, “you must” or “you need to,” we use terms like “we suggest” or “you might consider”.
We, at 131, want to use language that people can relate to — so that it feels like your (really well informed) girlfriend is talking to you versus some guy with two beakers standing in the university laboratory.
How To Stand Out Question 3: What is your life story?
This doesn’t mean that you’ve been in a terrible car crash or you’ve overcome cancer, etc. I think people believe sometimes that their story is supposed to be so profound and earth-shattering that no one’s ever heard a story like it before.
I’m just trying to illustrate that you’ve made sense of the journey you’ve been on and in THAT story is something other people can relate to. Whether you:
- Overcame shyness
- Found your voice
- Survived childhood abuse
- Came out of the closet
- Got healthy
Whatever it is, you have a story that is unique. Again, it doesn’t have to be the kind of story that’s ends up on the cover of People Magazine — just how you’ve made sense of the things that have happened to you. Or, as I like to say, the things that have happened for you.
There’s so much more to share about how to make your brand stand out that I need you to listen to Identifying What Makes Your Brand Unique on Build Your Tribe, stat!
I will share with you many examples of personality traits, the inverse of the questions above you also need to be asking, and how to identify the parts of your brand personality that are really obvious to your friends but not to you. Oh! And, how to figure out your gift. It’s easier than you think. It’s all right here! Leave me a comment after you listened to the pod, and let me know your thoughts!
