Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just around the corner and marketers everywhere are making last-minute adjustments to their holiday campaigns, attempting to grab the attention of their preferred audience and garner the sales that they need to end the year in the black.
Whether we’re trying to grow our online platforms, market our speaking availability, or sell a record number of books, we all know that if we don’t hit just the right tone, we’ll miss our target. But how do we hit the bullseye when there is so much competition in the world?
What Makes You Unique?
The first thing to accept is that people have a choice about who to follow and what to buy, so if you want to be the standout, you need to present your offering in a way that makes people think they are missing out if they DON’T buy what you’re selling. If they have a choice, then you have to give them a reason to choose you over everyone else.
Start by answering these five questions, and then ask your friends, family, colleagues, and clients the same questions and compare answers:
- What makes me/my book/speaking subject unique?
- Why should people listen to me over another expert?
- Who would benefit the most from what I have to share?
- How can my book/talk/service help people change the status quo?
- What makes me so excited I could think/talk/write about it for hours?
Capitalize on It
Once you have an idea of what makes you stand out from the crowd, then you need to capitalize on it. Keep in mind that it may have absolutely nothing to do with what you’re trying to sell, but it could be the key to finding that connection point with your audience.
Here are three examples that might help trigger something for you:
- Do you have a sense of humor that helps you communicate and connect with your audience? Let that shine through in your social posts. Share the meme that made you snort this morning — people like to know you’re human, too.
- Do you have a secret hobby that might surprise people — performing magic or doing imitations? Post a video of you doing something completely out of the ordinary from what folks might expect to see.
- Did you just read an amazing book that really impressed you? Talk about it! Contact the author and ask them if they would like to be a guest on your blog or podcast. Don’t be afraid of promoting your competition from time to time — there’s room for everyone, and it shows that you’re not afraid to share the stage with others.
There is a quote that you’ve probably heard before, often attributed to Oscar Wilde, which says, “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.” When it comes to figuring out your online persona and sales tactics, this is good advice to keep in mind. People who follow you on Facebook or Instagram want to know that the person they see on your accounts is a real person, someone they can identify with and connect to. Your platform will grow more authentically when you, yourself, are authentic in what you share, say, and do.
Only when what you have to say genuinely makes a noticeable difference in their lives, will people begin to choose and recommend you over others.
So, want to know the answer for how to stand out from the crowd? Be Yourself!
Carrie Koens joined the Weaving Influence team in May 2012 and has held a number of roles, including three years as the Book Launch Director (a title she stepped away from in June 2016 in order to focus on the needs of her growing family), and she currently serves the team as a Writer and Consultant. An INTJ with a penchant for culture, book stores, Parisian cafés, Indian curry, British mystery shows, and her passport, you can find her on Twitter @CGKoens.