When I help Founders and Creators build their personal brand, a problem keeps coming up. It’s like that garden weed that refuses to die and keeps sucking away all the nutrients from your plants.
How do we create content that is unique to us?
How do we stand out?
Because we are all drowning in the sea of sameness.
It’s not 2003 anymore. There are ‘experts’ everywhere. And even the ones who are not experts proudly flaunt their expertise. AI made it worse. Now, there is a ton of content with little substance.
This mediocre content dominates the unique perspectives that you bring to the table. There is the danger of being ignored. Yep, the sea of sameness is out there to get you.
However, there is a way. We can stand out, not by shouting louder but by whispering softly.
In this article, we will cover 3 things.
– How do we stand out and create a brand that’s unique
– What is a unique POV
– And how do we create a unique POV
How do we stand out and create a brand that’s unique?
When we try to save ourselves from drowning in this sea, the logical option is to be louder.
Create more content.
Use more attractive hooks.
Write more gimmicky stuff.
Get noticed at all costs!
It works. Sometimes.
When that happens, we feel pressured to keep going every single day, like a mouse on a hamster wheel.
Also, gimmicks damage your brand in the long run. The audience can see through your BS. Sure, you might get a few views, but what you have essentially done is beaten ‘Trust’ to a pulp.
The alternative?
The alternative is to stop being that loud, attention-seeking guy at the party and instead be the cool guy whose persona naturally attracts people.
The alternative is to have a ‘unique point of view’.
What is a point of view?
With a unique point of view, you don’t blend in with the crowd. You opt out of the race altogether.
Your POV is a unique lens through which you see the world. Having a POV can be somewhat scary as it goes against conventional wisdom. It’s not easy to go against the norm, but the rewards are worth it.
This attracts the right audience, who vigorously nod at your POV, while others say, “Naah. This is not for me,” and walk away.
I like Wes Kao’s definition of a ‘spiky point of view’.
“A spiky point of view is a perspective others can disagree with. It’s a belief you feel strongly about and are willing to advocate for. It’s your thesis about topics in your realm of expertise.”
But are there people who have implemented it in their business?
Hourly billing is Nuts
Jonathan Stark helps Consultants make more money by working fewer hours. His unique POV is ‘Hourly Billing is Nuts’ – he encourages Consultants to stop charging by the hour and instead charge by value.
After all, it doesn’t matter how much time you spend making this candy; what matters is – Do I like this candy?
When Jonathan’s audience comes across this POV, many are repelled. But others are enrolled in the journey and eventually become his fans.
Lead forms suck
David Cancel, the former CEO of Drift, realized that the lead forms used to capture the details of the audience are broken.
They yield low conversion rates because people only complete them to access what’s on the other side—whether it’s downloading a PDF or getting an eBook. Those who fill out the form do so reluctantly, motivated solely by the reward.
Plain and simple, lead forms are annoying. And why would you annoy your customers?
Through his content, David attacked the old game of lead forms and suggested the new game of Conversational Marketing—conversing with prospects through a Chatbot embedded on the website.
Through David’s unique POV, he was able to attract a loyal audience and grow Drift as a brand.
Okay, if you are with me so far and understand the value of a POV, then the next question might be – Okay, all of this is great. But how do I exactly come up with my unique POV?
And this is where things get tricky.
How to cultivate a point of view?
There is good news and bad news. The bad news is that there is no step-wise process to build this POV. There is no Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3. The process is messy. Most meaningful things in life don’t come with an instruction manual.
The good news is that your POV doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s not a copywriting exercise of coming up with an attractive statement that stands out. As you and your business evolve, your unique POV will also keep evolving.
The good news is that you can start today. You can make an assertion, try it on for size, and then watch it evolve. You can ask yourself a few questions to get started and create the first draft of your unique POV.
I will cover these questions in the next article, as my pen is running out of ink. 🙂
To summarize:
Founders, Leaders, CEOs, and Consultants are drowning in the sea of sameness. Everyone calls themselves an expert, leaving you with no room to express your authentic, nuanced thoughts. To stand out, you need a unique point of view. A point of view is a unique perspective that you bring to the table and help your prospects see the world differently. Creating a point of view is tricky, but fortunately, there are a few questions to get started.