Better than Better? How to Stand Out as a Solopreneur:
When I was 4 years old, I “married” my best friend in a little pretend-ceremony in his backyard. Our parents and siblings (and pets) were present, and we all ate cake afterwards.
Very cute.
Soon after, he handed me a broom and told me that as his “wife” I had to sweep out his tree house.
The marriage didn't last.
All these years later, he & I still keep up occasionally on social media. At some point I saw that he had been named the #1 top Realtor in Atlanta (out of almost 15,000 realtors in the city!).
Perhaps I should have asked for alimony.
Anyway, it was fun to see that my ex-husband er, childhood friend had reached “Very Best” status.
It takes a HUGE amount of work and talent to attain the “Very Best” slot in your field. It's almost impossible when it's a broad category.
The good news?
There's a shortcut.
As Branding expert Sally Hogshead says (and my clients hear me say constantly):
“Different is Better than Better.”
Finding the thing, or frankly anything, that makes you different, and accentuating that, puts you in your own category. When you're a “category of one," you're automatically the best.
Emphasizing what's different about you helps you stand out in your potential client's mind, so they remember you.
You become the “pistachio ice cream in a field of vanillas”: off-putting to some, but ideal to the people who like you.
So how do you differentiate yourself? Oh, there are so many ways.
You can get more specific about:
1) Who you work with: your niche or ideal client. For example,
You're not just a somatic therapist, you're a therapist who helps people tame their stressed nervous systems while interacting with horses & rescued farm animals.
You're not a life coach, you're the coach who helps spiritually-minded parents navigate supportive parenting after their child comes out to them as LGBTQ+ .
You're not just a crafter, you create botanical-based products that speak to the soul.
You're not just a parenting expert, you're a coach who helps divorced people raise well-adjusted children even with a difficult/hostile ex.
*These are all folks I work with. Email me if you want to meet them.
2) How you deliver your services:
Are you a warm, gentle soul who eases people into results, or a “honey-badger" who uses a tough-love approach to shock them out of their old ways?
Do you have a structured 5-part process, or a more intuitive, tailored approach?
Do you use certain tools or modalities or materials in your work?
3) Your YOU-ness (personality, quirks, stories, etc.):
What's your personality? Do you use humor, or are you more serious? High energy, or calm? What makes you a little “weird”?
What do your favorite clients say the like most about working with you, and what works about working with you?
What are your interests as a person? Where can you be found when you're not working? What are some small (or big) details about you and your life that can help you stand out even a little bit from the crowd, and “stick” in people's memory?
There's a reason you'll notice over time that I talk a lot about being a “Certified History Nerd ™”, an outdoors woman (especially nature-travel), a foodie (especially cheese!), and a fan of 80s-90s pop culture.
–They're the quirks that help you know a bit about who I am, and they make me stand out from other coaches in “the space.”
If you're truly struggling to identify what makes you different:
Ask your friends, colleagues, and clients what they think of when you come to mind. What do they like about you, see as your strengths, and see as something that makes you different?
Choose one thing that most people in your field do, and amplify it. Ex. therapists all listen (well, if they're good!). You can still amplify that you are a fantastic listener; you listen in a way that people can feel so held and understood. You're the “undistracted, full-attention, deep-listening therapist."
List life experiences you've had, people you've met, hobbies, habits, favorite things/songs/books/shows/etc., and then write a bit about why you like them and how they've impacted you.
Comment below and let me know one thing that makes you different that you can amplify in your marketing.
Then sweep out my tree house. (Kidding!)
Remember:
"Different is better than better." -Sally Hogshead