If you're an entrepreneur, that means that you're on social media. Considering how over-saturated social media is, it can be hard to stand out and make sure the right people are looking at your content. Below are 4 tips to help you and your brand stand out.
Before you get to those, though, I do want to clarify one thing: these are points that can help you stand out, but doing these does not mean that they will work and, more importantly, doing these does not mean attracting attention. There is a difference between bringing eyes to your brand and making your brand stand out. That will be covered in a final point at the bottom here in more detail.
So, for now, let’s get started with 4 ways to make your brand stand out.
Use language unique to you
You already know about the importance of having a unique message or voice and how that can make an impact, however how you deliver your message is also important. I’ve previously talked about the importance of style guides, but take a look at that article again and focus on the content style guide section because this will talk more about how to ensure your content creation is consistent.
Now remember, your message is as important as the way you deliver it. Consider for a moment posting content without a content style guide, this means that whatever graphic elements you are using will be the main way how people will recognize your brand. In order to ensure your audience can recognize you through your content, regardless of graphic elements, you want to come up with a language style guide that is unique to you and easily recognizable.
Think about the basics for this, such as always greeting your audience the same way, which is different than how your competitors do it. For example, I know so many female entrepreneurs whose clients are other female entrepreneurs and they start off their messages with “hey babe” or “hey power lady” or “hey lady boss” or some other variation of this. To me, I’ve seen so many different versions of this that none of them stand out and I can’t tell you which one is for which brand. I can, however, tell you exactly what brand greets me with “hey minion” and the brand that completely skips the greeting and gets right into the message.
Be consistent and repetitive
I’ve already mentioned briefly in the previous point about consistency, but I will repeat it because repetition and consistency are pretty much on the same point here. Again, with so much content being available online, not everybody is going to see everything you post, so don’t be afraid of repeating yourself. In fact, do repeat yourself.
You want to make sure that the message you want to send is the same and can be seen by multiple people, even if it’s not the exact same copy and paste message. Focus on the meaning behind what you want your audience to know and keep on saying it with the same consistency as everything else that you’re doing.
Note. I’ve previously talked about my belief that consistency is not as important as creativity in my newsletter, but I do want to clarify one thing here: social media platforms like consistency. If you’re straying away from those, then don’t worry about how often you post as much as what type of content you post. You don’t want to be sharing info about why your services are the best one day and then the next day you’re saying, but you don’t really need these services. Dramatization, but you get the message.
Be known for a specific platform, tool, or client
Make sure that your audience knows who you are for at least one reason out of your control. That one sounded way better in my head before I wrote it, so let me explain. You want to have one thing about your brand that is dependent on an outside source and be known for it.
This can be a specific platform where you’re rocking it, even if your services don’t include that platform at all or you don’t use it for anything other than marketing yourself. It can be a tool that you use on a regular basis and know the ins and outs of so well that people can ask you questions about it without putting you on the spot, and again, it doesn’t have to be something that you actually offer and do for your clients.
Or, my personal favourite, it can be a very specific type of client that you are helping. This is the whole niching down thing that everybody (me included) is always talking about. The way to use this to stand out though is to niche down so far that you become the only person ever that helps this specific client. This will be really hard to do, but it’s not impossible!
Question the norm and the flow
I’m not saying to go against it and I’m not saying to disregard it completely, but take a look at the trends that are happening with your competitors and what they’re all doing and ask yourself why. If you are talking to your competitors (which is always encouraged!) then ask them why they’ve decided to take that stance.
Going with the flow means you are one of everybody else that says the same thing. And yes, it may be the right thing according to your services and what you offer or maybe even your morals or other reasons, but going with the flow will not make you stand out. Now, if you’re one of those people that likes to go against the flow regardless of what direction it’s going in, then this one will be easy for you, just do your thing.
On the other hand, if you’re agreeing with the flow, then I’d suggest diving deeper into it and questioning it. You can still go with it, you can still offer your services the exact same as before, but ask yourself and, almost as importantly, ask your audience why you’re all following this. I’m going to use the brand strategy industry as an example in this because I’ve seen most of my competitors talk about how the first step in your brand strategy is your core (who you are and why you’re doing this).
I don’t agree with this because I believe that this changes. This is why I talk about audience-based brands and building your brand based on your audience first, not on your goals and visions and dreams for your brand. Those are important, yes, but those change. I’ve written a lot more info about this here if you want to take a look, but the crux of it is: I started questioning why everybody starts with the core and this didn’t make sense to me. Or to most of my clients.
Now, I do want to touch back on a point made before these 4 breakdowns. Going against the flow does not mean you will get new eyes on your content. In fact, it most likely means the opposite. Popular opinion is popular for a reason and going against that either gets you buried, ignored, or (if you have enough of a following) can make splits and change the flow completely. If you’re stubborn and want to do it your way from the beginning, be aware that it will be a slow and painful journey (speaking from experience).