Robert Middleton

issued on
November 27, 2003

Standing Out

from: More clients news letter.

When I'm leading workshops and giving talks, and I get to the Second Law of Marketing - The Law of Uniqueness, I get the most puzzled looks and the most head-scratching.

It's pretty easy to get the First Law of Attention - what you need to do to attract the attention and interest of prospective clients. Everyone can see the common sense in appealing to the "What's in it for me?" inside every person.

But when it comes to "What makes you unique and how do you express it in way that's meaningful to your prospects?" it's harder to see how to communicate this with impact.

I think this is especially hard when it comes to Independent Professionals. After all, a consultant, coach, executive recruiter, copywriter or trainer all do pretty much the same things as their counterparts. Don't they?

Well, yes, but there are a few important ways that you can differentiate yourself. These ways will make you stand out and be memorable, but - warning - none of them are very se*y.

You see, marketing is all about se*iness. It's about flash, punchy tag lines, and images that WOW you.

Yeah, but not if you're a management consultant who helps develop leaders (much like all the other management consultants who help develop leaders). Being unique as an Independent Professional is more substantive and subtle.

Here are a few ways that work:

1. Define a Target Niche. You've heard this before, but have you taken the plunge? It can be scary narrowing your focus to one narrow band of clients. The fear is that you'll lose all the business you're no longer focusing on.

But when you focus on everyone, you focus on no one. Think of it completely from the client's point of view. They want to work with someone who knows their industry, their issues, their aspirations. And when you focus on a very targeted group, they remember you, they trust you and they refer you.

Look around and ask yourself some very important questions. Who do you really like working with? Where do you do your best work? Where do you make the most money? It's often staring you in the face but you've never come out and said that you specialized in working with "XYZ clients." Perhaps it's time.

2. Define a Specialty. This one is all about focus as well, but it can cross industries. A good example is my friend Jeff Rubin. Jeff specializes in producing printed newsletters for a wide variety of clients, from a training company to a Harley Davidson dealership.

You'd think that, in these days of eZine proliferation, newsletters are dying out. But Jeff's business increases every year. The reason is simple - he's extraordinarily good at what he does. And he does everything in newsletter production including writing, photography, layout, printing and mailing.

If you're going to define a specialty, go deep; become the top expert in your field. Make it a goal to know more about the ins and outs of your profession than anyone in your field. And then provide extraordinary service so that you keep your clients for years and years as Jeff does.

3. Create a Model. This one is a little trickier, but it can be ideal for Independent Professionals. It means not only standing out as an expert but as a "thought leader." A good example is my recent client Ralph Jacobson. Ralph has developed what he calls "The Leader's Toolbox."

The Leader's Toolbox stands out because it's not just a new model for developing leaders; it's a service made into a tangible training and leadership development process.

If you're going to create a new business model, you first need to look at what is missing or not working in the marketplace. What's outmoded or ineffective? Is there a way a business process has always been done? How could it be done better?