What makes you unique?
Can you complete this sentence “The only {insert your profession} who………”
Differentiating yourself is hard! Many people are too close to themselves to see clearly what makes them unique and to be able to articulate it.
Working with someone to help you to define what differentiates you and how to articulate this and communicate it in a compelling and integrated way, on-line and face to face is time and money well spent.
I can help you.
What is differentiation?
The definition of differentiation is ‘the act of showing or finding difference between things that are compared.’
The phrase ‘quite unique’ is an oxymoron!
Unique means ‘being the only one of its kind, unlike anything else.’
You can influence people’s perceptions by thinking about what messages you communicate.
You know that you have been successful when you hear them express your messages.
Why is differentiation important?
Differentiation is important because it creates memorability and impact.
With lots of options to choose from and huge amounts of content on-line, differentiating yourself helps you to stand out from the crowd, in a good way.
This applies whether you are employed or self-employed.
How can you differentiate yourself?
There are many different ways of differentiating yourself.
Thinking about the different senses: sight, sound, touch, feeling, taste, smell can elicit ideas.
- An unusual life which gives you a perspective e.g. expat (adaptable to change) or orphan (resilient) from your life experience
- Languages you speak
- A distinctive personal brand
- An impactful verbal business card
- An infographic
- A unique model/approach
- A client specialism
- A sector specialism
- An accreditation or certification
- An item of clothing e.g. a brightly coloured scarf
- A visual prop
- A distinctive pair of spectacles
- A hairstyle
- A stylish hat
- An in-demand skill e.g. AI or digital
- Out of the box thinking because of dyslexia
- A cartoon avatar
Which ones do you use?
Which ones appeal to you?
Which additional ones to the list above would you add?
Examples of differentiation
- A friend of mine is a personal trainer. Her personal brand is ‘The Body Architect’.
- A lawyer called Jody Hill wears brightly coloured suits, when most lawyers wear black suits. She is easy to spot at a networking event face to face and on-line.
- A photographer uses the verbal business card ‘I shoot people’ when asked what he does at a networking event.
- A designer has plastic business cards with gold blocking creating visual differentiation and a premium impression.
- Someone in my network always wears a pale grey suit and a pale pink tie. He is instantly recognisable in images on LinkedIn at different events, surrounded by a sea of dark suits.
- A plumber brings a giant plunger as a visual prop when doing his 60 second introduction at BNI (Business Networking International) networking events
What examples can you think of?
Personal examples
- Wearing a vibrant orange scarf when doing events, cashmere in Autumn/Winter and silk in Spring/Summer.
- My personal brand ‘The Talent Liberator’ ™.
- I had an unusual and memorable prop which I gave to coaching clients. It was a clear test tube, closed at both ends containing clear liquid and small metallic moons, starts and hearts. Shaking it and then letting it settle was a great metaphor for clarity and insights gained in coaching sessions. My clients loved it, and it really stayed in their memories and hearts, decades after we first worked together !
- Using visual props at events e.g. a trumpet (blow your own trumpet – marketing yourself) and a hamster wheel – unfulfilled stuck in a rut jobs.
- Sending New Year cards in early January, not Christmas cards in December.
- NOT sharing selfies when networking!
What could you do to differentiate yourself from other people who do what you do?
5 self-reflective questions to differentiate yourself
- How is your life/career journey different to other people who do what you do?
- What are your 2 best strengths?
- How has your career path shaped your approach and perspective?
- What do people seek you out for – skill e.g. problem solving, quality e.g. empathy, specialist knowledge or experience?
- What unusual and distinctive adjectives could bring to life what differentiates you when introducing yourself at networking events?
- What metaphors or analogies could you use to distinguish yourself?
6 tips to differentiate yourself
- Create a word cloud using testimonials about you from clients or colleagues.
- Create a range of verbal business card sentences and bounce them off people who know you to get feedback and polish and hone them.
- Choose a visual item of clothing and wear it consistently e.g. an orange scarf or pink tie, to create a visual signature.
- Do research to find out what really matters to your target audience
- Imagine that you have a ‘magic wand’ – ask a prospect or target employer what would be their ideal solution.
- Search your job title on LinkedIn and see how your competitors summarise themselves and how they design their LinkedIn banner.