What To Do Make Your Brand Stand Out

Today is a special day.

No, really. Today only happens once every four years (see that story here), which means things that happen today are by definition extraordinary.

Sort of like your brand, right?

Nope. (Unless you or your brand were born today.)

Otherwise, you are important, and you are being the change, but you’re doing it within a maelstrom of volatility that makes you one of many bits of flotsam among just as many chunks of jetsam.

That’s not meant to be disheartening—just the cold reality check that many brands need before they start shouting into the vortex. It comes from something I was told early on in my communications career: no one thinks your brand is as important as you do.

Nor should they. But that doesn’t mean you have to be the biggest/loudest/boldest voice for your brand. You just have to be the best voice.

That comes from knowing what really sets you apart and communicating that insistently, persistently, and—most importantly—consistently.

Here’s how:

* Go diary-deep into your brand identity. Mission? Check. Vision? Check. Now, what are your thoughts on policies, legislation, activism, discussions, etc. that influence or impact your brand? You don’t have to craft formal position statements or memorize prepared sound bites to address these (in fact, in most cases you shouldn’t), but you should do some soul-searching to know where you stand should the need ever arise to…well…take a stand. Hopefully your voice will be part of the conversation one day, so take the time to imagine what you would say on that stage, on that page, in front of those cameras, or behind that microphone. You just may find you have a lot to (thoughtfully and effectively) express as a thought leader instead of one of many in the crowd.

* Write it/shoot it/design it/share it like you say it. “Authentic” is the word of this recent half-decade, but contrary to what some believe, it’s not about just showing up sans makeup on social media or ranting about the injustice du jour in a heartfelt but unproductive way. Authentic means that people can hear you—the real you—in whatever you’re putting out there. That requires vulnerability. It’s a bad-hair-day, no-makeup, ugly-cry kind of bravery because you’re transmitting how genuinely you believe in what you believe. So, whether it’s an article or video, podcast, interview, piece of art, etc. people should be able to feel you resonating in the piece and be moved by that connection to do what you ask of them. If you’re not ready to ditch the sales and marketing shtick and be real about your brand, you’re not ready to be part of that vulnerable privilege of standing out.

(Tip for writing: Read your drafts out loud to help you catch errors and refine word choice and pacing to match your natural rhythm.)

* Stop scattershot outreach; be more strategic. It can’t be overstated that a target audience of “everyone” will impact exactly “no one.” Circling back to the concept of authenticity, people crave connections. They want realness. They need something to root for, and if your message is so amorphous and impersonal that they don’t feel special, you will. not. be. special. to. them. Do your research and define your ideal client/customer. Then put yourself in their shoes. First. And always. Because if you don’t understand exactly what they need and you’re not willing to ask, what use are you to them? It’s like telling someone they should try your diet or your dermatologist or your dentist without knowing what’s going on behind the scenes with them. Offensive, right? Figure out who your people are, speak to them in a way that’s special to them, on a regular basis—like someone with their best interests at heart would—and they will follow.

There are many parts to giving voice to your brand so you rise to the top. But ultimately it comes down to knowing your story, knowing how to tell your story, and finding the right people to tell your story to.

The best way to do that is to acknowledge that even though we’re talking about competing to outshine the others, we’re all special, in different ways. So find your way, own it, amplify it, and enjoy it!



Image © Laura Smetsers courtesy Unsplash