5 CREATIVE WAYS TO HONE IN ON YOUR UNIQUENESS WHEN YOU JUST DON’T KNOW HOW
Let me share with you a concept that I learned from my first ever business coach a couple of years ago but after putting it into practice, only now do I fully understand the meaning and depth of it. So allow me, to share it with you all because watching you be the awesome creative service professional who’s serving their ideal people in the best possible way would be a dream come true for me!
The secret to showing up uniquely in a saturated space is - ‘LAYERS!’ Yup that’s correct. Just like how we love a mouthful of the seven-layer dip (the deeper, the yummier right?), the same way the more layers you show up with as a creative service provider, it is going to add such a rich flavor to your uniqueness! Also imagine, your dream clients getting a taste of all that goodness! Even if you did not like that analogy, I hope you got the gist of what I’m trying to say. If you have always wondered how you can show up more uniquely in a saturated space to attract your dream audience, let me give you some really cool, actionable stuff that you can use. Start layering these up to create that magical, desirable, and unforgettable YOU that your people will absolutely LOVE!
LAYER #1: PICK A NICHE
This might be the most redundant one you’ve heard and read of probably over a million times but still let’s start with this one. Picking a niche is the most basic way to set your business apart because choosing to work with a selected group of people automatically makes you different from those who choose to work with everybody. To pick a niche if you haven’t picked one already, take a look at your past clients. If you don’t have any, I would advise you to follow your abundant flow of intuition! Who do you love to serve the most? What gives you the most joy? Trust me, you will have an answer. So start there even if you find it to be a slightly broader niche. You can always niche down further over time.
My example:
After working with all kinds of small businesses for their branding, website, and graphic design needs, I niched down to serve only service-based businesses. Furthermore, my preferred set of audience is creative service professionals because I find us to be the best fit for each other :)
LAYER #2: THROW IN YOUR SUPERPOWER/S
If you think you have none, I’d say think again and continue to think until you absolutely uncover what that special sauce is that you’ve kept hidden! Imagine being a service provider working in a niched space and on top of that, having some special skills that complement your services. When you bring ALL of that to the table, do you realize how much more desirable that makes you? Positioning your brand around that superpower or superpowers (pack in as many as you can!) will make you stand out and above all, you will attract dream clients who want the exact thing that you’re selling! For you, that also means that you get to charge higher because you’re the specialist as opposed to being a generalist.
My example again:
I am a brand and web designer serving creative service professionals (my niche). While being a designer primarily, I am also skilled in writing copy, and over time I have evolved this skill to writing sales copy (my superpower) something I know my clients absolutely need but can’t write on their own. So when designing websites for them, I’m able to write the copy for them relieving them of this stressful task and saving them so much time + effort + headache. This makes my services so much more attractive to my clients as they get everything in one place and helps me stand out since not a lot of designers offer copywriting services as an add-on!
Even when I’m strategizing and branding for creatives, this is my number one priority. Keeping in consideration every unique element right from my client’s personal story, the story behind their business, their career background to their process of working - I figure out what their superpower is which can be used to create a unique positioning for their business. This helps me come up with an ‘onliness statement’ for the business encapsulating in one line what sets the business apart from all others.
Uncover your own superpower with my free 30-min training that teaches you how to Show Your Superpower And Stand Out As A Service Provider!
LAYER #3: CREATE A REMIX METHOD
Let me tell you a secret: There is nothing new under the sun. Everything has already been created.
With that being said, I want you to know that it’s a good thing! You do not need to live with the pressure of being original. Everything is out there for you to take inspiration from. So take all that inspiration and run with it. Be wildly creative with it. Use the methods that are already successful and that are working for others BUT don’t forget to add your twist to it rather than blatantly copying them. Mix it up, make it your own and use it to solve your ideal client’s problems. Adding in this layer to your uniqueness takes experimentation, trying different things, and making tweaks along the way to finally land on a method that’s truly yours. Do things your way. Be known for your own approach to solving problems for your clients. It’s okay to follow someone else’s recipe but do add a dash of your own awesomeness to create a system that you and only you own.
If you wish to hone this skill, my favorite resource is this book called Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon (this is not an affiliate link). It’s such a quick and fun read!
LAYER #4: INFUSE YOUR PERSONALITY
You will probably roll your eyes if you hear the word ‘authentic’ one more time! So without wasting words and your precious time on explaining what it is, I’d rather convince you to give yourself the permission to infuse your personality traits into your business. You’re a real person with all the goodness and the flaws, the goofiness and the seriousness, the highs and the lows. You have all kinds of stories to share with your people so share them in your own way - the polished and the weird. You never know what part of your personality really hits home with another human being, sparking a connection that leads to a professional relationship and then some. Remember: people buy from people and mostly there is some emotional reason behind their buying decisions. You get the clue, right?
LAYER #5: VOICE YOUR BELIEFS
Oh yes! Your belief system also contributes as a massive layer that makes you a super unique creative service professional. Voicing your personal beliefs, on things as basic as drinking more water to as big as your views on global warming issues - really truly sets you apart from everyone else. The reason being, that your beliefs along with the way you choose to express them (there is no limit to how creative you can be!) WILL be totally unique. The topics are also endless. You could be voicing about a cause you’re close to or your experience about a particular thing. As long as you’re being YOU, you’ll manage to find a tribe of people who resonate with your unique style and vibe. Be consistent with this practice. Not only will that lead to more engagement, but it’s also how people will remember you + your brand.
That’s it for this post you guys, simple and actionable. Feel free to use one of these layers or mix it up with a few of them working together.
Also, I’m curious to learn from you. How do you make sure that you stand out in your industry? Comment below or even better, let’s hang out on Instagram where we can have fun conversations about this topic! Good luck friend! Be you, the magical you. You’ve got this :)
Building brands with strategy + love,
Ridha
