The Uniqueness of Your Content: How to Stand Out in a Crowded Marketplace
You don’t have to be a great writer.
You don’t have to make amazing videos.
To stand out in a saturated online space, what I believe is needed most is to care more than others are willing to care.
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Do you care enough to show up?
Do you care enough to risk embarrassment, silence, or criticism?
If not, you will do what everyone else does: stay quiet, not produce enough content, and give into your fear more than your love. Truly, this is the bottom line:
Love more, and you will stand out.
Love the people you wish to help.
Love the topics you wish to write or speak about.
Love the process of learning through taking action.
You can stop reading now, and go take action, because that is really the most important message here.
“But everything has already been said… and said better than I could ever say it…”
I’ve said it before (and so have others) and I’ll say it again, until every person really applies it:
You don’t have to try to be unique. Your voice is already unique. Nobody in the history of the world has had your specific combination of life experiences, personality, upbringing, challenges, and thoughts.
Just by opening your mouth to speak, or putting fingers to keyboard, you are already creating unique content.
There is nothing more you need to do, other than to show up and offer your thoughts and presence.
“But they say it better than I could say it! How do I stand out?”
Think about this: do they tell your life story?
No. They tell theirs.
And if they do tell their stories well, it’s because they’ve practiced doing it many times.
You must tell your own stories, as often as you can, so that, through practice you become skillful, thereby, standing out.
This is why I always encourage you create content consistently.
Nothing is more powerful to build your skills than consistent practice.
Uniqueness + Skill is what makes people stand out. Now that you know that your story is already unique (it is by definition unique!) you now need the Skill to tell it well, and that happens with practice, with showing up again and again.
Whatever you would like to become great sat — whatever you’d like to stand out for — you need to do more of it.
Remember: don’t think of competition. Think of your True Fans.
Your true fans, by definition, relate more to you and your stories, than they relate to anyone else, even if it’s a celebrity thought leader.
You think your audience loves Brene Brown’s writings, or Joe Dispenza’s teachings, or whoever else, but you’ve forgotten that those stratospheric leaders can’t relate to your audience like you can. Your fans are closer to where you are their (your) journey… than to a celebrity. That is your “advantage” or your opportunity. Your fans relate more to you than to them, so when you tell your stories, they say “I feel that way too!”
Also, whenever you show up, whether it’s a piece of writing, or a video, they are paying attention to you in the moment, not to anyone else.
That is the moment to share your authenticity and your care.
Show up for them. Don’t worry about your “competition” or the big players in your field.
Side note: The vast majority of your true fans don’t even know about you yet! You need to consistently distribute your content to new audiences. (Read my post about how to build a new audience.)
“What if what I say comes across as cliché, since many others have said it?”
If it’s been said so many times, why isn’t everyone applying that wisdom yet?
Your audience will never tire of you talking about what aspects of life they would love to do better.
You will always have the opportunity, as long as there are people who want to improve themselves.
Give your perspective about how to progress (in the areas of expertise that you want to build a business with). It doesn’t matter others have said the same thing. Your audience needs to hear you say it.
Include the stories of your own experiences if appropriate, or the stories of others that you have helped (if you have permission).
Your audience will always need more examples to help them fill in the overall picture of the transformational path.
Your stories will inspire them to see that they, too, can find a better way.
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