You want to grow your business, but you’re stuck doing what everyone else does, just a little bit better. That’s the problem.
And it’s killing your chances of getting noticed.
It’s possible, and common, for you to get caught in the “better” trap. I bet you tirelessly work to improve your product, your service, and your marketing, making it faster, cheaper, prettier, or more efficient than the competition.
While improving your marketing is good, trying to be “better” than your competitor means you’re still playing their game, on their terms. You’re still a variation of what already exists. And in today’s deafening marketplace, being a slightly improved version of “the same” means you’re effectively invisible.
You’re gray suit #497 in a sea of gray suits.
This isn’t only about marketing, right? It’s about your very survival and growth. When you blend in, you become a commodity. When you’re a commodity, you compete on price, and that’s a race to the bottom where no one truly wins.
Your ideal clients can’t find you because you don’t stand out. Your message gets lost in the noise. Your unique value, your passion, your brilliance – it all fades into the background.
The fix? Different is better than better.
This is a fundamental law of attention, and I love to use in in my marketing. As the brilliant Sally Hogshead says, “Different is better than better.” Your brain is wired to notice novelty. When something is unexpected, unusual, or simply different, it cuts through the clutter. It makes people stop, lean in, and pay attention. Your goal isn’t to be the best version of your competitor; it’s to be the only version of you.
Last year, I finally dipped my toes into the TikTok ocean. For a guy who usually prefers a whiteboard and a Sharpie, it was a wild ride. I tried everything – short bursts of advice, longer rants, even some questionable dance moves (don’t ask). And what became crystal clear, through all the experiments, was that the content that truly resonated, the stuff that actually got seen and shared, was the different stuff. It wasn’t about being perfectly polished or having the highest production value; it was about being authentic and, yes, a little unconventional (you know me, that was easy). It proved, yet again, that different wins.
How to get different in the wild:
So, how do you implement this bright idea? How do you inject “different” into your business and stop being invisible? It starts by looking outside your industry for inspiration, and then having the courage to adapt those ideas to your own unique context.
Here’s how you can make “different” your superpower:
- Observe unrelated industries for gold: Stop looking at what your direct competitors are doing. Instead, pay attention to what’s working in completely unrelated fields.
- Example: A dog groomer noticed the booming trend of “boudoir photography” for humans. Instead of just offering standard cuts and washes, they launched “Pooch Pinups” – professional, artistic boudoir photo shoots for pets. They used soft lighting, elegant backdrops, and playful props. It’s unexpected, it’s memorable, and it taps into the deep love pet owners have for their animals. They went from being “a dog groomer” to “the dog groomer who does that.”
- Your action: What’s a popular trend in fashion, gaming, food, or entertainment that seems completely irrelevant to your business? How could you twist it, adapt it, or apply its core principle to your offerings? Could a financial advisor create a “gamified” budgeting app? Could a B2B software company launch a “reality show” documenting their client success stories?
- Use that personality of yours: Your industry might be serious, but you don’t have to be boring. People connect with people, not just products or services.
- Example: An accountant, tired of the dry, formal image of their profession, started creating short, humorous TikTok videos. They used trending sounds and relatable skits to explain complex tax deductions, investment strategies, or common financial pitfalls. They didn’t dumb down the information, but they made it accessible and entertaining. They became “the funny tax guru” instead of “just an accountant.”
- Your action: Where can you inject your authentic personality in an unexpected way? Could you use humor in your sales calls? Tell personal stories in your marketing emails? Host a “fireside chat” podcast with clients where you discuss their biggest challenges (and how you solved them) in a raw, unscripted way? Think about how you can break the mold of communication in your industry.
- DEFY expectations: What’s the standard operating procedure in your industry? What do clients expect? Now, do the opposite, or something entirely different.
- Example: In many service industries, clients expect hourly billing or project fees. What if you offered a “Netflix-style” subscription service for ongoing support, where clients pay a flat monthly fee for unlimited access to a specific range of services? Or what if you guaranteed a specific outcome rather than just effort?
- Your action: Challenge the assumptions. If everyone offers a free consultation, offer a paid “discovery session” that delivers immediate value. If everyone focuses on features, focus on the emotional transformation your product provides. If everyone uses stock photos, use raw, behind-the-scenes footage.
Dig deeper:
This concept isn’t just about clever marketing; it’s about building a truly resilient and remarkable business. To dive deeper into the strategic imperative of being different, check out these sections in my books:
- Get Different: Chapter 1, pages 1–13. This is where I lay out the absolute urgency and obligation you have to be different. It’s not a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have for survival and growth.
- The Pumpkin Plan: Chapter 4, pages 57–61. This section helps you pinpoint what truly makes your business uniquely valuable. It’s about identifying that core offering that only you can deliver with such distinction.
- Fix This Next: Chapter 2, pages 30–36. Here, you’ll learn how to locate your business’s true growth leverage point. Often, the biggest breakthroughs come from amplifying what makes you fundamentally different, rather than just patching up weaknesses.
Go AI for unconventional ideas:
If you’re still brainstorming, use AI as your creative sparring partner. Don’t ask it to give you “better” ideas for your industry. Ask it to be bold. Copy and paste this prompt:
“Generate one bold, unconventional marketing strategy that no one in my industry is doing. Pull inspiration from successful tactics in unrelated industries and explain how I can apply them step by step.”
Then, challenge it: “Give me another, even crazier idea.” Use it to push your own thinking beyond the conventional.
Final thought:
Let me remind you what Sally says: “Different isn’t risky. Invisible is risky.” The biggest risk you can take in business today is to be indistinguishable.
Be you.
-Mike