Not Another Marketing Girl: How to Differentiate Yourself in a Sea of Competition

What is one thing that makes you different? Write it down.

Everyone has a story. Your story is what makes you unique. It's what makes you, YOU. My story is different from yours and every other digital marketer in this saturated marketplace.

So is yours.

Use Your Story

I taught adults in the higher ed arena for three years. I am a working mother. I manage my own investment properties. I am a department of one, which drives a passion for streamlined processes.

Susan Cain was a corporate attorney. She is also an introvert. She turned what some people might think is a hindrance into her story. She has built her personal brand around advocating for introverts in the workplace.

James Alucher takes the good, the bad, the ugly of his life, and pulls it all into his brand. He is an entrepreneur, chess master, venture capitalist, and author. He uses all of this to teach lessons about business, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

What is your story? How can you use it to differentiate yourself from the market?

Carve Out a Niche

You are in a broad industry. How do you become THE go to in that industry? Carve out your niche. Let's say you are in sales for an HVAC contractor. Drill it down further than that. A lot of people are HVAC experts. You can be the HVAC expert in the Chicago area. No. Drill it down further than that. You can be the HVAC expert for data centers in Chicago. There it is. That niche is carved out enough that you can stand out.

What niche can you be the expert in? Try and drill it down at least 3 degrees.

Stand Out

You have picked one thing that makes you different. You have narrowed down your niche. Now, showcase yourself.

Action Items

• Write a great headline on LinkedIn (120 characters) that showcases your story + niche.
• Your headline will be tight, 120 characters is not a lot, so you also want to update your summary to include your story + niche.
• Update your profiles across all of your social media platforms to include your story + niche.
• Buy the domain of your name.
• Create a personal website that shows off your experience, niche, and story.
• Begin writing articles on LinkedIn, your personal website, Quora, and Medium (choose whichever platforms make the most sense for your industry).
• Write guest posts on established blogs and websites.
• Be awesome and stand out in your crowded industry.