If No One Knows You, You Can't Have Impact

For 12 years, I've been writing on LinkedIn about being human, not perfect. In the process, I've attracted over 800,000 followers and half a million newsletter subscribers. That said, when I have trouble gaining attention for my services or standing out from the crowd, I call Mark Levy.

I tell you this not to brag or to promote Mark.

I tell you this as a favor to you.

Four weeks ago, Mark dropped his TED Talk, "Using the obvious to stand out in life and business."

It's a must watch for my subscribers, many of whom are reluctant to self-promote. Since I strongly encourage you to watch the video (at least twice), I'm not going to describe it further. Instead, let me tell you a bit about Mark, whom I have know for what feels like... forever.

Mark is a differentiation expert. He differentiates corporations, brands, and thought leaders. He helps them come up with what he calls their Big Sexy Idea?. It’s their signature idea, the idea for which they’re going to be known across the world.?

Mark says to differentiate BOLDLY.

Being talented, hard-working, genuine or sincere... is not enough.

If you want to stand out in the marketplace as the obvious go-to choice, you must take the actions most professionals, coaches, writers and consultants are afraid to take.?

Once you know your Big Sexy Idea?, if anyone in the marketplace wants that idea in their life, they'd have no choice but to seek out YOU, because seeking out anyone else would result in a second-rate, diet version of your idea.

Mark's principles include:

Make sure your differentiation hits us in the face. The world is a big overwhelming place. A tidal wave of information washes over us daily. To deal with this unrelenting information torrent, each of us doesn’t just simplify; we over over-simplify. We make snap decisions, based on partial understanding and almost no deliberation.

You must point your main point of differentiation right upfront, where it hits other people in the face. In winning attention, ambiguity and subtlety won’t work.

To be seen as different, you must actually do things differently. Creating a differentiation strategy is hard. Executing it is harder. Standing out takes guts. (People will look at you!)

The good news is you can start small. Whether they realize it or not, most of your competitors are trying hard not to make waves or stand out.

Show us what happens behind the scenes. A powerful way to differentiate is by sharing with the market how you do what you do. People want to know what you stand for, how you get things done, and why your work is important to you.

Don’t just give them a photograph of you. Give them an x-ray.

Go for the freakout. Mark has a background in creating magic tricks and magic shows for TV and the stage. What you should know is this: you’ve got to dent people’s consciousness. You’ve got to give them something that’s so special that they won’t stop talking about it.

If you don’t have such a freakout—for your products and services and for you—you’d better get busy creating one. Otherwise, you stand the chance of being irrelevant.

Stop being so rational. What your prospects and customers are looking for is a good story to tell friends, as to who you are and why you’re the best choice for them. What they’re looking for from you is a worldview, a philosophy, a feeling, which excites them and matches their own way of thinking. Don’t ignore nuts-and-bolts logical features but make sure you also highlight what your brand represents in people’s lives.

FINAL HINT: your brand is always about an idea.

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In this newsletter, I share very few videos or books. I consider your willingness to read my newsletter an enormous gift and view it as a solemn responsibility to use your time wisely. But I have been waiting a couple of years for the opportunity to share Mark's unique perspective with you. Please don't pass this by because you are busy with other responsibilities that won't change your life or give the world a better chance to recognize your unique talents. Take 17 minutes and 28 seconds now, and watch Mark's TED Talk.

(You can thank me later.)

P.S. If you think you need a big ego, a huge marketing budget or permission from someone else to attract the right kind of attention, please re-read my first paragraph.

P.P.S. I help entrepreneurs be human, not perfect. You can learn more at Kasanoff.com.