11 Ways to Stand Out as a Unique Voice in Your Industry

I’ve got a question fo you.

On a scale of 1 to 10…

How are you doing at creating thought leadership content that stands out and establishes you as a unique voice in your industry?

As I rapidly approach the launch of my new podcast in January, I’ve been checking out the podcast and content landscape to see what’s out there and how I can bring something different to the table.

What I have noticed is that a lot of content creators show up at a 4 or 5, perhaps a 7 at best, when it comes to creating content with a unique approach and voice.

That’s why they get lost in the sea of sameness on the Internet.

But that’s not you!

You didn’t start your brand and business just to get lost in the noise.

It doesn’t matter if there are marketers and content creators who are smarter, more qualified, better at writing, funnier, or even better looking.

There are people in this world who want to listen to, learn from, and buy from YOU specifically…because of who you are and how you think. So, unabashedly show them who you are.

Do not hold back!

Out of 7.5 billion people on Earth, you only need a few thousand of them to resonate with you to have a big impact and a successful business.

To help you stand out and resonate with those who are waiting to hear from you, I’ve put together a list of eleven ways to turn your content up to eleven so it truly stands out.

11 Ways to Turn it Up to Eleven

Emit Passion & Energy

Only create content and sales offers about things that you have really strong feelings, motivations, and opinions about. Let that energy shine through.

Share Your Interests

Talk about your interests (e.g. tv shows, hobbies, philanthropic pursuits, etc.) in your content. Use these interests to create analogies that are relevant to your content or just drop the occasional reference to them. Find ways to use talents like drawing, playing guitar, knitting, or whatever in your content. Quote your favorite movies.

Use Humor

You don’t have to be a comedian (but if you are going for it). You can be punny. You can use self-deprecating humor. If you have a silly or goofy streak, let it shine! Try to make yourself laugh when you create content.

Bring Them Behind the Scenes

Share your process. Let them see the messy origins of your new ideas and projects. People love to be a fly on the wall. Or just share parts of your personal life that your audience will relate with and enjoy seeing.

Have Conviction

Share what you believe with certainty and courage (no matter the response it might get). Be clear about where you stand. But when appropriate, also show a willingness to learn and change but explain why you are doing so. Don’t change because it’s popular or convenient.

Be An Example

Exemplify the values that are most important to your audience. Show extreme dedication to those values (e.g. discipline, creativity, spontaneity, family, etc.).

Do Fascinating Stuff

Do things that people will find interesting. Then share your experiences in your content. Want to be interesting? Do interesting stuff regularly.

Speak Truth

This goes beyond integrity. This is also about saying what others are not willing to say, bringing new truth to light, or restoring truth that has been lost. The secret to Howard Stern’s success is not just controversy. His interviews focus on revealing what is real and true under the surface — stuff that doesn’t get shared elsewhere.

Be Adventurous

Take people on a journey with you. This might be travel like when I lived in Paris or when Chris Guillebeau set a goal to travel to every nation on earth. Or it could be a personal growth journey or the process of reaching for a big audacious goal.

Be Rebellious

Challenge conventional wisdom. Do things differently. Say something controversial (but mean it and embrace it).

Use Aesthetics

Adopt a distinct look or brand. Use the highest quality, beauty, and design in everything you do. Set a new bar.

Choose one of the methods in the list above (or another one that you come up with) that feels natural for you to use, and decide one simple way you can use that method in your content in the next 7 days.

And I’d love to hear from you…

1) Which one(s) are you going to put into action (or which ones do you already shine at doing)?

2) Who is a thought leader, writer, creator, etc. you think is excellent at turning it up to 11? Reply and let me know.