Client Spotlight: Katie Burkhart is an essentialist thinker, discerning writer, and founder of Point:Value, a company that redesigns the way we work and run our businesses so we can thrive in the value economy. An Authority Accelerator client, she wrote “Trying to Do Everything Is Slowly Killing Your Business” for Entrepreneur.

Good morning, ,

There aren't many people who do what I do. And none of the folks engaged in this work, including Dorie Clark, Nick Wolny, and Susie Moore, do what I do the way I do it.

Differentiating myself from my peers is as easy for me as it is for each of them. But we are not the source of one another's most challenging competition. The two competitors we battle most fervently?

Lack of awareness and self-reliance.

Many people are simply not aware of me, the work I do, or the opportunity to write for high-visibility publications. Before I started doing this work, I wasn't aware it was even a thing! It was only after I had several conversations with consultants and editors that I realized that the work I did with a client years ago could be the focus of my business.

Once people know that many high-visibility publications are looking for expert contributors, many decide to figure it out on their own. Self-reliance is often celebrated in our culture. As Marie Forleo is fond of saying, "Everything is figureoutable."

And so it is.

(But maybe you don't have to figure it all out on your own.)

Okay, so competition doesn't always look the way we expect it to. What about differentiation?

Differentiation isn't just about being different.

Being different is easy.

To differentiate yourself from the competition, you need to be different in a way that matters to the people you serve.

When I shared this observation on LinkedIn, Katie Burkhart added that the difference also must be distinct. "The people you serve need to recognize that difference," she wrote. "So often what we see as a distinguishing factor is tainted by our curse of knowledge and doesn't even register with others."

Chloé Nwangwu elaborates on the concept of distinction in her article, Winning the Mind War. "Distinction . . . happens when something is easy to identify and easy to remember." It not only has to "get past the brain's filters into long-term memory," but it also must be "stored in the right part of the human memory network — meaning it is associated with and connected to ideas relevant to the chain of behaviors you're looking to influence."

Differentiation is about showing the people you serve that you are the person they should work with to address the challenges they are facing. To do so, you must communicate that difference in a way that helps the people you serve come to know, like, and trust you.

Your perspective is your differentiator.

Share it.

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"Being different doesn't ensure that folks get what you do. And without that level of understanding in place, there's nothing to ensure you'll be remembered when it comes time to make a relevant decision."

~ Chloé Nwangwu, Winning the Mind War

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Join the Conversation

How Do You Stand Out in a Noisy World?

That question was posed last month during a webinar I presented for the New York Public Library's Yoseloff Business Center. In this LinkedIn post, I put forth a wicked simple solution to an almost universal challenge. Join the conversation.

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Recommended Resource

The SOAR Model™

I developed this model to help my clients write articles that position them as authoritative experts. But I use it all the time to plan my articles, newsletters, and workshops. These four simple questions will make sure that everything you do builds your authority and enhances your reputation. Get your copy.

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Featured Appearance

Webinar: Thomas Yoseloff Business Center

I recently presented a webinar on how to develop a body of work that demonstrates your authority and opens the door to new opportunities. I talk about what a body of work is and the core organizing principle behind developing a body of work. The recording of the webinar is available for 20 days. Take a listen!

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Speaking Engagements

Thomas Yoseloff Business Center: Virtual

In the final webinar of this three-part series, I will share a simple framework to help you secure bylines in business magazines and trade journals. You will also learn how you can use those articles to achieve your business goals. This webinar is on Monday, March 3, from 12 to 1:30 PM Eastern. A recording and link to resources will be shared with those who register. Free. Register here.

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Upcoming Events

Pitched to Published™

Interested in learning how to write, pitch, and publish articles for high-visibility publications? Join me on Wednesday, March 12, at 11:55 AM Eastern for a mini-training on how to know what to write about and how to ensure that every article you write fits into your body of work. The mini-training will be followed by a Q+A. There is no cost to attend this monthly event. Register here.

Master Class: How to Write for High-Visibility Publications

In this 60-minute master class, I will share the SILVA Method™ and walk you step-by-step through the process I use to help my clients secure bylines in publications like Harvard Business Review, Inc., and TD Magazine. Join me at 2 PM Eastern on Wednesday, April 9. Free. Register here.

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That's it for today!

If you have addition thoughts to share with me about competition and differentiation, I'd love to hear them. This is a topic I want to noodle on for a while longer. I need to chat a bit more with Katie and Chloé, and dive into more of the nuances. You are welcome to dive in with me if you are so inclined!

If you have any questions or would like to talk about writing or publishing articles, please book a call. I'd love to learn more about your business goals and how I might be of service.

Take good care,

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P.S. If you're ready to become a better and faster writer, consider joining Writing Practice. Learn more about the community and monthly workshops here.