The Value of Being Uncommon

Be it a business, a person seeking a job, or someone looking to meet the right person, a goal shared by all is getting noticed. With hundreds of businesses and brands vying for the same client and thousands of applicants vying for the same job, it is easy to get lost in the sea of many. Everyone wants to be noticed, but few put forth the right amount of effort or take the right approach to achieve the result they are hoping for.

Most deploy the same strategy and take the same approach as everyone else. Brands look the same, resumes look the same, people dress the same. This, in effect, pushes them right into the heart of the pack. The exact place they do not want to be. All one must do is scroll through social media. Those that we notice are not like the others. They do not look like the others. They do not behave like the others. We do not give the time of day to those that are like everyone else. The same is true for people. For the world to pause for a moment and take notice, you must be or do something different than everyone else.

We live in a comfortable world. One that encourages conformity and compliance. One that encourages giving the least amount of effort possible. We are driven to look the same, dress the same, behave the same, and live the same life. Some of this is driven by media. Some is driven by social norms. No matter the influence, when we allow ourselves to be pushed to the middle we pretty much guarantee we will not be noticed.

However, there is a conundrum to be considered. While being noticed is the goal, pushing too far from normal can be a risky move. There is a fine line between being trendy or stylish and radical or freakish. The question becomes, how do you stand out from the pack without being an extreme outlier? First, you must understand what it is you are trying to achieve. Second, you must know the audience you are trying to influence.

If you own a business, maybe standing out can be achieved in how you present your brand through the various marketing channels you engage. Considering deeply how you would like people to view your brand and how you come across through your marketing efforts is a major factor when it comes to looking and feeling different than everyone else. If your image and voice is common, you’ve got no chance.

The same is true for how you and your team present the brand to your customers. Do you look the same, feel the same, and interact the same as everyone else? Is your business well designed, warm, and inviting? Is your team cheerful, welcoming, and professional in presentation and appearance? Is your business clean, well maintained, and representative of the image you wish to portray?

If you are a professional looking to be promoted, do you present yourself as a true professional day in and day out? Do you dress like everyone else, or do you carry your own style that helps you stand out just enough to be noticed? Do you take time to attend to your personal appearance or do you roll out of bed and roll into sweats and a baseball cap and onto a Zoom call or over to work? The effort you put into yourself telegraphs the effort an employer could expect you to put into your work. How you approach one aspect of life is an indicator of how you manage all aspects of life.

I was on a call with a couple marketing entrepreneurs the other day (@_stylecounsel). We were talking about style is a major part of their business model. They told a story of being noticed at a networking event. They were noticed because of how they presented themselves. They dressed in a way that made them stand out from the crowd. Not radical. Not over the top. Stylish and fashionable. Their sense of style captured the eye of the very person they wanted to meet and led to this person coming up to them. By being a little uncommon amongst the common they were able to achieve their goal.

How we present ourselves matters. Whether as a brand, a professional, or a student looking to get into the college of their choice. It matters more than one might think. People notice professionalism. People notice style. People notice clean. People notice brands that present their truth. People notice those people, brands, and behaviors that fall outside the norm. This is true for both sides of the curve. Good and bad. Positive and negative.

Everything in life is based in values and beliefs. We telegraph our values and beliefs in everything we do. How we speak, how we approach our physical health, how we approach self-development, and how we present ourselves communicates to everyone what we value and believe.

If you are looking to get noticed. The first place to look is in the mirror. Does the mirror reflect the personal or brand image you want the world to see? Is who you are and how you present yourself going to make anyone take notice? If not, the first step is to figure out why. The second step is to do something about it. Self-reflection and brand evaluation is not easy. Most would choose not to partake in such an exercise. That’s why they will forever remain a part of the crowd, never to be noticed for who they really are underneath the blanket of norms that cover them.

Randy Stepp is a principal with Renaissance Leadership Group. RLG is a full-service business development company driven by Purpose, Passion, and Strategy and the goal of helping entrepreneurs realize their vision for their business.

Visit Renaissance Leadership Group at www.renaissanceleadershipgroup.com to learn more.