Sometimes our instinct in dealing with something we’re uncomfortable or insecure about is to bury it under piles of “official” certifications or pages of fluffy website copy.
But what if you say it loudly and point it out explicitly instead?
Maybe that thing making you doubt yourself (or your org-level brand viability) is actually you’re biggest differentiator? The stickiest thing people remember about you? The connection point your perfect-fit people can latch onto (and spread the word about on your behalf)?
If you’re nervous about being a generalist (or coming across as one), one option is to speak to it directly.
Connect the dots of your winding career path and various interests for people who can’t see them as clearly as you do. Explain how your un-siloed thinking adds to a team or a project, rather than detracts from it.
(Can you tell I’m pro-generalist and anti-silo? Shoutout to Generalist World for a whole community of generalist-thinkers and doers.)
Or take this example Alt Marketing School* shared a while back:
“Wiz ranked #1 by telling people how to replace them. Wiz built a page called Wiz Alternatives listing all their competitors. It became #1 on Google for ‘wiz alternatives’.
When someone searches for your alternatives, they’re ALREADY in comparison mode. Third-party review sites and Reddit threads are going to shape the narrative whether you like it or not. So Wiz said ‘we’ll do it ourselves’ and created the most comprehensive, honest comparison page on their own terms.
It captures high-intent traffic → People searching for alternatives are ready to buy. You want to be in that conversation.
It positions them as confident → Most brands are scared to acknowledge competition. Wiz leans into it, which makes them look secure AF.
It controls the narrative → Instead of letting some random review site frame the comparison, Wiz gets to highlight their unique differentiators while still being fair.
It builds trust → By being transparent about alternatives, they actually increase credibility. It shows they have nothing to hide.”
And as we know, trust is EVERYTHING.
So whenever, however, and wherever we can be transparent and explicit (without distracting from our main message or risking privacy that needs to be protected), it’ll [almost] always lead to more trust.
And that earned trust translates to longer-term and deeper relationships, loyalty, and referability. All things we want and need for a sustainable organization making sustainable impact.
❓What’s something that sets your brand apart?
❓How could you build trust with the right-fit people while also repelling the wrong-fit ones?
📍If you want to capture what makes you unique and figure out how to integrate it within the context of your broader brand experience and core audience, let’s chat.
This is an excerpt from Toward Purpose & Progress, my newsletter where I share business tips, good news, shoutouts to Founder Friends, and other juicy snippets. Subscribe here for more rants, reflections, and resources.
