There are two groups in life: those who stand out and those who blend in.

One group isn’t necessarily better than the other; it’s up to each person and each small business to decide which they prefer.

But, yes, you do have to make a choice: you can be in only one group. 

I like to think of these two groups as collections of animals:

  • Group 1 = an enormous mob of sheep
  • Group 2 = a small group with individual animals (one horse, one cat, one frog, etc)

About 95% of people and businesses are in that enormous mob of sheep, as I explained in a keynote speech to the CPA Australia NFP/Government Combined Discussion Group.

About 5% of people and businesses are in that small group of individual animals.

Group 1 is all about being inconspicuous, for better and worse. The positives are that you don’t have to plot your own course (you just follow the other sheep) and nobody notices when you make a mistake (because you’re concealed by the herd). The negatives are that it’s hard to attract attention from clients and referral partners; and if they do spot you, they’re unlikely to care, because you look like all the other sheep.

Group 2 is all about being conspicuous, for better and worse. The positive is that it’s easier to attract attention. The negatives are that you have to plot your own course, everybody notices when you make a mistake and people will attack you just for being different.

Which group do you want to be in?

The aim of marketing is to attract attention. But you can’t attract attention by blending in; you attract attention only by standing out. So if you want your marketing to succeed, you need to make it clear that you’re a horse, a cat or a frog, rather than one of the many sheep.

So, which group do you want to be in?