Some time ago Chris Brogan wrote a post, that I'm still thinking about partly because I love beignets and secondly I tend to be slightly OCD (just kidding, I think) and can not stop thinking of something until my thoughts have run their logical course.
Chris' post was about doing one thing very well and I have to say that Chris is correct, not every brand is built on a single solidly identifiable widget, but many are. It doesn't mean that you have to be one dimensional. It is important to have a few complimentary products or services. Maybe one of the best examples that I can provide is from my previous life as an adventure racer. Our team was made up of four individuals and we often had special duties that we elected to fulfill for each race. My role was second navigator and pacer. For some reason I have an odometer built into my brain that can get you to your destination within a few meters of the actual spot and I can also tell you what pace you are walking and running. Many runners I know have that same sense so I'm not that unique, but I could do that at night, on a trail, in a dark forest with a combination of walking running and still get the team where we needed to be. I say this not to brag, but simply to point out that I had a "brand" of being a great pacer so guess who got that job every time? Sure, I did and that's okay, because I really enjoyed it. I could have done other things like navigator, encourager, transition help or one of the many other "jobs", but I did one thing very well and concentrated on that. Of course, we were a team so we all helped out doing whatever it took to be successful, but we also had 1 or 2 things that we specialized in and that made our team function well.
So what's your specialty? What widget do you make or piece of insight that you can bring that is uniquely you?
Thanks,
Mat
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About the Author:
Mat is a husband and father. He loves outdoor adventures including summiting several 14ers, running the Pikes Peak Ascent 3 times and riding his hard tail down Porcupine Rim at over 40mph. Not being afraid of the kitchen, he swears he's a pretty great cook too. Mat has been successfully involved in leading marketing, strategy and business growth efforts in such diverse environments as start ups to Fortune 50 companies. He has been involved in online and social media since 1998, long before it was even called social media. This is his personal blog and just like life it may include topics that range from Star Trek, Formula 1, movies, sports, business and his family. It will likely not include many references to politics and his relationship with God, both of which he is very passionate about, but you never know something may slip out (just a warning).