With over 2.7 million blog posts published every day and hundreds of thousands of books published every year, it's difficult to stand out from the crowd. Or is it?
More and more, people are looking for an experience with the content they consume. We writers and communicators are all competing with YouTube videos, Facebook notifications, and the latest apps. It takes more than a good idea and plain text on a white background to retain the attention of an audience.
To rise above the noise, you must create something unmistakable.
This week on The Portfolio Life, we are joined by author, podcaster, and instigator, Srini Rao. Listen in as we talk about why your audience needs to feel a sense of belonging, navigating the process of renaming a brand, and appealing to a broad audience without alienating people or diluting the message.
Listen to the podcast
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Show highlights
In this episode, Srini and I discuss:
- Channeling the innovative mindset of Steve Jobs
- Interviewing a variety of guests from bank robbers to performance psychologists
- The immeasurable value of creating distinctive work
- How the podcast led to a major book deal with Penguin
- Avoiding mass production while maintaining consistency
- Creating an experience beyond the standard content
- Bridging the gap between art and commerce
- Repurposing content as a byproduct of your primary medium
- Exceeding the perceived limitations of a platform
- Surfing as a metaphor for the creative process
- Borrowing ingredients from other people to come up with recipes of your own
- Building a habit of writing 1000 words a day
- The myth of solo-entrepreneurship
- How collaboration is an opportunity to elevate someone else
- The three jobs of a CEO
Quotes and takeaways
- “Connection outlasts any interaction.” –Srini Rao
- “Commitment is not negotiable.” –Srini Rao
- “When it's so easy to start, the value of commitment goes up significantly.” –Srini Rao
- “The most profitable thing you can do for any company is keep everyone operating within their zone of genius.” –Srini Rao
- Constantly look for things that make you curious.
- Look at what people are expecting and blow their minds.
- Producing a lot of content consistently provides the opportunity to practice in public and get a lot of feedback.
- Your reader's experience extends beyond your words.
- Avoid the noise by not subscribing to it.
- Treat your platform as an opportunity to be generous.
[share-quote via=”JeffGoins”]The value of distinctive work makes competition irrelevant.
Resources
- Unmistakable: Why Only Is Better Than Best by Srini Rao
- The Unmistakable Creative podcast
- The Unmistakable Creative Compass
- Mars Dorian artwork
- Unmistakable Creative video shorts by Soul Pancake
- AJ Leon
- The Rise of Superman by Steven Kotler
- How Writing 1,000 Words a Day Changed My Life
- Facebook newsfeed eradicator (Chrome extension)
- The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
- How to Start a Startup podcast
Click here to download a free PDF of the complete interview transcript.
How would you define something that's unmistakable? What are you doing that makes your work unmistakable? Share in the comments
