How to build a distinctive POV

From Reads to Leads is a newsletter for writers who want more. It's about marketing. Strategy. Positioning. Operations. Results. And yes, it talks about writing too. But through a marketing lens. If this was sent to you, subscribe here so you don't miss the next email.

In today's newsletter:

• Lame communication doesn't stand out
• To take a stand you need to have an enemy
• Build your POV in 4 simple steps

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Most companies have lame communication

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‍It sounds like this:"Marketing is important for business growth. There are many tactics you can use, like content marketing, email campaigns, and paid ads. We are a marketing agency that picks the best strategy for you."

‍See the problem? No opinion. No perspective. No reason to remember. Without a strong POV, you don’t stand out – you blend in. And if you blend in, you lose.

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‍Having a POV means taking a stand

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‍When we build a communication strategy for our clients, we ask 2 questions:

1. What unique perspective do you bring?
2. What misconceptions do you want to challenge?

Answering these questions requires you to take a stand. And this means ↓

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You need an enemy

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‍That enemy isn’t always a competitor. It can be a belief, a norm, or a way of doing things.

‍The easiest enemy? The status quo.

‍Take Geoffrey Moore’s Crossing the Chasm, for example. In his book, Moore challenges a common assumption that product adoption follows a smooth curve. 

Instead, he came up with the word “chasm” to describe a gap on this curve where startups fail because they can’t leap from early adopters to the mainstream market.

James Clear in Atomic Habits pushes back on the idea that big goals are the key to success. Instead, he says it’s all about small, consistent habits that add up over time. You need to focus on systems vs goals.

Austin Kleon in Steal Like an Artist disagrees that creativity is about pure originality. He makes a point that creativity is about borrowing. Making something new from what already exists.

There are plenty of examples like these in the technology world.

‍Superside, for example, challenges the traditional designer hiring model by saying you don’t need an in-house design team or a pricey agency. Instead, you can tap into the top 1% of creative talent on a subscription basis.

‍HubSpot championed inbound marketing (attracting customers with valuable content), making the case against traditional cold calls, spam emails, and intrusive ads. 

‍Basecamp challenges the idea that bigger is always better. Unlike their competitors, all trying to eat a piece of a fat “enterprise” pie, Basecamp targets small businesses. On purpose.

At Zmist & Copy, we believe investing in head-to-head SEO is pointless if your brand means nothing to your customers. We declare war on meaningless marketing and stand for bringing real marketing back. Focused positioning. Strong differentiation. Clear value proposition. Authentic content. That’s what truly matters.

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Here is how to build a distinctive POV

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1. Define an enemy. What's a common practice in your industry that bothers you?
2. Show the problem. How is this common practice hurting your audience? 
3. What's the better way? Create a contrast between what everyone else does and your approach.
4. Back it up with some proof. Collect examples and show results that prove your approach works.

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POV example: Don't chase keywords. Focus on your audience

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1. Define an enemy ↓

Chasing high-volume keywords. Everyone does it. 

2. Show the problem ↓

You end up writing the same content as everyone else, just longer. Your audience can’t tell you apart from others.

3. The better way ↓

Pick topics based on market knowledge and actual audience needs. Even if the keywords have little or no search volume.

4. Back it up with proof ↓

We did this with "how to build an app like Uber" for Yalantis, and "SaaS design agency" for Eleken. Both keywords had no search volume, but despite this, drove hundreds of high-quality leads. 

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‍Want a formula?

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The root of [COMMON PROBLEM] often boils down to one thing: [COMMON APPROACH]. While most people chase [DESIRED OUTCOME] through [COMMON APPROACH], I believe the real focus should be on [YOUR APPROACH], because [insight into your audience’s needs]. This shift leads to [DESIRED OUTCOME], not [COMMON PROBLEM].

(You're welcome.)

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Here is how the POV example above reads using this formula ↓

The root of many content marketing problems is trying to rank for high-volume keywords. While most marketers focus on getting traffic through popular search terms, I believe we should focus on addressing what truly matters to our audience – even if it’s a niche topic with little search volume. This approach leads to more engagement and qualified leads, instead of generic content that doesn’t matter.

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I'll leave you with this

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‍A casual conversation with the CMO we’re working with:

CMO: How do you convince them to choose you over X competitor?

Me: I don't. People who work with the X competitor don't work with me. 

The clearer you are about what you stand for and against, the easier it is for the right people to choose you.

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‍See you next week

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‍Have a boss weekend. 

Kate

‍P.S. If we aren't connected already, follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram. If you like this newsletter, please refer your friends.

P.P.S. Need a hand with content? Fix your mediocrity problem with Zmist & Copy