Defy Popular Marketing: Why Authenticity Outperforms Mass Appeal

"Popular! You're gonna be popular!" Glinda's iconic song from Wicked is catchy, confident, and completely wrong—at least when it comes to your marketing strategy. 

Just like that peppy song promises popularity is the answer to everything, we're often told that appealing to everyone is the key to business success. But is that actually true?

In this episode, I'm exploring why being specific (and authentic!) beats being popular in business, and how to stop diluting your message trying to please everyone. You'll learn how to identify your unique angle, craft messaging that attracts perfect-fit clients, and build a business that's sustainable without trying to appeal to people who were never even your. buyers in the first place.

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EPISODE 145.
Read the show notes and view the full transcript here: https://erinollila.com/defy-popular-marketing-be-authentic-specific/

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Here's info on your host, Erin Ollila
Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin’s not helping her clients understand their website data or improve their website copy, you can catch her hosting the Talk Copy to Me podcast and guesting on shows such as Profit is a Choice, Mindful Marketing, The Power in Purpose, and Business-First Creatives.

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:
• Learn more about Erin’s VIP intensive options if you’d like to learn more about how you can hire her to help you with your marketing efforts
• Visit Erin's website to learn more about her business, services, and products
• Come chat with Erin on Threads, Instagram, or LinkedIn

Transcript

0:00

Do you ever feel like everyone is telling you how to run your business? What you should offer, how you should market, what platforms you need to be on. And all of those people, I bet that they're promising that if you simply just follow their advice, you're suddenly going to be visible to the right leads and the right audience and everyone is going to know who you are. I mean, we all grew up learning that being popular was the goal, right? And, if anything, I also have been singing the song Popular for quite some time. Actually, since Galinda sang it in the movie adaptation of the play Wicked, when I went to see it in opening weekend. The song is catchy. The song is great. Do you actually need to be popular to have a business that is serving you, that is strategic, and that is successful? Let's talk about popularity for a second, using Wicked as an example. Yes, the song Popular is extremely catchy and incredibly hard to get out of your head once it's in there. Galinda tries to make Elphaba popular. That's what the song's all about, teaching Elphaba that she needs to fit in, in order to stand out. Which is ironic, in its own right. But by the end of Act 1 in Wicked, I think people already start to understand that Elphaba What's happening once Elphaba becomes known, becomes seen, let's say, is that she's losing her power to be who she is. You know, all of, , Part 1 of Wicked really is about It shows the journey that Elphaba takes to try to figure out who she is and her strengths and what makes her special. But there's also this underlying tone of, you can be special, but you can't stand out. And that happens a lot in this online business world. But what we can really take from the movie Wicked is that What happens at the end of Act 1? People start to tell Elphaba's story for her. And that shapes how everyone sees her. Does that sound familiar? That's because this is what happens in business all the time. We're letting others define our story based on their advice for how we need to show up online. And that advice itself is heavily rooted in being I shouldn't put that in there, but I can't stop singing it., think of it. We're trying to follow every trend. We're trying to appeal to all of the customers, to fit into every box. And just like in Wicked, when we're letting others write our story for us, What we do is we lose control of our own narrative. So let's talk some quick context for this episode., today we're really going to talk about why being specific about who you are and what you do. Beats, Trying to be Popular. It's not about being the business that everyone knows. That is not actually what you want to do to really stand out in your visibility campaigns. It's about being a business that the right people can't forget. I get it. I'm a strange person, actually, to be talking about this, having been rooted in the marketing industry for so long. We all want to be known. We all want to have a reputation. We all want the recognition, but what nobody tells you is that generic popularity isn't just hard to achieve. It's actually the wrong goal. The real power? The real power comes from specificity, being authentically you. Think about your favorite businesses for a second, the ones that you absolutely adore. I bet they're not trying to please everyone. They're not wishy washy over who they are. They are specific, they are clear, and they are unapologetically themselves. And that brings us to the popularity trap. Let's talk about why this happens. Why we are so drawn into wanting everyone to like us and our businesses. I understand it's tempting. That idea that if we just make our offer broad enough, if we appeal to enough people, or maybe I shouldn't say appeal to the right enough people, if we don't turn off people. A large group of people, we will hit that magic tipping point of success. When you're building a business, turning away people actually can feel really scary. Saying this isn't for everyone feels like leaving money on the table. Plus, if we're going to be honest, every time you open social media, there's another business guru that tells you how to scale, how to reach more people, and how to be bigger, bolder, more successful. But what happens when you're trying to please everyone? Well, you end up with marketing that sounds like everyone else's. You know the kind. We help businesses grow through innovative solutions. What does that even mean? It's like trying to sing every part of a musical at once. You're just ending up with noise. And. I think it's really, this is a good point where we should really consider popularity. What is popularity other than meeting certain conditions that someone or some group has set to be approved, right? To be, what they think is fine and blending into that groups. Being popular has nothing to do with standing out. Being popular means that you're blending in. So if you run a business where popularity is the main approach to marketing, your offers are going to become so watered down that they're not actually answering or solving anyone's specific question. goals or problems anymore. Think about it for a second. Would you rather hire someone who helps businesses with their marketing or would you rather hire someone who helps life coaches, let's say for an example, turn their signature program into a book, right? Marketing, books, like the specificity here is selling the person who can help take a service provider and turn their thought leadership into, or, you know, or their actual services. I think that's what I said, a signature program in my example, , into a book that they can have for their business. That is a very particular marketing facet that. is going to work for them because they're going to attract people who, drumroll, want a book, right? If someone doesn't want a book, they're not going to go to that individual and that's okay. Let me bring it back to Wicked for a second. The worst part about popularity is that when you're trying to please everyone, you're actually giving up your own control. You begin morphing your message based on what everyone else is doing, what's trending, and before you know it, you're letting the market Write your story instead of you writing it yourself. You know, I love examples. So let me paint a picture of what this actually looks like. Imagine a business coach who starts chasing popularity on social media. They see the dance trends getting attention, so they dance. They see story times getting views, so they share random stories from their life. They jump on every viral sound, every trending transition, every popular format. Their follower count. may grow. It may even explode and be astronomically more than they expected. But here's the thing. When they click on their analytics, they're measuring their DMs., they're looking at people who've actually booked calls with them and, more importantly, services. You want to guess what's going to happen? Crickets. Or, you know, maybe not crickets. Maybe they see some increase in the clientele that they like to work in. But what's Generally happening behind the scenes is that they're attracting people who love their entertainment value, but have zero interest in business coaching. They have built an audience of people who watch their content or consume any other content. I'm using a video here mostly as an example, but they never book their services. Why? Because trying to be popular, they forgot to be specific about who they are and what they actually do. Instead of sharing their unique approach to business coaching or showcasing their actual expertise, they became just another creator chasing trends. They tried to defy gravity by doing what everyone else was doing, but instead, they fell flat. because they lost what made them unique in the first place. So what happens when you embrace being specific instead of trying to be popular? Magic. And I am not talking about the kind of magic that Glinda does with her wand. I am talking about real business changing magic, because when you become specific, you become memorable. Think about it. If I asked you to remember the name of yet another, Business coach who helps you grow your business, you'd probably struggle, but what about a business coach who helps introverted authors turn their novels into sustainable income through multiple revenue streams? Okay, that sticks in your mind because you know that coach is working specifically with fiction authors who would like to monetize their experience and education. Being specific is not about limiting yourself. It's really about liberating yourself. It is about giving yourself permission to stop trying to be everything to everyone. And here is the really cool part. When you get specific about who you serve and what you do, your marketing actually becomes 10 times easier. You know exactly what to say because you know exactly who you are. and who you're talking to. All right, let's, let me show you this in action as well. Let's imagine a fitness trainer who specializes in helping busy parents fit workouts into their chaotic schedules. They're not creating generic workout plans. They're actually designing programs that are specifically for people who might have to actually stop mid workout to change a diaper or who need to incorporate their curious toddlers into their exercise routine. Their marketing is not going to be about getting fit or reaching your goals. Their marketing is going to be about finding time for fitness between soccer practice and bedtime stories, or finding time to stretch your body in a day where you're already overworked, Or show, sharing your love of fitness with your children. They're not competing with every fitness trainer out there. What they've done is they've created their own category. They have defied gravity, like how I'm trying to fit this in here, , by getting more specific, not by trying to appeal to everyone. So the best part is when you are specific like this, your ideal clients feel like you are reading their minds because you're not just selling a service. You are showing them that you truly understand their challenges, , their specific needs, their specific situations. Let's talk about what specificity isn't. Specificity isn't about being exclusive. It's not about turning people away at the door. It's actually about being so clear about who you are, who you serve, and how you serve them., that the people who are dis. Interested? Don't come to the door, because they're not interested, and the people who are are the ones that are banging your door to get in. Not that anyone wants anyone banging their door down, but stay with me here, I'm trying. So, you know that moment in Wicked when Elphaba realizes that she has to choose her own path? It's kind of what we're talking about here, because choosing to be specific in your business to truly own who you are and who you serve, specifically, if we're gonna talk about the movie, when you understand what your values are and what you stand for and what you're not willing to include in your own story or how you're not willing to be manipulated, means that Being clear about that unique value and vision that you have. It really actually takes courage to look at all of the possibilities in your industry and say, this one, this one right here is my path. It takes a lot of strength to resist the pressure to be everything to everyone. But just like Elphaba, who is singing about defying gravity. When you choose to embrace your specific strengths and perspectives, that's when you start to soar. I know that's a hard one. That is, that is a mindset challenge in its own, is giving up that what feels like control, even though it's not control, of designing how you present yourself in order to be seen and just being seen for the true you or the true business you. So, let's talk about What may be holding you back here? Maybe it's fear. Fear of missing out on potential clients, fear of being too niche, fear of choosing wrong. It could also be external pressure, people telling you to scale up or broaden your reach. It could be the idea of finances and worrying that niching or being too you is going to have some economic repercussions. Or maybe it's just simply the comfort of blending in with everyone else. There is this, there is a comfort in popularity, and that's why I think people crave so much to fit in and be part of something that feels like everyone belongs. But here's what happens when you find the courage to be specific. You're going to stop competing on price because nobody else does exactly what you do. You'll stop struggling to stand out because you'll naturally stand out. You'll stop chasing trends because you are too busy leading in your own lane. I see way too many businesses getting stuck in the comparison trap, looking at what their competitors are doing and thinking that they need to do more of the same things. They need to serve the same people. Offer the same services, but the real opportunity isn't in fitting in, it's in standing out by being specifically and unapologetically you. And at this point, you might be thinking like, okay, Erin, thanks for the lecture, but can we talk about like how to actually practically, , put this into, to practice? Okay, we can, because understanding the power of specificity is one thing. Implementing it? Yeah, that can be another. Okay. So first, let's look at your website copy. When someone lands on your homepage, do they immediately know who you are and who you serve? No, not in a vague, generic, or SEO forced way. But in a way that actually makes your ideal client think, Yes, this is exactly what I've been looking for. So, examples. Here's what it might look like. Instead of helping businesses succeed with strategic marketing, you could niche that into, I help independent bookstores create profitable event programs that turn browsers into loyal regulars. Instead of Life Coach helping you reach your goals, try, I Help Burned Out Teachers Transition to Profitable Online Tutoring Businesses Without Sacrificing Their Love of Teaching. Do you see how in each example, the difference is actually really clear. When you're specific, your ideal clients can see themselves in your copy. They know whether you're the right fit for them instantly. And the clarity doesn't just help your potential clients. It helps you, too. Your content strategy will get clearer. When you are specific who you're talking to, you'll know what topics to cover, what examples to use, and what pain points to address, and also what pain points to, like, leave alone because there are pain points enough on their own. Remember, you're not trying to create content for everyone. You're trying to create exactly what your ideal audience needs. Let's talk about the real impact and why it's worth any of this initial discomfort that you might be feeling about being you or niching down. And, and before I get into that, I want to just say something. I'm using the word niche here. It's not a word I really like. I mean, you might call it niche. I, I hate, I hate the word niche, but, the sound of the word niche., Niche is not a word I like because I think people automatically think of categories when they think of niche. And I much prefer for you to think of what I'm saying here today as specificity. Because I don't think that you need to change your services in your niche. And I don't think that you need to only work with one group of people when you're being specific and when you're niching. It's more that I want you to understand that you can be you and your marketing can be yours and not influenced by others. And in doing that, your, your audience is going to be well crafted of the individuals that belong to be in there. But let me get back to what I was just saying. So let's talk about the impact. First, you're going to build deeper connections with that. Right fit audience. Because when people feel like you're speaking directly to them, like you truly understand their challenges, they're going to lean in. They're going to stop scrolling. They'll start saving your posts. They'll forward your email to their friends who might need your services. Because. Not because you're trying to be popular and they want to feel part of that in crowd by sharing you, but because you're relevant. You'll also start attracting those right fit clients. Maybe I should have said this one first. You know, the ones that are valuing what you do. The ones who are excited to work with you and who actually implement what you teach or share with them. Because when you're specific about who you serve and how you serve them, you're naturally filtering out the clients who aren't the right fit. You'll hear me on the podcast often say about how repelling is a service. This is exactly what I mean by that. And maybe here's something that could surprise you. Being specific actually creates more sustainable growth. No. It's not going to be that explosive, viral like feeling that's going to fizzle out as fast as it appears when you, share a reel on social that performs really well. I am talking about steady and sustainable growth that is built on a foundation of knowing exactly who you are. and Who You Serve. Think about it. When you are specific, you can create offers that are perfectly matching your audience's needs, writing content that feels like you're reading their minds, building a reputation, keyword here, that That you are the go to person for your specific expertise and making clearer, more confident business decisions. And I think reputation is really an important word to talk about for a second. There's a difference between being popular and having a reputation. And I think the word reputation often has a slight negative connotation to it. But if we erase that factor for a moment, just remember, you can shape your own reputation. You can start to build that narrative on your own. But when you're popular, you're fitting in a mold of what something is. And I guess the final impact I should share is that when you do this, when you focus on specificity instead of popularity, You get to build a business that feels more authentic to you. One, where you're not constantly trying to keep up on trends or morph yourself into what you think you should be. One, where, like my gal Elphaba, you found the courage to be uniquely, specifically, you whether you decide to go all in on specificity today or take small steps toward getting more clear about who you serve and how you show up for them, remember this, success isn't about being popular with everyone. It is about being important to the right people. It is about telling your story, your way. And just like in Wicked, when you embrace who you really are, instead of trying to be who others want you to be, that's when you really start to soar. So get out there and start soaring. Come back next week where we'll keep talking copy.