Most traditional businesses are constantly looking for an edge. An advantage over their competitors.
Samsung adds a new feature to its Galaxy smartphone to steal iPhone customers.
McDonalds touts the latest must-have toy in its Happy Meals.
Best Buy advertises an amazing deal on a 3-D flatscreen TV.
We see it all the time. We’re conditioned to this cutthroat business model. And many of us end up behaving the same way in our freelance businesses.
We look for a new angle in our services. Some new twist that no one else is offering.
Video white papers. Multimedia case studies. Full-service marketing services that combine copy, design and production. Marketing funnel design.
That sort of thing.
Sure, that’s one way to do it. And for some writers it makes sense to expand their offerings this way. Especially once they’re established.
But it’s not a must-do for most of us. Because we’re not McDonalds … or Best Buy … or Samsung.
We are the product.
By “we” I mean our professional background. Our combined set of experiences, skills, knowledge, relationships, industry knowledge.
And once we have client experience, our track record in the business also counts.
Those are the things that really matter. Those are the things that will give us an edge as creative professionals.
So stop chasing the next best thing. And look deep inside for what makes you different and better than most.
It beats having a weekly sale.
