“You’re the Top” is a song from the musical Anything Goes. It’s about a man and a woman who take turns pointing out the great qualities about each other.

What does this have to do with helping coaches and consultants create their messaging?

A ton.

To create authentic messaging that makes you stand out from the crowd, you must uncover those great qualities, quirks and idiosyncrasies that make you, you. (Remember – You’re the top!) And then you can courageously and creatively use them in your business to stand out. Those things that you may think are silly, crazy, unimportant or not “professional” are really the things that people will relate to. They are the things that when you use them in a strategic way, will help you to brand yourself and become known in your field.

Here are a few people who have done the work to create strong and courageous brand messaging. You probably have moderate to strong feelings about them one way or another. And that’s the point. They bring their full selves – their quirks, their strengths, their personalities and their perspectives – into their businesses. That means you probably either like them… or not. They are not trying to please everyone. They are content to build successful businesses by being themselves:

http://sekouandrews.com – A bold poet who shares his value of seeing the “awesome” in others and yourself.

http://liveoutloud.com – Loral Langemeir’s message is clear: Go ahead and get the latte. Don’t limit your life. Make money and live from abundance. The name of her company is Live Out Loud. In other words, say what you want and do what it takes to make it happen.

http://www.mikemichalowicz.com – Smart and serious about business, not himself. Just look at his visuals on his site. Talk about showing your personality in your messaging.

http://bromstad.com – David is the original winner of HGTV Design Star and host and designer on his own HGTV show Color Splash. He is known for transforming tired rooms into colorful, vibrant, unforgettable spaces as well as his original pop art pieces. That’s his point of view. It’s not for everyone, but his clear point of view has led him to being a spokesperson for Microsoft, Dupont, Sherwin Williams, Pier 1 and Tibotec Therapeutics. He also has a partnership with Naturalizer.

http://pattistanger.net -Star of The Millionaire Matchmaker. She’s known for being very direct and to the point. At times this has resulted in her getting labeled as sexist and judgmental. She has been called “the Simon Cowell of dating.”

http://www.rachaelray.com – She uses catchphrases like “EVOO” and Yum-o! She’s gotten a lot of flack for this, but she’s laughing all the way to the bank. I once heard her say that she’s been vastly under qualified for all of her roles, but she just keeps making leaps as things unfold.

http://perezhilton.com/ – Love him or not, Perez has a point of view!

http://kathyireland.com/ – The last I looked, she had a great video on her home page about her brand. She’s about simplifying a woman’s life. Specifically, a mom’s busy life.

Want to feel more aligned with your business? Try adding more of you into it. Remember: You’re the top!

Here’s an excerpt from The Rosie Show with Sutton Foster and Colin Donnell performing “You’re The Top!” Let the music inspire you.

 

© 2014 Meredith Liepelt, Rich Life Marketing