You bought the course.
You followed the steps.
You used the templates.
You did exactly what the expert told you to do.
And somehow, your business started sounding a whole lot like theirs.
There’s nothing wrong with learning from people who have already figured something out. In fact, it’s smart. Why reinvent the wheel when someone can help you get there faster?
But there’s a difference between learning from someone else’s system and becoming a copy of the person who created it.
And that difference matters.
When You Can Tell Who Someone Is Following
Spend enough time online and you start to notice it.
You read someone’s post and immediately think, “I know who they’ve been following.”
The wording sounds familiar. The format looks familiar. The messaging is almost identical.
Sometimes you can even recognize the exact process or system they’ve been taught.
That’s what happens when we stop using someone’s system as a guide and start treating it like a script.
It may have worked beautifully for them.
But you’re not them.
You can borrow the process without borrowing the person.
How The Unicorn Factor® Came To Be
This is actually a big part of where the idea behind The Unicorn Factor® came from.
I kept coming back to one question:
How do you stand out when there are thousands of other people offering something similar to what you do?
You’re probably not the only coach, consultant, web designer, bookkeeper, or whatever it is that you do.
And chances are, somebody else offers many of the same services you offer.
So, standing out isn’t necessarily about coming up with something nobody else has ever done before.
The difference is YOU.
Your experience.
Your personality.
Your perspective.
The way you solve problems.
The way you communicate.
That’s your Unicorn Factor.
It’s not about manufacturing something that makes you look different.
It’s about figuring out what is already different about you and allowing people to see it.
Authenticity Doesn’t Mean Ignoring What Works
Being authentic doesn’t mean ignoring every proven strategy and making everything up from scratch.
There are good systems out there. There are smart people you can learn from. And there are templates that can save you hours.
Use them.
Just don’t disappear inside them.
A template should give you a starting point, not replace your voice.
A framework should give you direction, not tell you who to be.
Take what works. Then make it yours.
Your Voice Is Part of Your Business Strategy
Authenticity isn’t just a nice branding concept.
It’s part of what helps people choose you.
If five people offer the same service, your potential client needs another reason to decide who feels like the right fit.
They may connect with the way you explain something.
They may relate to your story.
They may appreciate your sense of humor or the fact that you’re direct.
They may simply think, “I like her. She’s someone I’d want to work with.”
That’s connection.
And it’s pretty hard to create when you’re hiding behind somebody else’s voice.
Make It Yours
Make It YoursYou don’t have to throw out everything you’ve learned.
Instead, start noticing where you may have disappeared from your own business.
Look at something you’ve written recently. Would you actually say those words in a conversation?
Look at the way you’re marketing your services. Does it reflect what you really believe, or are you saying what you’ve been told you’re supposed to say?
Look at the systems you’ve adopted. Which pieces work for you, and which ones are you doing simply because somebody successful told you that’s how it’s done?
Keep what works.
Change what doesn’t.
Add your experience, your opinions, and your personality.
There will always be another expert, course, framework, or person telling you how you’re supposed to build your business.
Learn from them.
Take the good stuff.
But don’t hand over the one thing they can never give you:
Your Unicorn Factor.
The goal isn’t to become better at sounding like the people you follow.
The goal is to become better at sounding like you.
Because when everyone else starts looking and sounding the same, being yourself is one of the best ways to stand out.
Something to think about this week:
Where in your business are you following someone else’s formula so closely that you’ve stopped making it your own?
Want to find YOUR Unicorn Factor? Join us for our next The Unicorn Factor® free masterclass. Click here to reserve your seat!
