Fundamentals To Be Unique – PTC 456

7 WAYS TO HELP YOU BE UNIQUE Podcasting is growing by leaps and bounds everyday. There are so many podcasts in your niche. That makes it even more critical for your podcast to be unique. If you want to stand out in the sea of sameness, there are a few things you can do that are easy to implement to make you special. WHY BE UNIQUE In the era of artificial intelligence, you can't afford to be information alone. AI can easily reproduce your information. AI cannot copy you, your story and your personality. A fews day ago we took a roadtrip to see Duran Duran in concert. It was the opportunity for my wife to cross off one of her bucket list bands. They put on an amazing show. Nile Rodgers and Chic opened the show. Bastille was the middle act. Then, Duran Duran brought down the house. It was fantastic. Duran Duran started as a band in the Birmingham, England in 1978 with Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Stephen Duffy. They struggled for a few years as Stephen left the band. Seven others came in and out of the band until they found the five that would become the famous Duran Duran as most know it. Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Roger Taylor, and Andy Taylor. They were part of a scene known as the New Romatic movement. It was a musical movement influenced by David Bowie, Marc Bolan and Roxy Music. The New Romantic movement developed fashions inspired by the glam rock era coupled with the early Romantic period of the late 18th and early 19th century. Bands emerging from the New Romantic movement included Spandau Ballet, A Flock of Seagulls, Boy George, and Classix Nouveaux. Though they had success in the U.K., Spandau Ballet and A Flock of Seagulls both only had one big hit in the U.S. Classix Nouveau were hardly known. On the other hand, Duran Duran and Boy George had numerous hits. Duran Duran had 13 songs that hit the Top 20 in the U.S. and many others that cracked the Top 40. DURAN DURAN So what set Duran Duran apart from the rest of the New Romantics? The band learned how to be unique better and unlike any other group. They had John Taylor, Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor in the band. However, none of the three were related, which made a great conversation piece. Nick and Simon were both heartthrobs who wore makeup and fashion epitomizing the style of the New Romantics. They were interesting, gave great interviews, created unique music, and influenced a style in the 80s unmatched by other bands. They wrote and recorded "A View To A Kill" to be the title track of the James Bond film of the same name. It was the first Bond theme to hit number one on the U.S. charts. Duran Duran created fantastic videos to usher in the age of MTV. The iconic videos for "Rio", "Girls on Film" and "Hungry Like the Wolf" were masterpieces in heavy rotation on MTV and still remembered today. Their popularity was demonstrated by the thousands of people singing every note to their songs nearly 40 years after they were released. It was one big party from start to end. You can take seven fundamental lessons from Duran Duran to help you be unique. These fundamentals will help you create raving fans rather than being a one-hit wonder. BE YOURSELF First, to be unique, be yourself. Be authentic. Only you can be you. If you try to fit in, you'll blend in. You won't get noticed. Don't simply copy somebody else. Blaze your own path. Infuse your content with your personality. Nobody can copy you. Duran Duran blazed the way for the New Romantic movement. Their style was unique. The music was original. Simon Le Bon came out of art school straight into the band and it showed. STORIES Next, incorporate your story into your podcast. People love a good story. More importantly, they love a true story. It is authentic and original. Listeners will learn about you with stories. Your stories define your character. They help your audience get to know who you are, what you're about, and what you value. Stories breed friendships. Think of your best friend. How much do you know about your best friend? You know everything, because your best friend tells you everything. They tell you every great story that happens in their life. Relationships derive from revelation. The more you reveal about yourself, the more your listener gets to know you. That's how friendships are formed. TELL THE TRUTH The third fundamental to be authentic is to tell the truth. Honesty fosters relationships. When your listeners learn they can count on you, they discover they can trust you. If you say you will post something on Wednesday, post it on Wednesday. Little deposits in your trust account will go a long way when you tell the truth consistently. Members of Duran Duran left the band, rejoined the band, left the band and rejoined again. They were always upfront with their fans. Andy Taylor joined the band in 1980. He left in 1986 before coming back in 2001. Andy left again in 2006. In 2022, Duran Duran was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The remaining four were there to accept, while Simon Le Bon read a letter from an absent Andy Taylor. The letter revealed Andy was battling prostate cancer. Earlier this year, the band announced they are working on a new project that will include a collaboration with Andy Taylor. They are always authentically truthful and their fans love them for that. BE TRUE TO YOURSELF You can be unique when you stick to your beliefs. Be true to yourself. It is impossible to consistently be something you're not. Trying to be like somebody else will eventually fall apart. It is hard to fake it without tripping up. Your listeners will see through it. Be proud of your features and your flaws. These all combine to make you the unique person you are. Nobody can duplicate your unique combination of qualities. Even during the tough times of the early 90s when grunge and hip hop were taking over, Duran Duran stuck to their mod dance style. They had a drought of four years without reaching the Top 40 chart in the U.S., but they kept true to themselves. It paid off when they hit #3 in 1993 with "Ordinary World" and #7 with "Come Undone". The band has a powerful fan base, because their fans know exactly what they are going to get at every show. PERSONAL STYLE The fifth fundamental to be unique is to use your personal style. To make your show unique, add your personal style. Duran Duran had their fashion. They had their hair, eye liner, ruffles. They had a swagger unlike any other. Do it in a way that only you can do it. Not a made up way. Your unique way. HAVE FUN Like the party Duran Duran put on, have fun. When you have fun, everybody has fun. You attract the right crowd. People don't simply want info, they want entertainment. They are here to get away from life for awhile. Help them do that. It is much more fun to learn when the content is entertaining. Don't be so serious. Lighten up and have a good time. BE MEMORABLE Finally, be unique by being memorable. Make them remember you. Own your category. When your listeners think of your category, they think of you. That happens when your niche is focused. It is nearly impossible to own the "business" category. However, you could own the "bookkeeper for solopreneurs" category. Get focused. Then, get listeners to talk about you. You don't want listeners to casually listen then go away. It is hard to monetize your activities if you are not top-of-mind. Most marketing is focused on top-of-mind awareness and a strong call to action. Your call to action is powerfully effective when you are the first one that comes to mind. When Duran Duran hit the scene, nobody said, "Boy, they sound like Band X." Even though they were inspired by David Bowie and Roxy Music, they sounded different. You can hear David Bowie singing "Wild Boys" or "Notorious". The band knew who they were and stuck to their niche to be memorable. BE UNIQUE THIS WEEK This week, I'd love to see you review two of your episodes. See how many of these fundamentals are present in your podcast. Find one personal story to include in your next podcast. Do one thing in a way only you can do it and make it memorable. Then, let me know how it goes. Email me. And if you have a chance, catch Duran Duran next time they are close. You'll have one incredible night that you will be talking about for years. If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.