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Week 23: Your positioning matters—probably more than you think

I once consulted with a freelance editor and writer who was having trouble attracting clients. When I looked at his website, this is how he described his services:

What type of client does he want to attract? It’s hard to say because he has not expressed any meaningful position. It may seems counterintuitive, but if you throw open the door to every kind of project or client, you will deter business. Potential clients won’t be sure if you’re a good fit for them. They look for themselves in your marketing copy; they look for someone who understands their challenges.

Thus the biggest problem in positioning: mushiness

Early on, it’s normal to lack conviction about who you serve or want to serve. You’ll be tempted to cast a wide net, like the freelancer above. But you’re far better served by getting specific about who is most likely to benefit from your services or enjoy your work. Once you truly commit, you will know how to:

• Write your bio or about page
• Post on social media in a way that attracts readers or clients
• Identify communities you should show up for or engage with
• Create work or offer services that align with your ideal reader or client

It is powerful for your business if you can become the first name that comes to mind when people are looking for a specific type of offering. Who is the go-to person right now for opportunities and discussion of the literary magazine community? Becky Tuch at Lit Mag News. Who is the leading figure covering book bans and book challenges in the publishing community? Kelly Jensen at BookRiot. Who is devoted to helping people develop their emotional intelligence from a highly literary, philosophical, and intellectual perspective? Alain de Botton.

You can even do this for Elena Ferrante, for fun: Storytelling that exposes the raw complexities of female friendship and identity while the author remains deliberately hidden from view.

Am I using the word “position” as interchangeable for “brand”? More or less, to help everyone be open to the idea without mentally shutting down. 🤓

Your position transcends formats and containers

All of the positions I just noted? They express themselves in multi-faceted ways. They can take the shape of newsletters, books, videos, podcasts, white papers, articles, and events. Once you have a position that you believe in and value, you have the foundations of a strong business. You’ll be able to:

• Identify recurring desires or problems for your audience: Think about the common issues you consistently address in your work, or the common questions people come to you with, especially those without easy answers.
• Make other people feel seen: When describing your position, your readers or clients should see something of themselves in it. Part of your position includes how and why people appreciate and value you and your work.
• Speak the language of your audience: You can use terms and address concerns that resonate with your community without having to explain or define them. You’ll already know their values—you likely share them.
• Write specific and targeted marketing copy: You’ll avoid the kind of marketing description I shared in the opening, and will instead clearly outline who will benefit from your work and even who might not be the right fit. You won’t cast too wide a net because you’ll know you’re not for everyone.

To test and refine your position, pay attention to feedback and ask for feedback. Your position will evolve, of course, as you gain more experience and your work develops or changes direction.

Exercise

• If the idea of having or developing a position feels daunting, then start at the polar opposite. What position would be the worst fit in the world for you? What falls outside your purview? What (even who) do you dislike intensely? Who or what is easy to say no to?
• If you’re more advanced in your business, list three to five people who have been ideal readers or clients. What do they have in common? How did they find you? What do they most value about you or your work? How did you make them feel seen or understood? If you keep a file of testimonials or praise, review for recurring themes.

Explore further

• ​If You Don​’​t Define and Present Yourself Online, Others Will Do It for You by Michelle Cutler
• ​3 Keys to Freelance Editing: Position, Package, and Price by Jane Friedman
• ​Be Yourself So Readers Can Find You by Andrea Guevara
• ​How Author Platform Connects to Author Brand by Karen A. Chase
• ​Building Your Brand on TikTok Isn’t Curation, It’s Authenticity by Kerry Chaput

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