I spent years trying to please everyone.

My website read like a menu of everything I might possibly offer. My messaging was carefully crafted to offend absolutely no one. My sales efforts were diplomatic masterpieces.

And I was drowning in a sea of sameness.

The breakthrough came when I realised that distinctive positioning isn't about being universally appealing. It's about creating tension.

Your positioning should divide your audience. Some people should love it. Others should be indifferent or even disagree. This tension isn't a byproduct of good positioning — it's a requirement.

Think about the businesses and creators who get the attention in your field. They likely take a clear stance that resonates deeply with some people while pushing others away. This isn't accidental. It's by design.

If everyone thinks your positioning is "nice" or "fine," it's probably too safe to be distinctive. Lukewarm reactions lead to forgettable businesses.

This tension feels uncomfortable at first. We're conditioned to seek approval, to smooth edges, to find common ground. But in a crowded marketplace, being palatable to everyone means being remarkable to no one.

Ask yourself this: If your business disappeared tomorrow, what specific gap would exist? What distinctive perspective or approach would be lost? If you struggle to answer, your positioning likely needs sharpening.

The answer often lies not in what you do, but in what you deliberately choose not to do. The clients you don't take. The services you don't offer. The approaches you reject.

I've found that getting clear on my "not list" has helped more than any amount of time spent refining my "about" page.

The world doesn't need more generalists with good intentions. It needs your unvarnished perspective, delivered to the specific people who resonate with it.

What are you deliberately choosing not to be? The answer might just be the key to finally standing out.

Thanks for reading. I’ve just launched a studio for my web design services.

The idea is to apply the frameworks I’ve built for Designing Value and deliver simple, effective websites for service businesses. Check it out, and if you’re feeling helpful maybe share it with people in your network if they’re looking for a designer who’s practical, works fast and transparent around costs.

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