Are you an expert in your field but find yourself unable to explain what you know to other people? Do you want to share your brand to the rest of the world but don’t know where to start? Then the KEEP method might just be what you need to convey what’s inside your head to your target audience.
You can’t read the label from inside the jar.
First off, remember this: when you’re inside a jar, you won’t be able to read the label well. So, it helps to get out of the jar, read the label, and then pull different pieces of what you know to create something unique.
One way to achieve this important goal is to use the KEEP method. This is a simple yet multi-layered principle that combines:
- Knowledge,
- Expertise,
- Experience, and
- Passions.
These four factors contribute a lot to what gets you out of bed in the morning and motivate you to do what you do.
1. KNOWLEDGE is key
Your knowledge is what you have delivered for your career. It could be your university degree. It could be the job that you’ve been in. It’s the overarching idea of what it is you do.
2. What is your EXPERTISE
You probably already know your expertise. But for some soul-searching, ask yourself what is that one ability or piece of knowledge that you can do so well when you drill down into your skills and know-how. What is it that is the genius zone in what you do? What is the eight or nine or 10 out of 10 in what you do?
Your expertise doesn’t have to be Einstein-level. What is the one thing that other people in the office come to you for and say, “Hey, can you do this thing because it comes very easily to you?” In fact, it comes so easily to you that it normally surprises you that other people can’t do this thing.
3. You can’t beat EXPERIENCE
Consider your life experiences since these could give another layer to what it is that you do.
These are the events that gave you a completely different take on what it is you do because these things can start to uncover who it is that you want to work with or work on. It could be having a divorce, losing a large amount of weight, a major health crisis, or losing your partner and having your finances in disarray for months afterwards.
You can start to understand how these life experiences change your knowledge and expertise and give them a deeper understanding.
4. Pursue your PASSIONS
Your passions sometimes will give you a bit of an insight into who your target market is and who you love to work with. These might be little pieces that you can pull out to give you a unique methodology or a certain feel for your brand.
For example, I’m an ex dancer, so I like to use my dance background as metaphors in my coaching.
Your passions could bring an extra little depth into your branding in terms of stories you share or colours you use. These affect how your brand looks or sounds like to other people.
You are your niche
You may hesitate tooting your own horn, but in today’s market, you need to establish person-to-person relationships and businesses. You don’t have to use a hard-sell method to establish a connection with your prospects.
When you bring together your knowledge, expertise, experience, and passions, you create a niche that is deep and unique to you. In this way, rather than tooting your own horn, you share what you know, what you’re good at, what you’ve gone through, and what you love. That makes all the difference to the people who resonate with your brand.
So if you want to choose a niche that will KEEP you jumping out of bed every day for years to come, use this method to help you decide on a niche.
And if you’re struggling to read the label and nail your niche, then get some help from people who are able to help you. Because life is too short to waste sitting inside the jar.
