noun

The usual, average, or typical state or condition.

“His website appeared normal.”

Why Be Normal?

Now let me ask you a question and please, answer honestly. Do you WANT to be any of the things described above? I’m not saying being average is bad. It’s average. I’m average at a lot of things. I’m bad at plenty of things, but I’m also freaking great at plenty of things. So why have an appearance that’s average if that also includes greatness? Shouldn’t your brand reflect that greatness? Thus making it very “not average”.

By this logic described above, your brand can’t be normal. Because it isn’t. If everything about your business was average where would you be?

Now if you answered “yes” because you do want to be completely normal, average, typical, ordinary, expected, settled, fixed, traditional, then there’s a decision you need to make. If your mind cannot be changed and you’re positive you are average and want to be average, then you may not enjoy this article. If you are open-minded to leaving normal behind and becoming extraordinary, then this is the article for you.

If you truly don’t have a good answer to the question, “why be normal” than this was made for you.

If you already know there’s nothing about you that’s normal, welcome home! You’re among your people here.

Unleash your inner oddness

What Message does Normal Send?

I’m going to bullet point several synonyms for the word “normal”. I want you to really imagine what your thoughts would be.

• His services are standard
• He is a typical guy
• The products are common
• Everything seems ordinary
• The process is customary

Here’s his business card

What stands out about wanting to do business with this man? If everything is normal, what’s special? What’s unique? What makes him particularly likable? Don’t get me wrong, nothing here seems bad at all. But how good is it?

• His services are really unique, very out-of-the-box
• His sense of humor was a blast, he’s not at all what I expected
• His products are very niche and rotate often
• His website was interactive and completely unorthodox for the industry
• The process he uses is not what I’m traditionally used to

Here’s his business card

People who shake things up are really successful. Love it or hate it, this seems like a much more exciting experience. This isn’t normal and I think that’s great. It doesn’t mean he’s the right fit for everyone but you can’t be in business. That’s why you need to fly your abnormal flag and cater to working with the people who are like you. They share your values, have the same things in common, and want to achieve the same goals. It’s easy to be afraid of what’s different but normal is so cliche, so old, so boring, so overplayed. Don’t you want something to be more than average in your business? Why be normal if you can really stand up and out?

What Industries Benefit Most From Abnormalcy?

Any industry COULD benefit from it but certain industries may need more consistency on the average in SOME areas of their business. It’s awesome to be a vibrant, bright, funny, social Dr, which would make you abnormal. But it doesn’t mean your practices have to be. Some Dr’s that practice Eastern medicine seem very abnormal and their clientele flock to them for that. So why be normal when you can be who you are, which is exactly who your perfect clients want you to be

Some industries that I think are PERFECT for being anything but average are:

• Realtors
• Consultants
• Designers
• Marketers
• Copywriters
• Bloggers
• Chefs / Food Service
• Fashion
• Education / Teaching

This list could go on forever but let’s think about this list only for a moment. Do you want any of these professionals working on your branding if they were average? I wouldn’t. Don’t you enjoy getting more than you expected from something?

Don’t you want that little extra in your business?

I’m Not Normal

I’ve always said, “why by normal when I only know how to be me?” I’ve never liked the things that were traditional for girls. Even now at almost 40, I wear men’s clothes because they’re so much more comfortable. I go to business meetings with my arm tattoos showing under my rolled-up sleeves because it’s hot. I go to the gym in high socks because I’m obsessed with Stance socks. I spike my hair because I like it. I have a Star Wars tattoo because I wanted it. My branding is Star Wars because it’s the perfect reflection of my nerdiness but it also allowed me to better express my creative talents. So why be normal? There’s really not much about me that’s average in any way. I’m 6′ tall, I have huge feet, and I’m clumsier than a baby doe. I drive a manual transmission, I hate sugary coffee drinks, and I’m definitely NOT the average Millennial.

I’m not looking for anyone’s approval. I don’t need to live up to anyone’s expectations but my own. I’m not afraid to hide these things in my branding. So why should you? Shouldn’t you be allowed to be the realtor who shows up in Tommy Bahamas and Birkenstocks sipping on a Corona selling beachfront properties? Why can’t you be an aggressive divorce lawyer who only represents professional men? There’s no reason you can’t be the hippy yoga instructor who sees ghosts and always smells like patchouli. We shouldn’t hide who we are in our branding, we should embrace it.

If that’s not reason enough to be extraordinary, then I don’t know what is.

Just keepin’ it real, homie. Thanks for dropping by and reading.

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What are your thoughts on “normal”? Do you have any stories you’d like to share? I’d love to connect with you more, but I have to warn you, I’m not very normal. So let’s talk more on Instagram. I’m like, super weird there.