The Magic of Being Specific
When you’re looking for a new job or running a new business it can feel best to say, "I'll do [insert wide service] for anyone!" This is common with the majority of design agency websites. They claim they will do any type of design (web, print, marketing, advertising, physical signage, motion graphics, etc.) for anyone who wants it. For example, here's a bio of an agency that shall not be named:
"[We are] a cross-disciplinary creative agency based in New York City. We develop cultural and commercial experiences at the intersection of design and technology."
Um... so what do you do then? Other than the fact that they're in NYC, I have learned basically nothing. This description says so little that in a few days, I won't even be able to recall which company I took that bio from.
Yes, I do understand why it is so tempting to say you'll do everything. Nobody wants to leave potential money on the table!
So, let me explain it in a different way. Here's a true story:
I recently spoke to two people—we’ll call them Person A and Person B— who are both looking to pivot to User Experience (UX) from interior design and politics respectively. First I spoke to Person A. In our conversation, when I asked them what type of work or type of companies they were interested in working on/with, their response was literally, "Anyone on anything!" When I pressed Person A further, they couldn't get more specific.
A few days later, I spoke to Person B. Their initial response to my question was, unsurprisingly, also broad. However, when I pressed them, they opened up. Person B is interested in the educational non-profit area because they had worked as a camp counselor and really cares about social-emotional learning.
Not long after, I was chatting with a friend who leads an education company and she asked if I knew any UX designers looking for work. “Why yes,” I said, “I do! Plenty!" I, of course, could provide the info of both of the people I mentioned above and many others. Except that, I know because of the field of her company, she would most appreciate someone who is passionate about that kind of work. I provided the contact info for Person B only. Because I knew their interests, they immediately jumped to the front of my mind and subsequently to the top of my friend’s list of people to reach out to.
This is the space you want to be in. The point where, when someone hears certain keywords— whether it’s an industry such as educational nonprofits, a pain point such as organizations with too many websites, and/or a service such as print design—you are the only or one of the very few, that person thinks of. This is how you are memorable and differentiated. This is how you get jobs, projects, and clients quickly. This is how you charge more for your time.
So, what do you do or want to do, specifically?
