Students and scholars are frequently faced with some pretty tough questions:
- Why should we admit YOU to our program?
- Why should YOU win this research grant?
- What have YOU done lately to advance knowledge in your field?
These are all variants of this particularly tough one: What’s so special about YOU?
The world’s top companies have no problem extolling their products’ virtues. But many of us balk at “tooting our own horns.” Sure, we don’t want to sound boastful; but we’re also too close to the subject to be objective.
To define the “special something” that ultimately prompts us to purchase, companies hire marketing consultants who use a very simple technique called… consulting. In other words, they ASK! They ask all sorts of people how they feel about the product. Then they draft and test a few messages; and repeat the process until the message is just right.
To discover what makes you special, consider asking your teachers, counselors, colleagues, teammates, bosses, and others questions like these:
- What makes me special…
- In how I approach or solve problems?
- In the way I interact with others?
- In terms of my potential?
- Why did this or that accomplishment matter so much?
- What does my future success look like, in your opinion?
Analyze their responses, then draft your own answer. Show your draft to your informants for more feedback – and then refine as necessary.
Ask and you shall receive… a new value proposition and a boost of confidence, too!
Scholar’s Secret can help you answer those tough “YOU” questions. Contact us anytime!