My heart plummets every time I hear someone use this soul-sucking sentence:

‘The thing about me is…’

Because I know what follows is going to be:

a) a rambling monologue about themselves for 10 minutes

and

b) nothing actually different from anyone else

I know someone who trots it out incessantly:

‘The thing about me is that I just find work really tiring.’

‘The thing about me is that I just need my holidays.’

‘The thing about me is that I just love going to the cinema.’

Most of us could say the same, couldn’t we? After all, who doesn’t prefer searing sunshine and swim-up bars to 12 hours slog in the office?

It’s the combination of ‘me, me, me’ and the ‘same old, same old’ that gets to me.

(Breathe deeply, Kim. In through the nose, out through the mouth).

But I see businesses doing this all the time with their marketing, and individuals with their personal branding.

In the name of ‘getting themselves out there’ they sadly fall into the trap of talking about themselves too much, without saying anything new or different, or thinking about what their audience is really interested in.

Snore.

Because as you know, if we want to stand out in a crowded market, we’ve got to do a little better than to roll out the same old stuff as everyone else.

We’ve got to engage our audiences and be interesting. Say things in a fresh new way. Surprise and delight our customers.

We’ve got to be different and act differently, not just say we’re different.

It’s harder work of course, but oh so worth it. And the wonderful thing about YOU, is that you know it makes perfect sense.