It seems that many businesses would rather bore everyone than risk offending anyone.

Even though we know we need to differentiate ourselves from others in our category, we end up crafting communications so benign they could work for anyone.

Years of focus groups, legal oversight, and risk-aversion has made us sand off any sharp edge that might give someone a reason to walk away.

We've become so afraid of excluding people, we've forgotten how to attract them.

But trying to create communication that resonates with everyone, resonates with no one.

Just as we're specific about who we serve, we should be equally specific about who we don't.

This means being comfortable that some people will look at our messaging and decide we're not for them.

Clear positioning doesn't drive away buyers. It drives away people who were never going to buy from us in the first place, while making it easier for actual customers to find us.