You’re Reading a Contrarian Thinker
Wayne Hurlbert, writing at BlogBusinessWorld, was one of the first blogs I read and I’m continually being inspired by some of his thoughts.
Contrarian thinking: Don’t follow the herd has hit a nerve within me. I’m always one to look at my industry and think: why follow everyone else. What’s wrong with taking a little calculated risk and being different from eveyone else - in other words, differentiating ourselves with contrarian thinking.
When everyone is competing for the same market, and very often with virtually identical products and services, entire market segments are left almost untouched. A contrarian would happily find and fill those profitable business niches.
Let’s take a look at what is a contrarian thinker (courtesy of BuildingBrands) …
A contrarian thinker is ‘one who takes a contrary view or action, who makes decisions that contradict prevailing wisdom’. You too can find opportunities by becoming a contrarian. After all, no brand is going to achieve success by copying the rest of the pack.
I have a streak in me that tries to do everything but to follow the herd (sometimes to my financial detriment).
I’m basically at it again here with ePublishingDaily. My niche is information publishing. It’s my bread and butter. I want to become known as an expert ( a “go to” man) in this field. Yes, they’re lofty goals - possibly arrogant. But what’s more so is how I’m trying to get there.
I want to discuss information publishing, the tried-and-true systems that have to be put into place (because quite simply they work) … but, I want to add my own personal touch to it. I want to think outside of the box.
I don’t want to fall into the “chasing and following” trap many do with today’s generic information product.
And if you expect the basic, generic information product talk here then I’m sorry you won’t get that here. I’m not mad enough to discard all that’s been done before me - that would be stupid - but I am using this soapbox to shake things up a little.
Let me know what you think. Am I barking up the wrong tree trying to do this in this industry? How far can I go with my contrarian thinking in my niche? Your thoughts are most welcomed.
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8 Responses to “You’re Reading a Contrarian Thinker”
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Just so long as you don’t do something else that dogs are known to do to trees I won’t get too worried ;)
You, contrary? You never told me that when you first started eating my nachos. Now I have to rethink everythink. Here I thought you were Clark Kent and now you’re telling me that you’re Superman too! Oh my!
I think it was the way you wear that orange fedora every Sunday that gave you away, but I could be wrong about that.
Stuart - Nice one. A true contrarian wouldn’t just bark up a tree they’d do as you say :-)
Liz - it’s all about spicing up one’s life … and business. I’m one of those that get totally bored just following the pack.
That’s why I can’t be a normal commenter around the blogosphere - I’m a shit-stirrer at heart.
That SOB guy at the end of the bar every Sunday night wearing the orange fedora sipping his ouzo and munching on some nachos could very well be me.
There’s a three letter word that applies to anyone who would wear an orange fedora in Melbourne … and I never realised it applied to you :)
Stuart … now wouldn’t that be the ultimate in contrarian action.
But don’t you spell “stud” with four-letters ;-)
ROFL Martin.
On a more serious note though anyone who doesn’t quite fit the template for what people are expecting tends to get ignored.
Toni and I went into a local web design business a couple of weeks ago to try and get some design work done that we just didn’t have time to handle.
I guess we didn’t fit the template for web savvy people because the chief designer kept trying to tell us what he thought we needed.
He didn’t shut up till I pointed out that when we started in the business he had still been in the high school.
At the time I didn’t have a lot of confidence in them being able to produce the goods even though they looked and sounded the part. Today we fired them!
Hey, Martin. Hey Stuart,
Stuart said, On a more serious note though anyone who doesn’t quite fit the template for what people are expecting tends to get ignored.
I think that’s only always true in big companies. In the real world, either you are ignored for it or it makes you a superstar!!!
Stuart - Then they’re ignoring at their own peril (ie: you fired the smucks).
Liz - I’m playing for the superstar role - that or I’ll simply wither away into obscurity … but at least I’ll have fun getting there.