Back in 2015 I started looking into more effective ways for businesses to stand out from their competitors. I met so many service business owners – coaches, consultants and speakers – who wanted to show their potential clients what made them different. They were trying to explain why prospects should book them instead of someone else. In their attempts to be different – to stand out – they were all saying the same and all trying to be different in the same way!

After nine years of research, reading and writing, the StandOut Strategies were born! My new book is published this month (order your copy of StandOut Strategies here) and in this blog, we look at a brilliant business that just made it into the book at the eleventh hour! It’s for strategy number three – Contribution!

StandOut Socks

During the time that I was writing this book, I spoke at an event for professional speakers. I shared the five StandOut Strategies with them, showing them how they could use them to make their marketing easier.

At the end of the talk, I was presented by the organiser with an unusual gift. It was a pair of bright orange socks, made by a company called Stand Out Socks! I loved the connection between the great name and what I spoke about at the event; and then I heard the story behind the business.

In the UK, of the 1.5 million adults who have learning disabilities, only 5% have meaningful, paid employment. Stand Out Socks was set up to invest in those who are too often overlooked by society. The business was inspired by co-founder, Ross, a remarkable man with Down Syndrome. He’s not afraid to stand out in a crowd!

Stand Out Socks provides well-paid work opportunities for other people with learning disabilities. They also use their fabulous and funky sock designs to spark conversations about inclusion and to raise awareness of Down Syndrome. As they say, “We’re not just in the sock business – we’re in the business of making a difference.”

This really grabbed my attention and has turned me into a customer and a raving fan. The Stand Out Socks business is an excellent example of Contribution in action. Having been gifted a pair of their lovely (and very well made) socks, I will continue to buy from them and to send their socks as gifts. Why? Contribution is a strong driver for me, in my buying decisions, especially when it comes to products. I now buy nearly all my other clothes from second hand, or charity shops. Aside from allowing me to buy clothes much more cheaply, it allows me to reuse and recycle clothes that could otherwise end up in landfill. I avoid waste as much as possible in my life, so buying second hand clothes meet my needs for altruism, humanity and responsibility towards our planet.

You can’t buy second hand socks.

Because you can buy second hand socks, being able to source them from a company like Stand Out Socks is the next best option. A company that was set up by people who think beyond just making money, to the lives of the people they employ and therefore support. A business with strong beliefs in collaboration, empathy and partnership.

The strap line used by Stand Out Socks is BUY ONE = EMPOWER MANY. This is exactly how I feel when I buy their socks. Yes, I am able to wear lovely warm socks. I can also support people less fortunate than me. It allows me to give back from the business success I’ve had and pay it forward to others. The cost of the socks is off set by the good the company does. My contribution helps the business to do more in raising awareness of learning disabilities. And that makes me feel good.

The work done by Stand Out Socks is a wonderful example of the StandOut Strategy of Contribution in action. When Contribution is the strategy that will make your business stand out, your clients will work with you because when they do, they will feel a sense of duty, empathy and collaboration. They want a way to pay it forward from their good fortune. They want to feel a greater sense of service and sharing. I’ve written a lot about how to use Contribution if you run a service business. This example shows how this strategy can be used by providers of specialised products too.

If you’d like to order some stunning socks from a company that will help you to contribute to the lives of others, please visit their website at www.StandOutSocks.co.uk.