There are certain sporting occasions etched into my diary each year.

And one of them starts today – the Masters, in Augusta, Georgia.

The Masters isn’t just a big deal for me – pretty much the whole golf world would agree that it’s the tournament that everyone tunes into, and even if you’re not into golf, you’ve probably heard of it, which says it all really.

So what makes the Masters so iconic?

Well, there isn’t just one answer:

The green jacket the winner gets, the white boiler suits the caddies wear, the Augustan Azalea flowers, the Par 3 contest, the Champions dinner, the personal invite sent to every player, the list just goes on and on.

Over the years, the Masters has done so much to stand out, and the result is that its notoriety and visibility is incomparable within the golf world.

And in the business world, smart businesses use the same principles to get and keep attention in their markets.

Rather than being the same as everyone else, they find ways to stand out; in what they sell, and how they sell it.

The consequence is that they create a “category of one” (a book worth reading), making them the first and only option.

And if you’re thinking that’s beyond you, think again – channelling the Masters effect in your business is as simple as creating a list of all the things that make you and your business different, and featuring them prominently in your marketing.

Maybe you’ve got a powerful origin story that your competitors don’t, maybe you’ve been going for way longer than anyone else, maybe you get results that no one else does, maybe you offer a guarantee that makes buying from you a no brainer.

Whatever it is, find your positive point of difference, and bring it to the front and centre of your marketing assets, from your website to your email campaigns.

Have a think, take some action, and let me know how you get on.

Thom

P.S. Let me know who you fancy for the Masters?