With the rise of AI and every niche being saturated, it's not enough for you to just share ideas anymore.

You need depth behind your content.

People need a reason to pay attention.

So today, I’ll show you the framework that helped me build Digital Freedom to give you an edge over your competition.

It’s a 6-minute read.

Let's dive in.

The importance of a destination

The usual advice for standing out is to create better content.

Build better products.

Get better results.

But ‘better’ is a difficult game.

It’s a constant competition that'll often leave you exhausted fighting for the scraps. A smarter way to play is to say something different.

To own a message.

Because with a unique angle, you’re no longer part of the noise.

You’ve risen above it.

How do we do this?

Well, I rebranded to Digital Freedom at the start of 2023 based on one idea:

Storytelling.

See, when you write, you tell a story about your audience.

You're helping them go from where they are to where they want to be. And if you want people to care about your content (instead of just consume it), you need to ace that end destination.

Which is where the DREAM destination framework comes in:

• Direct
• Realistic
• Enemy
• Actionable
• Meaningful

So let's unpack each point with examples.

Direct

The problem I faced, and many like me, is a lack of clarity in my content.

I write about storytelling, writing, audience building, copywriting, monetization. Occasionally, I sprinkle on a bit of philosophy.

It’s a bloody mess.

If your reader doesn't understand what you offer, they’ll drift to easier pastures. This is a problem because you’re in the business of attention.

You need to hold it for months at a minimum, not moments.

Kieran Drew @ItsKieranDrew If you want people to care about your content, don't be clever. Be clear. January 13th 2023 55 Retweets 543 Likes

But I hate the advice of ‘pick a narrow topic and ignore the rest’. I write to learn. And I believe we should explore our curiosities in public and let our audience decide the direction.

So the first decision behind Digital Freedom was to niche down by transformation, not topic.

If you have an 'umbrella' term that clearly states what you're about, your audience will understand why you're talking to them about different topics.

Great brands do this often.

• Justin Welsh: Solopreneurship
• George Ten: CopyThinkers
• Daniel Vassalo: A portfolio of small bets
• Dan Koe: The one-person business
• Jack Butcher: Visualise Value

Uncertainty is a killer, so make sure your message is direct.

Realistic

Your destination needs to be within reach for your audience or they won’t be emotionally invested in your ideas.

Digital Freedom doesn’t talk about making 7 figures a year or being THE best in your niche.

I talk about writing well and building a business by serving your audience because that's something we can all achieve.

But that's not the real problem behind why most brands suck.

If you scroll Twitter for 20 minutes, you have:

• Kids giving you life philosophy despite never facing real problems
• Dudes telling you how to pick up chicks when their profile is a greek statue
• Writers teaching you how to build a portfolio to $1m ARR despite not making 6 figures

I’m all for aiming high Reader, but how do you think this comes across to a stranger?

What do you think their first response is?

Yeah, right.

Don’t try to be something you’re not. The destination you take your audience needs to be realistic for your current position.

You can always evolve the message later.

Enemy

My friend and I were discussing his brand recently and he began to explain the benefits of his content.

I had to stop him.

Why?

Because it’s not positivity that turns followers into fans.

It’s polarity.

Nothing unites people like a common enemy.

A great example is JK Molina’s Likes Ain’t Cash.

Loads of people dislike his brand.

Myself included.

I’ve done the ‘chasing money as a purpose’ thing and found it incredibly unfulfilling.

I’d rather help people and let my income to be a reflection of impact, not how many DMs I can send.

But do you think he cares what I think?

Last I heard, Tweets and Clients has around 100 members (unconfirmed).

…Not bad for $2k/month.

That’s the power of polarity. Molina's brand markets itself - repelling people like me and attracting those he can help most.

So think about your audience.

• What pisses them off?
• What are they sick and tired of seeing?
• What do they believe strongly that most people don’t?

Your audience will stand with you if you know what you stand against.

‘Engage with the enemy’ is a module inside my new writing product. So if you want to set yourself apart, be sure to join the 600+ people on the waiting list by clicking this link.

Actionable

Here’s the truth:

An interesting writer is enjoyable. But a useful writer is investable.

If you want to turn ideas into income, you have to help your audience get results. The good news is a destination makes this simple.

Every journey has roadblocks. It's your job to build solutions.

Kieran Drew @ItsKieranDrew An obstacle for the reader is an opportunity for the writer. March 27th 2023 12 Retweets 139 Likes

The roadblocks to Digital Freedom include:

• Deciding your niche
• Attracting an audience
• Differentiating yourself
• Getting paid and escaping the 9-5

But here’s a little secret behind my brand.

I’m not telling you what to do. I’m showing you what I’ve done.

Look at this email as an example. It feels personable because I'm not shouting at you from a podium.

I'm just sharing what works for me and inviting you to give it a try.

A destination needs a guide, not a guru.

Meaningful

This is the final, but most important point.

If you don’t want to be a commodity creator, your content needs real meaning.

You may have heard the expression ‘people don’t buy drills, they buy holes in walls.’

But that’s not quite accurate.

The real question is why do they want a hole in the wall?

Is it to hang a picture of their family to reflect their values?

Or to display art to surround themselves with beauty?

Do they want expensive paintings because they care deeply about their status among friends?

We're driven by core motivations.

You'll create fans when you appeal to them.

I don’t attach my destination to making $10k/month or building a newsletter.

They’re great goals.

But do they light a fire under your arse?

I don’t think so.

Freedom, on the other hand, is a beautiful thing.

To me, there's no more worthwhile goal.

Kieran Drew @ItsKieranDrew I didn't quit my 9-5 to get rich. I don't care about flashy cars or big houses. I just hated not being in control of my time. I hated having to answer to someone else. And I hated not being excited by my work. The online world is about more than money. It's about freedom. March 20th 2023 85 Retweets 882 Likes

Not everyone feels as strongly as I do, but that’s the point.

You’re not trying to attract everyone. You’re trying to be THE writer for someone.

The trick to understanding desire is to keep asking 'why?' until you can go no deeper.

These are the first principles - and they’re the foundation of a great destination.

Owning your destination

John Franklin @JohnIsBuilding Narrowing your focus to a single word is a huge marketing sacrifice, but if you're successful, you'll own that market. Some examples on Twitter: 1/ @thejustinwelsh -> solopreneur 2/ @GrammarHippy -> copythinking 3/ Strip Mall Guy, Car Dealership Guy, etc. March 22nd 2023 0 Retweets 11 Likes

Naming your destination is a whole different kettle of fish that I won’t go into today (although Sticky Writing is another module in my new product, so be sure to hop on that waiting list).

But the name is just the start.

You need to own it. And there’s only way to do that:

Repetition.

My mistake was not talking about Digital Freedom enough. I first wrote about it last year but shied away from attaching it to my brand.

Why?

Because I feared judgment. Who was I to own a term? What if I looked stupid?

Here’s what I know now Reader.

Fuck what people think.

If you have a vision, it’s your duty to sell it to your audience. Day in, day out. They need to believe you’re worth following. More importantly, they need to believe they can do it themselves.

Kieran Drew @ItsKieranDrew The more you write about an idea, the stronger it becomes. December 28th 2022 171 Retweets 1,215 Likes

Ultimately, writers are leaders.

So take your audience somewhere great.

And that, my friend, is why we write.

Best of luck.

Next Week

It's time for March's business breakdown. I'll share my revenue, growth, and what I'm working on.

Keep writing your way to freedom,

Kieran.

P.S.

Let me bribe you with free stuff... Over the past few years, I've read hundreds of books. Most of them were a waste of time. Some were absolute gems. And if you refer a friend using the link below, I'll send you an e-book explaining the best 33 books I've read to help you build your creator business. [RH_REFLINK GOES HERE] Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Telegram Linkedin Email PS: You have referred [RH_TOTREF GOES HERE] people so far

And if you've got a moment, I'd love to hear what you thought of this edition of Digital Freedom.

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