Throughout Derek’s time on social media, he has identified gaps within the men’s self-improvement space. Derek believes that a lot of the content in the self-improvement space is basic and repetitive. Derek is not afraid to challenge this by leaving no topic off-limits. Instead, he focuses on the content that he believes will be of value to his loyal subscribers and customers, even if the topic is something that the majority of YouTubers would be uncomfortable talking about.
He has built up over 330,000 subscribers and 70 million views on his YouTube channel More Plates More Dates, and has built a large following on his written blog MorePlatesMoreDates.com as well.
How does one know what will be perceived as valuable by your target demographic?
Derek’s whole brand is geared towards guys just like him. In his own words, Derek says, “Any business I launch either provides a product or service I have paid for myself before, or I deem to be valuable enough that I would pay for it myself.” This seems like a simple and logical concept, but it seems that many entrepreneurs still dig and try to reinvent the wheel, rather than focusing on what their bread and butter is. When Derek releases a product or service, if he would spend his own money on it, it is quite likely that many of his subscribers who resonate with his content would also perceive that product as valuable too. This has been the hallmark of Derek’s business endeavors, and has led to much of his success.
Unique from other self-improvement channels, Derek also intertwines science-based biology, endocrinology and pharmacology information into his content. This unique twist distinguishes the More Plates More Dates channel on YouTube, and helps viewers get a more thorough understanding of how they can go about optimizing their health, or what kind of diagnostic testing to get from a doctor. This kind of content has transitioned into the launch of his hormone replacement clinic Marek Health.
Whether it be a science-based approach to hair loss prevention, or proactively taking measures to stay as healthy as possible while bodybuilding, Derek creates unique content that is not the norm in the self-improvement niche. This has been a key factor in Derek’s success, again founded by his ability to fill a gap he identified in the market.
A very important factor to becoming successful in any market is actually having a passion for it. Derek has no shortage of that. Derek’s consistency in his research, brand and product promotion, and overall dedication to helping men improve their lives is something that is invaluable in the self-improvement space. Derek is a gimmick-free, honest guy who is deeply enthralled with Men’s Self Improvement and that is clear through his dedication to his businesses. These are not always common attributes of self-improvement spokespersons, and that is typically pretty transparent in their presentation. Derek recognizes the need for transparent, evidence-based, passionate influencers in the Men’s Self Improvement Space and leads by example. This results in a loyal and growing fan base who support his brand, leading both parties to great success. A win-win! If you aren’t truly enthusiastic about what you are producing content about or are selling and you are in it solely for the money, it is unlikely that you will be successful and happy long-term.
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