On a recent episode, Mark welcomed David Newman, CSP, keynote speaker and author of “Market Eminence: 22 Strategies to Build a Personal Brand, Become a Business Celebrity and Drive Unstoppable Growth.” Newman’s track record includes bestsellers like “Do It Selling” and “Do It Marketing.”
The conversation focused on what it takes to stand out, build a brand, and drive results in today’s fast-moving, noisy marketplace.
Why Market Eminence Matters in 2026
The days of blending into the background are over. Buyers want brands and people who stand out for the right reasons. As David put it, his clients and audiences are asking, “What does it take to truly stand out and earn attention for you, your product, your service, your company, your cause, your mission, whatever it might be in this hyper noisy AI fueled world?”
The old approach of just being visible isn’t enough. Modern buyers are overwhelmed with choices and attention is at a premium. Meaningful differentiation is the new battleground. Market eminence is about being both seen and respected—and being so well-positioned that working with anyone else feels risky.
The Market Eminence Formula: Visibility, Respect, and Preference
A brand with market eminence isn’t just visible. It’s recognized, respected, and clearly preferred.
David Newman breaks it down into three pillars:
- Visibility: No one buys products, services, or expertise sight unseen. The first job is to get seen.
- Marketplace Respect: Prospects, investors, and potential hires need to see your brand and say, “Wow, you get me. That resonates. I like what this person stands for.”
- Brand Preference: When done well, it becomes “risky, dangerous, and dumb to buy from anyone else other than you.”
The end game: it’s not just about more attention—it’s about being top of mind as the only choice that makes sense.
Stand for Something: Give Yourself—and Your Customers—Permission
Eminence is driven by confidence. But it’s more than just feeling good about your offer. As David says, “You’re giving people permission to be more of who they are. You’re giving them permission to speak their mind loudly, proudly, and with genuine authenticity and vulnerability.”
That permission creates a magnetic pull. It attracts talent, partners, and media, not just buyers. Even more, it gives your ideal customers permission to choose you—and just as importantly, gives the wrong fits permission to move on.
The Electromagnet Effect: Attract Right-Fits, Repel Wrong-Fits
Time is a salesperson’s most valuable asset. The traditional approach is to chase every opportunity, hoping something lands. David calls for a smarter approach: “Imagine if we built an electromagnet around you and your company… It is strongly attracting all the best fits in all those areas I mentioned, and it’s equally repelling… the people that you would never want to sell to.”
This is about being clear about who the brand is for and who it’s not for. The best sales teams are moving from chasing everyone to intentionally attracting the right few.
Start With a Contrarian Slant: Your Top Action Step
Where should a salesperson dive in? David points to the chapter on your “contrarian slant.” He gives three prompts for immediate action:
- Challenge Conventional Wisdom: What does everyone in your industry believe that you know is wrong, but you haven’t said out loud?
- Name the Elephant in the Room: What uncomfortable truth do customers desperately want someone to acknowledge—something everyone knows, but nobody says?
- Share Your Strong Point of View: What perspective do you hold that makes industry insiders uncomfortable, but that ideal clients love?
Put those answers into your calls, your content, and your conversations. “If you just did this one thing this week,” says David, “I would be very surprised if you did not get an incredibly positive reaction.”
Why “Eminence”? Why Now?
The title may not be “clickbait,” but it’s intentional. As David explains: “The word eminence has an amazing dictionary definition. It’s fame or recognized superiority, especially within a sphere or profession… You need to be famous to the people who matter most.”
True market eminence means being a lighthouse, not a tugboat—illuminating the way for the right clients and partners, rather than chasing and persuading everyone in sight.
Make Market Eminence Your Advantage
The ultimate sales advantage in 2026 isn’t more hustle; it’s clarity, truth-telling, and magnetic positioning. When a seller or brand stands apart as the only logical choice, everything changes—sales become smoother, acquisition costs drop, and work becomes more fulfilling.
As Mark Hunter summed up, the entire premise is about helping salespeople “see and achieve what you didn’t think was possible, so you can help your customers do the same thing.”
For anyone looking to break from the pack and command higher fees, the steps to market eminence are laid out in David Newman’s new book—and the best time to start is now.
