Archive for branding
I’m Boring or How to market yourself without being controversial
Posted by: | CommentsThis past week I was on vacation at the in-laws cottage. My son brought a friend and the two of them spent much of the week listening to music by the Arrogant Worms. They listened so much that every time I woke in the middle of the night I’d have one of their songs running through my head.
One song has stuck with me, for a reason other than the sheer repetition. “I’m boring” is about a nerd who talks too much about boring topics so people run away from him.
While there was some joking around that this was about my husband who does like to talk about science a little too much, it does have a marketing connotation.
You may have noticed some online superstars – you know, the ones with thousands, if not millions of followers.
Many of them became popular because they are controversial. They say over-the-top things that get the online world buzzing. People reply, people argue about them, people visit their sites to see what all the fuss is about. They’re not boring!
One colleague of mine recently rebranded herself to be a little more “in-your-face”. She’s being more blunt and less polite all in an effort to be “more authentic”. This revamped version seems to be working for her.
And yes, being authentic online is essential, particularly if you’re using social media. And being controversial helps. If you can get people arguing about you and your ideas, well, as they say, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
But what if your authentic self is, well … boring? Read More→
Your brand is not for everyone
Posted by: | CommentsThe title of today’s blog post is actually a quote from Mitch Joel’s Six Pixels of Separation. He goes on to say:
“Just like in marketing, it takes a certain type of person to drive a BWM, and that may not be the same kind of person who likes retro country funk music. The point is not to try to be all things to all people.”
This is a hard concept for business owners – particularly new business owners. Your first instinct is to try to serve everyone. But while in most cases I think a person’s first instinct is usually right, in this case it’s dead wrong.
Not everyone is going to be your customer. Not everyone should be your customer. Even people who are about to purchase what you offer are not an ideal fit. Nor should they be. You have your own personality, your own style, your own brand. He might be a BMW while you are an off-road SUV. Nothing wrong with that. You just need to learn to attract other off-road SUVs.
Let me tell you a story that explains what I mean.
I know a woman who does consulting. She is also a Read More→
Branding Your Business: A Most Interesting Case Study
Posted by: | CommentsIn my last post I talked about having a consistent brand – every experience your customer has with your business must send a consistent message in order for them to trust what you say about your business. Today I’d like to show you how one business is doing this while combining traditional advertising with social media. 
If you watch television you may have seen the commercials for “the most interesting man alive.” These commercials feature a dapper, older gentleman leading an adventurous life surrounded by beautiful people. My favorite line is, “he lives vicariously … through himself.” The commercials end with the man saying, “I don’t always drink beer. But when I do, I prefer Dos Equis”.
Clearly Dos Equis is branding itself as a fun beverage offering a unique experience above and beyond your average brew.
To reinforce this quirky advertising campaign, Dos Equis has a website: The Most Interesting Academy with “courses” on how to be interesting.
The Dos Equis Facebook Fan Page includes the advertising spots, additional videos and a journal “written” by the Most Interesting Man Alive himself plus places for fans to add their own “facts” about him. As I write this, the fan page has over 172,000 fans. All for a fictitious person flogging beer.
To further promote the brand on Facebook, Dos Equis has Read More→
What Does Your Social Media Photograph Say About You?
Posted by: | Comments
You would never dream of attending a business meeting in a bathing suit or ripped jeans. And yet, many business professionals do the equivalent with their website and social media profiles.
Even people with great profiles and intelligent comments sometimes drop the ball with their photograph. People like to network with people, not anonymous computers, so resist the temptation to use your company’s logo. Your photograph humanizes you; it shows you are a living breathing person and not a faceless corporation.
When it comes to choosing a photograph, think professional. I’ve seen otherwise professional people put photos of themselves at the beach, with their dogs, with their kids or with weird close-ups of one eye or their ear. These casual photos create dissonance with the business-like tone of their sites.
Unless you have a quirky business where potential clients need to see a fun-loving side of you, make sure your photo looks like you could be heading off to a business meeting. A simple headshot with you in business attire is what you should be aiming for.
Think of trying to brand yourself with your photo. A good photo can be used on multiple sites, your website and as a publicity shot. By using the same photo everywhere, people will begin to recognize you, the same as they would if they knew you in person.
You’ll be getting a lot of mileage out of this photo so if at all possible, get a professional photograph taken. It doesn’t need to be expensive. Even going to the photo studio at Sears or Walmart will produce a quality photo you can use everywhere.
Some studios will even give you a CD with electronic versions of your photograph. If not, don’t worry. Scanning the print is easy and produces a good enough quality for use on social media. Don’t have a scanner? Use the phone and call some print shops or computer stores until you find one that will scan it for you.
Remember, many of the people you network with online will never meet you in person. Your photograph will be the only image they have of you. Why not make it a good one?
Andrea J. Stenberg
