I recently read a blog entitled The Misconception that is Inspired Writing and Blogging by Marcus Sheridan. Marcus is the proprietor of a fine blog called The Sales Lion that is well worth everybody’s attention. It got me to thinking. In fact, it motivated me to post a comment to his blog that subsequently inspired this post.
The “What Should I Write About Today” Syndrome.
When one sets out to participate in the blogosphere or social media universe, they are immediately faced with what I call the “what should I write about today” syndrome. I’m quite certain that I’m not alone on this. It’s quite difficult to come up with remarkable, earth-shattering insight on a daily basis. For that matter, it’s hard to come up with it on a weekly, monthly or annual basis!
So that brings us back to the question. What should you write about today?
Just what is it that the world wants to hear from you? I am totally bored with people who keep me informed on facts like: “I just spent the weekend on my dune buggy in the desert,” or “I really got wasted last night at Dino’s,” or whatever. I’m sure they wouldn’t be the least bit interested if I’d reported on the same.
Here’s how I approach it:
It’s more that I have an opinion or perspective on something that might become kindling for further thought and participation by others. It didn’t take me long to realize that the best result from blogging and social media is not to post a diatribe as a so-called “expert,” but to partake in a conversation. A blog’s comments are as much a part of the whole experience as is the original post.
We’ve all been to cocktail parties where a guest self-appoints himself as the “expert” on a subject. He rants on and on, dominating the conversation, while the rest of us simply listen. It gets old real fast. Successful party conversations should be just that… conversations. Joe speaks, Linda adds something (maybe even disagrees), I chime in, Mary responds… and the conversation blossoms. Successful blogging should do the very same thing.
If I fell victim to the “who cares what I have to say” syndrome, never would a word be uttered by me. I’ve been in marketing and advertising for nearly 40 years—that should count for something from me as PART of the conversation. Not a claim of expert status, but perhaps I might have an interesting take on something to add to the conversation.
So inspirations for blogs don’t necessarily need to be “lightning in a bottle.” They can simply be a point-of-view based on some experience or insight. I might suggest to bloggers struggling for content that they back off a bit on their “duty” to create stunningly original content. Observe, comment, share.
Could it be as simple as that? I welcome comments and responses.
Recently I’ve been reading a lot of stuff about branding. What exactly does “branding” mean? Sounds like something that only relates to huge companies with big-time advertising agencies and humungous ad budgets.
But how the heck does that relate to you, the direct-selling professional? Is there a lesson in there for you and your business? It might just relate to you in a much bigger way than you might imagine. Let’s do a little investigation…
What is branding? For a company, it starts with a cool logo, graphic look and advertising campaign. But it’s much more than that. A brand is actually the differentiator of what they offer over their competition.
So, is branding linked to the products you sell? Is it that you offer the lowest price? Or the tremendous business opportunity you can provide? Sure, you need to sell products. You need to offer value. And to grow your business, you need to recruit others. Those are the ultimate goals.
But it’s HOW you go about it that makes the difference. And that’s where personal branding comes into play. Personal branding is best described as your promise to deliver quality, performance and consistency to your customers. You provide something that they can count on. As a business person, that’s worth all the tea in China.
Corporate Branding vs. Personal Branding
We can all learn from the marketplace. Successfully companies work very hard to establish themselves in their spheres of influence. Bizillions of dollars are expended every year to promote products and services. At the end of the day, they want you to walk away with a good feeling about them and what they have to offer. Simply put, they desperately crave your brand loyalty.
Certain organizations stand out as true branding winners. Apple, BMW and Nike come to mind. So what is it that they’ve done that differentiates them from their competition? Sure, they make terrific products that answer a market need. But they also do something else that’s relatively unique in the world of commerce: They establish relationships with their customers.
That can be your greatest asset. Think of yourself as a brand. What do people think of you and what you offer them. It’s not just the products you represent, it’s what YOU bring to the table. If folks believe in you and trust in what you signify, you’ve established a powerful personal brand.
So every business effort you pursue should enforce and embrace that goal. There are some basic fundamentals that you should consider when going about your business:
Personality
YOU are your brand. Make your personality something that your customers want to migrate to. If they’re comfortable with you, they’re more likely to stay with you and trust your input. Nurture and build relationships. Sales will follow.
Culture
Immerse yourself in the lifestyle and culture of your target audience. For example, if you’re representing wellness products, establish yourself as an expert. That doesn’t mean you become a know-it-all—that annoying guy at the cocktail party. Expert status is akin to respect. It comes slowly and develops through consistent action.
Be part of the conversation. Offer helpful tips and advice that leave people with the idea that you might have solutions for them. Don’t force products down their throats. Once they have confidence in your contribution to the discussion, they’ll be more open to what you have to offer them.
Stay in touch
There’s a huge difference between staying in touch and being a nuisance. Only you can determine that fine balance. You want to let prospects know that you’re there, but you don’t want to bug the heck out of them. Use subtle ways of staying in touch. Remember their birthday or anniversary. Or just say hello. Done appropriately, those little things can really make an impression.
Keep prospects and customers informed… casually!
When you do have a special offer or event, let them know. Just don’t overdo it. They’re very sensitive to a sales pitch. There’s a big difference between providing information and being that annoying mosquito that people just want to bat away. If you’ve established yourself as an expert in a particular field, they will want to hear from you.
If you make an effort to position yourself properly with your prospects and customers, you’ll find that they’ll be much more receptive. And that means more business for you in the long run.
Usually it’s better to listen than to speak. Mainly because there just might be others that have something more interesting and thought-provoking to say than what might spill out of my mouth. Along those lines, I’ve collected a bunch of quotes from people throughout the ages that might make you stop and think. Perhaps even reassess your positions on things. Go ahead, give it a read and take these words of wisdom to heart.
On creativity and determination:
What exactly is creativity? Most of us would say we don’t have an ounce of creativity in our bones. I don’t believe that’s true. Creativity doesn’t always mean the ability to paint, write, act or perform a song. It can present itself in many ways—how we raise our children, manage our employees or cook a meal.
So what’s the secret to a creative mind? Countless folks over the years have chimed in the subject.
Charles Mingus:
“Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can plan weird; that’s easy. What’s hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.”
One of the most important figures in twentieth century American music, Charles Mingus was a virtuoso bass player, accomplished pianist, bandleader and composer. More on Mingus…
George Patton:
“If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.”
One of the most complicated military men of all time, General George Smith Patton, Jr. was known for carrying pistols with ivory handles and his intemperate manner, and is regarded as one of the most successful United States field commanders of any war. He continually strove to train his troops to the highest standard of excellence. More on Patton…
Frank Capra:
“A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.”
Capra was the creative force behind major award-winning films during the 1930s and 1940s. His rags-to-riches story, having worked his way through college, has led film historians like Ian Freer to consider Capra the “American dream personified.” More on Capra…
Albert Einstein:
“The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.”
Today, the practical applications of Einstein’s theories include the development of the television, remote control devices, automatic door openers, lasers, and DVD-players. Recognized as TIME magazine’s “Person of the Century” in 1999, Einstein’s intellect, coupled his strong passion for social justice and dedication to pacifism, left the world with infinite knowledge and pioneering moral leadership. More on Einstein…
John F. Kennedy:
“A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.”
As the years have gone by and other presidents have written their chapters in history, John Kennedy’s brief time in office (1961-1963) stands out in people’s memories for his leadership, personality, and accomplishments. More on Kennedy…
Isaac Bashevis Singer:
“The wastebasket is a writer’s best friend.”
Isaac Bashevis Singer was a Polish Jewish American author noted for his short stories. He was one of the leading figures in the Yiddish literary movement, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1978. He is also well known for his memoir of his life, A Day Of Pleasure. More on Singer…
On optimism vs. pessimism:
How we view life has a direct impact on how our lives turn out. You don’t need a degree in psychology or philosophy to understand that. I’ve known my fair share of people that aren’t very happy who also coincidentally have a dark view of the world around them. It’s what you make of it that matters.
Winston Churchill:
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
Sir Winston Churchill was a British Conservative politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice (1940–45 and 1951–55). More on Churchill…
Twyla Tharp:
“Optimism with some experience behind it is much more energizing than plain old experience with a certain degree of cynicism.”
Since the early 1960s, Twyla Tharp has choreographed more than one hundred thirty-five dances, five Hollywood movies, directed and choreographed four Broadway shows. More on Tharp…
Harold Wilson:
“I’m an optimist, but an optimist who carries a raincoat.”
Harold Wilson was a British Labour MP and Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections. He is the most recent British Prime Minister to have served non-consecutive terms. More on Wilson…
On heart vs. reason:
If we lead with our heart, it’s really important that it be tethered with a fair amount of consideration from our head. There are always unintended consequences attached to our actions. It takes a bit of reason and thought to temper our passions.
Theodore Roosevelt:
“I think there is only one quality worse than hardness of heart and that is softness of head.“
Teddy Roosevelt is mostly remembered as the 26th President of the United States, but this astonishingly multifaceted man was a great many other things as well, such as Vice President, Governor of New York, Assistant Secretary of the Navy and Colonel of the Rough Riders. More on Roosevelt…
Galileo Galilei:
“Where the senses fail us, reason must step in.”
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was an Italian scientist who supported Copernicanism, the idea that earth orbits the sun. For doing so, he was tried during the Roman Inquisition, found “suspect of heresy” and spent the rest of his life under house arrest. His findings changed our world view for all time. More on Galileo…
Thomas Jefferson:
“Errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.”
Thomas Jefferson was an author of the Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, third president of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia. He voiced the aspirations of a new America as no other individual of his era. As public official, historian, philosopher, and plantation owner, he served his country for over five decades. More on Jefferson…
Benjamin Franklin:
“If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins.”
Benjamin Franklin was extremely important in the history of the move from thirteen individual colonies to one unified nation. His actions as elder statesman and diplomat helped ensure independence. His scientific and literary achievements helped him earn respect at home and abroad. While in England, he also received honorary degrees from St. Andrews and Oxford. His significance cannot be understated. More on Franklin…
Henry Ford:
“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it.”
Henry Ford was a prominent American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry. As owner of the Ford Motor Company, he became one of the richest and best-known people in the world. More on Ford…
Voltaire:
“Prejudices are what fools use for reason.”
After being exiled from France due to his writing, Voltaire came back only to again flee Paris after another uproar. He is best known for his tome, Candide (1759), a satire on philosophical optimism. He also took an interest in any cases of injustice, especially resulting from religious prejudice. More on Voltaire…
Hope you found these inspiring and enjoyable. I did. Just thought I’d share. I welcome your comments and your favorites quotes. BTW: There will be a follow-up post with some more words of wisdom.
Some people with too much time on their hands are claiming, according to the ancient Mayan calendar, that the world will end on December 21, 2012. It appears that the exact time of day is somewhat in dispute (so much for synchronizing our watches). This news kind of puts a smudge on my “Things to Do in 2013” checklist.
But my overwhelming sense of optimism tells me that there’s a bright side to this whole issue. So I’ve assembled a short list of short-term New Year’s resolutions for 2012 that will help us all cope with the impending doom. Pay it heed and you might be able to reduce your stress levels. And save a few bucks in the process.
These aren’t in any particular order of importance (except maybe number 10):
1. Let your subscription to People magazine expire.
You no longer need to worry about Brad and Angelina, who’s wearing what at the Oscars, who will be the sexiest man of 2012 or the next celeb contestants on Dancing with the Stars.
2. Go ahead, eat that second dessert.
Gain a few pounds. Who cares? And while you’re at it, cancel your gym membership.
3. Avoid “Early Bird” registration for next year’s company convention.
You’re just wasting your money. Don’t let them pressure you with the “big savings” pitch. Remember, you won’t be going.
4. Don’t return those two library books.
You can easily avoid that busybody librarian at your local branch for a few months.
5. Fire your tax accountant.
He’s going to cost you just so you can save some dough on your taxes. What for? For the first time in decades you won’t be paying any taxes.
6. Don’t vote in November.
Your vote will mean even less this election.
7. Leave your Christmas lights up after New Year’s.
Be the neighborhood renegade. Laugh in the face of your Homeowners’ Association.
8. Stop stressing over your next parole hearing.
It’s a lot of worrying for nothing.
9. Party like there’s no tomorrow!
Uh… because there isn’t going to be a tomorrow. You can fund your partying by cashing out your IRA and 401k accounts. And while you’re at it, why not do the same with your life insurance?
10. OR YOU COULD DO THIS:
Don’t let some primitive pre-Columbian civilization shape your destiny. Just because some old calendar ends doesn’t mean we all perish. We’re rational human beings after all (at least most of us). Don’t let a little Mayan negativity get you down.
Do you remember the story of Chicken Little from your childhood? It seems that after she gets hit on the head by a falling acorn, Chicken Little runs around frantically declaring that “the sky is falling, the sky is falling!” The story follows her and her pals Henny Penny, Cocky Locky, Ducky Lucky, Turkey Lurkey and Goosey Loosey on a very frenzied—and fateful—journey.
Let’s not be like Chicken Little, Henny Penny, Cocky Locky, Ducky Lucky, Turkey Lurkey or Goosey Loosey. The sky isn’t falling. Instead, let’s make 2012 a banner year… and 2013 even better! Take on the day. Besides if the end is near, there’s not much we can do to change it.
Relax. Nobody died—except for traditional demographics. Categories such as Baby Boomer, Gen-X, Gen-Y or Gen-Whatever are definitely on life support. For decades, companies, marketers and advertisers have targeted age, gender, education, race and income as a means of identifying a market. They essentially assume that all people within those categories all think alike and are motivated by the same things. I guess that kind of groupthink makes marketers’ jobs easier when pitching products or services on a mass scale. But its accuracy may be suspect.
I certainly don’t think like, act like or are interested in the same things as everybody else in my so-called demographic category. Let’s say I’m 34 (which I wish I was!). That puts me in the ubiquitous 18-34 age group. Does that mean that I have the exact same interests as an 18-year-old? I sincerely doubt it. And what happens when I turn 35? Hmmm.
The social media blender
Online Meccas like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube are totally blurring the rigid lines that old-school demographics have drawn. People are interacting, connecting and sharing based on their interests, values and beliefs. Smart marketers are picking up on this and are adjusting their advertising and marketing efforts accordingly. Done properly, they can potentially target consumers more precisely, efficiently and effectively. And that means their outreach dollars go a lot further.
I think that this information is equally applicable to those in network marketing. After all, you spend a great deal of time reaching out to prospects and nurturing relationships with existing customers. If you are better able to focus your efforts on developing networks of like-minded people who share specific interests, you’ll have much more success than if you just targeted “young people,” “upper-income people” or “boomers.”
Here are a few articles I found that signal where the future of marketing and advertising is headed:
Think in terms of action and interest, not artificially created age groups
Rohit states that media is purchased “based on presumed age ranges of audiences in the hopes that this bit of demographic information would help us reach the right people. In fact, this is one of the most time-honored traditions of marketing planning. It is also one of the dumbest.”
He lists 5 reasons why old-school thinking is a waste of time:
People are age shifting and not living lives based on traditional stereotypes for their ages
The top end of a demographic (34) usually has almost nothing in common with the low end (18)
Age demos leave out influencers, gift buyers, and others for whom a message may be relevant, but don’t fit the age requirements because they aren’t the ultimate recipient of the product
Focusing on age can take you away from emotional or relevant benefits
People lie about their age all the time
Marketers are literally guessing at relevance within a demographic category. However in today’s social media world, consumers as individuals can be plucked out of the crowd and identified for their uniqueness. Via social media, they are literally broadcasting on a daily basis what interests them.
Rohit Bhargava is SVP of Digital Strategy at Ogilvy PR and author of the award-winning book Personality Not Included, a guide for brands to be more authentic.
The Canadian Marketing Association posted a great article on their blog page by Dawn Marchand that posits that Gen-X, Gen-Y and Baby Boomers should be redistributed and categorized as Generation-E. The “E” stands for “Everyone.” By doing that, the restrictive “Gen” categories makes the effort moot. She says:
Brands that speak to and, more importantly, connect with people who share a common interest—regardless of their demographic or generation—will be the most successful. Sustaining a brand is much more about engaging consumers and connecting emotionally and less about straight-up advertising.
Jamie makes a great point about how poorly demographics have defined generations for more than half a century. Online social networks have turned the marketing world on its ear. “To convince consumers that an advertising message was relevant to them, consumers had to buy the idea that they were just like everyone else.”
Traditional thinking tosses 78 million people into a single bucket and labels it “Baby Boomers.” But it just ain’t so. I’m a Boomer and my interests vary greatly.
Social data can be used to fine-tune a target audience. Jamie offers a few examples:
Are customers who kayak more likely to buy water shoes than those who canoe?
Who is more likely to spend over $100 on an order: Seattle Seahawks fans or Seattle Mariners fans?
Are your customers more likely to purchase when they move across the state or across the country?
He makes a powerful point at the close of his article:
Build a deep understanding of your customer, or risk irrelevance.
I believe he’s right on target.
Jamie Beckland is a Digital and Social Media Strategist at Janrain where he helps Fortune 1000 companies integrate social media technologies into their websites to improve user acquisition and engagement. He has built online communities since 2004. He tweets as @Beckland.
Am I really that predictable?
Social Media and the End of Gender
By Johanna Blakey
This is a terrific video by Johanna Blakey. She gives a very informative talk about how social media is turning the tables on how target markets are identified. She makes the case that marketers claim that if you fall within a certain demographic category, you are predictable. It supposedly defines your tastes, identifies the things you like and clarifies what interests you. The result? Our culture has been delineated and cultivated via advertising, entertainment and the media by these generalities and gross presumptions.
Blakey states that people “don’t aggregate around age, gender and income. They aggregate around the things they love, the things that they like. And if you think about it, shared interests and values are a far more powerful aggregator of human beings than demographic categories.”
So social media has changed all that. It is effectively revealing those things that drive people’s interests and shape their values. She cautions those who market to consumers:
If you want to understand the global village, it’s probably a good idea that you figure out what they’re passionate about, what amuses them, what they choose to do with their free time.
Spend a few minutes and watch this video. It’s worth every second.
Johanna Blakey is the Deputy Director of the Normal Lear Center, a media-focused think tank at the University of Southern California. She spends much of her time exploring how our entertainment interacts with our political, commercial and social habits.
It’s our future. Make it happen!
How we are defined as individuals is a very important subject. I actually resent the fact that the powers that be plop us into random categories for the sake of selling their goods. I think those who ignore the social media trends do so at their peril.
I welcome your comments and insight. Let me know what’s on your mind.
I recently read a blog entitled The Misconception that is Inspired Writing and Blogging by Marcus Sheridan. Marcus is the proprietor of a fine blog called The Sales Lion that is well worth everybody’s attention. It got me to thinking. In fact, it motivated me to post a comment to his blog that subsequently inspired this post.
What exactly is creativity? Most of us would say we don’t have an ounce of creativity in our bones. I don’t believe that’s true. Creativity doesn’t always mean the ability to paint, write, act or perform a song. It can present itself in many ways—how we raise our children, manage our employees or cook a meal.
How we view life has a direct impact on how our lives turn out. You don’t need a degree in psychology or philosophy to understand that. I’ve known my fair share of people that aren’t very happy who also coincidentally have a dark view of the world around them. It’s what you make of it that matters.
If we lead with our heart, it’s really important that it be tethered with a fair amount of consideration from our head. There are always unintended consequences attached to our actions. It takes a bit of reason and thought to temper our passions.
Do you remember the story of 
