You are NOT a Brand – You are a Person

Personal branding or just personal?

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

It’s not a logo or a brand staring back at you. It’s your face. That face is a sign that you are a human being.

Don’t get fooled by the pundits claiming that you must have a personal brand to succeed. While they’re preaching “Brand or die” they’re fitting you for their version of branding. It’s like the used-car sales rep saying, “Trust me. This car is perfect for you”.

Back to the mirror

Smile. Notice the warmth conveyed when you smile. Notice how friendly you look when you smile. What do you feel is more attractive – a logo or that smile?

Examine that face. That face is the outward expression of all your wisdom, experience and character. Brands don’t possess any of that. Why would you trivialize your character by calling it a brand?

Look closely at your eyes. The old expression is “the eyes are the window to the soul”. Behind those eyes are your values, emotions and personality. Go ahead and wink at yourself. What did you see? Brands can’t wink at you.

Instead of fretting about your brand, get more comfortable with yourself. Identify and reinforce your strengths because that’s why people will like and buy from you.

Take everything that is you and build better relationships.

Those relationships will be far more powerful than any brand. Relationships are multi-dimensional while brands are flat. Relationships are living connections between people while brands are corporate attempts to induce a zombie-like trance on customers.

Some might suggest that if you build relationships your personal brand will evolve from that. That’s okay, but don’t focus on the brand because the brand will at best be a shadow of your personality. If you focus on shaping the shadow you risk losing the benefits of being a human being.

Who would you rather do business with – a brand or a person?

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing Get your free copy of "50 Power Marketing Ideas" Power Marketing on FaceBook Marketing Zoo on Twitter

Networking Virus

Did you spread or catch a virus at your networking meeting?

If I have a cold or the flu I can give it to you by touching you. Shaking hands is enough to spread the common cold or the uncommon flu.

If I cough in your direction would you be offended? You would be justified because many viruses are airborne.

You probably don’t want my disease. You might be annoyed if I was aware of my disease and still spread it to you. You probably know that carriers of AIDS can be criminally charged for having unprotected sex. Spreading colds and flu might not be a criminal offense yet but many of us could act more responsibly.

We know how colds and other viruses are spread but people still spread them.

At a national conference I observed:

An individual vigorously shake hands with everyone at our table then mention that he had a bad cold. Why didn’t he simply announce his cold and not shake hands? We would have understood and appreciated his thoughtfulness. Instead he demonstrated how thoughtless he was.

The president of the association coughed into his right hand – the one he shakes other victims’ hands with. Did he cough because he had a cold? Did he wash or sanitize his right hand before shaking hands with others?

The presenter coughed into his right hand several times during his presentation and mentioned that his voice was bad because he had a cold. Then this sick presenter shook hands with many of the attendees after his presentation. How sick is that?

We know that rats spread the plague. We know the results of SARS. We know the annual effects of colds and flus.

If you have a communicable disease, don’t shake my hand. I won’t be offended. But if you shake my hand when you knowingly are incubating a virus, that would enrage me.
 

After attending a networking event at which some speakers clearly complained about their cold I suffered the ravages of a bad cold over the next few weeks on my European vacation. Those sick people spread their germs before and after their speech. Thank you very much!

Rats spread the plague because they didn't know any better. What’s your excuse?

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing
Get your free copy of "50 Power Marketing Ideas" Power Marketing on FaceBook Marketing Zoo on Twitter

Student Looking for Help with his Marketing Assignment

Occasionally I receive an email from a university or college student asking for help with his marketing assignment. So far it has only been males. Not sure what that means. Are guys more lazy and looking for the easy way out?

The email has followed a similar formula of flattering me, introducing himself, stating the assignment and then asking a vague question with an appeal to my generosity. The students seemed to be searching for a free homework writer. The students have asked me to write their paper or at least give them the content for their assignment. The odd one has stated that he is totally lost on where to start. But none has asked good questions. They haven’t referenced one of my articles or challenged my opinions.

In every case the student has demonstrated a lack of thought about the topic. They seemed to think that because I’m an expert on marketing I owe them. Actually I believe that I need to protect the world from flim flam artists, deceptive marketers and lazy thinkers.

I have been offended by each of these requests. The student doesn't seem to be interested in the topic enough to ask better questions, think about the topic and research my articles and blogs.

With a little bit of research they would find my articles, blog posts and YouTube videos. They would learn a lot about marketing and my thinking by studying those publications.

My first and lingering thought when I receive these messages is “You deserve to fail this course.”

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing
Get your free copy of "50 Power Marketing Ideas" Power Marketing on FaceBook Marketing Zoo on Twitter

Marketing Tips video: Be Hungry and Follow Systems

Remind yourself that your competition is hungry. Are you hungry enough? If so, design and follow marketing systems to gain your unfair advantage. If someone must starve - let it be your competition.

Watch this video report from the streets of the Big City. Hear the brutal reality about your marketing.



George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing Get your free copy of "50 Power Marketing Ideas" Power Marketing on FaceBook Marketing Zoo on Twitter

Power Marketing Tip 52: Demonstrate Value

Demonstrate Superior Value

One of the criteria for your marketing is "Does it demonstrate value?" In particular does your marketing demonstrate more value than the marketing of your competition?

Keep in mind that everything you do is compared to the competition by your prospects. If your marketing doesn't position you as offering more value than the competition then it might be wasted.

How can you demonstrate the value of your product or service?

Customer Testimonials

One of the best ways to demonstrate value is with customer testimonials. This works best when you quote real customers to whom your prospects can relate.

The testimonials are most believable when they show the full name of the individual. If you sell to business, then it helps to include the title and company name of the person vouching for you.

For example, "Leslie Williams" looks better than "LW" or even "Leslie" because you are building trust by showing that you have nothing to hide.

When you only identify the person as LW - the questions that are bound to enter prospects' minds are "I wonder if that is a real person? If LW really loved the service why is she afraid to use her name?"

For a business-to-business testimonial use the person's name, title and company name.

Bilbo Baggins

VP Operations

The Shire Group

The above conveys more credibility and believability than "BB Corporate Vice President".

The next step is to proudly display your testimonials where your customers and prospects can easily see them. Treat these words from your customers with respect and pride; this suggests that you treat your customers with respect and value their feedback.

I knew I would enjoy the meal when I saw the lobby of the restaurant covered with framed letters and notes from satisfied customers.

Some of my clients keep binders of testimonial letters in protective plastic pages. These binders are tastefully displayed in the lobby or customer lounge.

It's curious that today's mail included several flyers yet not one contained a customer testimonial. Two of the flyers claimed to offer luxury grade service but failed to provide comments from satisfied customers. What might that suggest?

Put testimonials on your website. You might list them on a Customer Feedback page and also place at least one testimonial on every page because every page must demonstrate value to your prospect - especially the home page.

For business testimonials you could add the corporate logo next to the testimonial especially if it's a well known and well respected organization. For retail testimonials you might include a photo of the person.

Naturally you want to request and receive the individual's permission with any use of their words or image.

If you want to demonstrate superior value, display your amazing testimonials in a superior way.

George Torok

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing Get your free copy of "50 Power Marketing Ideas" Power Marketing on FaceBook Marketing Zoo on Twitter

Marketing Tips video: Forget about Branding and Focus on Real Marketing

It's easy to get fooled by the hype about branding. That is a good hole to throw a lot of money into. Instead go back to basics. What is the real purpose of marketing? Not to build a brand. It's to build a business with sales.

Listen to George Torok offering marketing insights from the streets of the Big City.




George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing Get your free copy of "50 Power Marketing Ideas" Power Marketing on FaceBook Marketing Zoo on Twitter