The hype with social media and internet marketing can distort the possibilities of promoting your brand in the new economy. There are indeed a lot of gold diggers out there seeking fortune and fame but lacking the true strategies for success. Since the tools for publication and promotion have been democratized and accessible, the game is less about access and now more about choice.
Since we are inundated with messages from everyone with the same tools, we have learned to block out irrelevant and uninteresting messages. We are all busy and trying to solve our own problems. If you can help, then I may pay attention.
One of the fun parts of my work is watching a person discover their voice and push their value out into the universe. It is a process. It involves focus, hard work and a desire to make a difference. We live in a saturated market. If you are not remarkable, then you don’t get the coveted attention from an audience that is able to turn you off quickly.
For the creatives in the world, the world will respond if you have your platform, positioning and persona set up:
- Platform: The technologies which support your message need to be set up and integrated in a way that makes it easy to produce content – writing, video, audio or whatever content you want your audience to consume. Publishing via a blog, syndicating through social media and programming on a web server are examples. The systems have to work together to create a clean and cohesive experience for your audience. Furthermore, your production should be easy, not difficult. Otherwise, you are spending cycles on getting things out the door rather than just producing. It needs to be an integrated system which supports and broadcasts your message.
- Positioning: Noone wants to be sold. However, everyone is buying. We buy because we live in a self-service world. When we want something, we look for it and get it. It’s not hard. If you are wanting to sell, then your positioning in the mind of your audience and buyer are critical. It is the invisible work which has to be tended to every day. How you look, feel and sound to your audience will communicate your brand. It is the positioning which will hold you in their mind as someone they resonate with and want to follow.
- Personas: We live in a blended world. Our personal and professional lives can blur as boundaries for work, home and play are integrated. Celebrities have long understood this as their lives are under a microscope of the court of public opinion. It is not something we can deny. It is something we need to manage. Your persona is what you project to the world and who you are. It may be different depending on platforms. Managing your persona means paying careful attention to the personality, tone and story your brand communicates.
It is an exciting time to be in business. The game is not about who has the best technology, though technology is important in your platform. It is about bringing together all the aspects of your platform, positioning and personas to make a connection which is relevant.
There are people that get you. They will follow you and sneeze you to others if you can break through the noise and be clear in what you are about and why you matter. It is a challenge of honing in relentlessly on the fidelity of your tribe and ensuring it all lines up.
What can be improved for your platform, positioning and persona?
