Marketing Yourself When You Are the Brand

MARKETING CHANGES WITH TECHNOLOGY

Marketing tactics always seem to be shifting along with the advance of technology, but certain elements of marketing will never change.

Dating back to the age of the caveman, individuals have been marketing themselves.

Who was the strongest caveman?

Which caveman provided the most food?

Which caveman produced the most children?

Which caveman could you barter with for excellent handmade tools?

There were certain cavemen who garnered the most attention for different reasons. As a result, they became leaders in their communities. It’s the same in today’s world.

STATIC ELEMENTS OF MARKETING

Basic marketing elements stay the same.

The product or service MUST:

• Fulfill a need. Establish a basic need and fulfill it. If you don’t fulfill a customer’s need, you may be spinning your wheels and working at something that doesn’t sell or serves no needs.
• Reach the widest audience. Find a way to spread the word and create the most attention whether it’s in the community or internationally. You need followers and you need an email list. Always build a target audience.
• Generate sales. Find a way to turn everyone into a client as they wander through your Internet neighborhood.

MARKETING YOURSELF AS A BRAND

If you’re the face of the brand, be smart. The basic elements of marketing remain the same but you have to convince the audience that you’re authentic and have something valuable to offer. When the “sell” is focused on a person as a brand, you need a powerful story to help catapult your story in order to profit.

1. Appearance matters when you are the brand. Be aware of lighting, photography, video, and audio. Be aware of your pacing. Before publishing any video or print pictures, ask for feedback from professionals. Family and friends will try to be nice and say it’s great. Find a critical eye to tell you the truth.
2. Be consistent in message and content. Your original content should be consistent. Be very careful what articles you share and who you retweet. If you’re all over the place without focus, you’ll simply confuse the audience. If you launch on one message, you might have to refocus and launch on a second message. If you’re sharing visual assets, make certain they match the brand. If you’re going for a clean look, don’t start cluttering the look. Be consistent.
3. Appropriate copywriting. The choice of words in any written message is critical. Increase your footprint in an industry by offering take-away information with every post. If you’re using quotes to reinforce your brand, choose wisely.

A consistent, strong message will attract the right audience.