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The REAL Game on the Internet Today - You Ready to Play?

by Ken Preuss
32 replies
So listen. I'm often reluctant to originate posts because I take a very different approach from 95% of the most outspoken Warriors here.

What's ironic is these very same Warriors are successful because they embody *exactly* what I know to be true about what it takes to really be successful online. You'll see what I mean in a moment.

** Side Note: I'm not talking about just making a few bucks on the side from IM, although that's certainly fine and I would argue the same principles still apply. What I'm talking about are those people reading this who are serious about generating a consistent 6+ figure annual income on the internet.

Based on my experience being full-time on the internet since 2004 (and offline prior to that for 3 years) as well as coaching many people in their online endeavors, true *lasting* success comes from one foundational thing:

Personal Branding

That's right. Honoring your own DNA and branding yourself as the *real* product.

The famous phrase says "People buy people." Well, in my opinion too many Warriors get so caught up in the HOW and the WHAT that they forget about the WHO and the WHY - *who* you want to serve/help/guide and *why* you are committed to doing so.

Listen, I get it. You need to know how to do stuff (articles, PPC, SEO, etc.) because if there ain't eyeballs, there ain't revenue... and if there ain't revenue there ain't a business. I understand that.

But what most people totally miss is ultimately you ARE the business. You ARE the thing that will generate - and keep - eyeballs.

Let's look at a short list of highly successful Warriors:

Paul Myers - His brand is *himself* and the amazing effort he puts into the quality of his newsletter. People don't buy his stuff because they want more stuff. They buy his stuff because HE takes great care in creating and/or recommending it on *their* behalf. Paul IS the brand. 'Nuff said.

Willie Crawford - Same deal as Paul. Gives, gives, gives. Cares, cares, cares. People don't buy Willie Crawford's products... they buy Willie *himself*. (insert ka-ching of cash register here)

Ron Douglas - This dude's been featured on TV shows and it's no surprise - he's sharing what he's passionate about (great - and even secret - food recipes!). So let's see... he's cranking out great content about something he's crazy passionate about. Gee, wonder why he's doing so well?

Steven Wagenheim - Well what can be said about this cat except the word EPIC. This guy is a one-man personal branding machine on this forum. And it's no wonder - he keeps sharing himself all the time. Love him or hate him, Wags is a personal branding phenom.

And listen, there are plenty of other Warriors kicking major butt too: Bryan Kumar, Kevin Riley, Alexa, Jeremy Kelsall, Louise Evans, Tristan Bull, etc. etc.

But here's the key. All these folks have something in common: they HUSTLE their butts off. They crank it ALL the time on behalf of their prospects and customers.

And perhaps MOST important aspect of all this...

Todays' Internet landscape (especially Social Media which I too have been slow to adopt) allows *anyone* to be able to KILL IT as long as they're willing to CARE enough about a customer and personally brand *themselves* in front of that customer.

You wanna really get a taste for this game? Instead of trying to find the next magic pill on the WF, invest the next 15 minutes of your life and watch the following video of Gary Vaynerchuk talk about what's *really* possible online right now.

Afterwards, go check out his video blog and WineLibraryTV.com, get his book "Crush It!", and let the real party begin for you.

Ken

#game #internet #play #ready #real #today
  • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
    Ken,

    What you've described is certainly one way to be successful online. But please don't suggest it's the only way - or even the best way.

    For every Gary Vaynerchuk, there are probably thousands of successful online business people you'll never hear of. They're content to stay in the background and let their businesses do the talking.

    And while a powerful personal brand is a great asset, it can also become a liability when you want to move on or diversify. If your business is largely dependent on you, it's not so attractive to a potential buyer/investor when you're no longer involved.

    I'm not knocking the personal brand business model - just saying that the world has room for the Malcolm Mclarens as well as the Johnny Rottens.


    Frank
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    • Profile picture of the author Intrepreneur
      You can brand anything you want which means it doesn't have to be your name. For me I wouldn't want to brand my name until the right opportunity came along anyways so kudos to those who felt branding their name in the IM niche was what they wanted to do.
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  • Profile picture of the author ElGatito
    Agreed with Frank, but also think that Vaynerchuk has a point. Very little people are resilient enough to create an online business based on personal branding for 2 years before cashing in, and those who have been are doing it out of love, and are not always knowledgeable of the best ways to get money from it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      As Ken said, you do need to have the marketing smarts. Without it, you
      can be the most likable or hated guy, but if nobody knows it...so what?

      Having said that, I have found that more people become my customers
      not because I knew how to get them from an article to a blog or from
      Twitter to an article or whatever, but because when they approach me
      personally, I actually take the time to answer their questions.

      Most of my emails are informational. I'm not a pitchman. That doesn't mean
      I don't promote. I just do it more subtly than most like by putting a link
      in a PS.

      If you give of yourself and build trust, you don't have to sell hard. That
      doesn't mean you always have to be a wall flower. You can send emails
      with rants. You can tell people what you think of some of the crap online.
      You can even get in your prospect's face and tell them when you think
      they're being jackasses, as long as you do it honestly and explain why
      you think they're being jackasses.

      I have no problem with telling people straight to their face what I think of
      what they're doing with their business. Some get defensive. Others thank
      me. But I always make an impression...good or bad.

      A lot of people hated the Rich Jerk. I had no feelings about him one way
      or the other because to me, it was just marketing. But I understood what
      he was doing. He built a brand which was essentially a one joke sitcom.

      "You're a loser and I'm not."

      It worked...to the tune of millions.

      As Frank said, it's not the only way to make a buck. I am sure there are
      plenty of people peddling stuff in a variety of niches, making 6 and even 7
      figures a year and you don't even know their names.

      Do you know who owns Amazon dot com?

      I don't.

      There is more than one way to skin a cat, but in my case, if I was just
      another nameless, faceless marketer, I wouldn't have the success that I
      have. I make people feel something...for good or bad.

      Anyway Ken, I don't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath with
      those other guys, but thanks anyway. I really do appreciate it.
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      • Profile picture of the author Wade Watson
        Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post


        Do you know who owns Amazon dot com?

        I don't.
        Well, Jeff Bezos is not exactly a low-profiler, Steven (although he does have a semi-secret space rocket project). He built a brand that can easily exist without his image, all be it before the social media boom began. I think if you can get a web business successful without stepping into the limelight, that would be wise. You're less a target for personal slander. You can easily sell your business (can't imaging a "For Sale: Steven Wagenheim" sign). Branding does seem to be where it's at these days, but I think success depends a lot on the niche and type of business, all right. If you're selling something of obvious immediate value, link an ap site, you don't need a face on it. Sites that sell familiar tangible products can get by OK. But if you're producing reviews or how-to products or soliciting memberships, you're going to need to smile, post a picture and get your name around.

        Wade Watson
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  • Profile picture of the author KristiDaniels
    Be very careful with that business model.

    EVERY major player who has followed that business model has said they regret that decision.

    Will Apple even survive Steve's death? Will Microsoft survive Bill Gates leaving the company?

    Even if both companies survive, the "key person" insurance is HUGE when you sell a personality in the company as a celebrity.

    If your goal is to build a viable business, then that business needs to be able to survive you. If your entire business is based on you being a celebrity, then you fail at that major goal. You haven't built a business. You have just made yourself a celebrity and given yourself a job.

    As many of you know, I am speaking from experience as the widow of a famous Internet marketer. He made millions before he ever became a "celebrity" though and maintained a viable business that still runs to this day several years after his death. He was always careful to keep his celebrity status completely separate from the business. So it worked.

    We currently have two people in key positions in the business whose names you would recognize. To avoid paying massive key person insurance on them, we elected to keep their involvement in the company a trade secret. It is that expensive (think high six figures per year JUST in insurance premiums... per person!).

    If you want to be a celebrity, that's fine. But think through the ramifications for your company and for your family before you make that decision. It is possible to keep your celebrity status separate from a real viable business if you decide to do it anyway, but it must be a purposeful decision.

    Pretending that it is important to become a celebrity in order to build a viable business is a huge mistake. The opposite is actually the case. EVERY major business fights against their CEO becoming a celebrity at many phases in their growth process. It is ALWAYS a major concern for investors and stockholders in a company when a "key person" has attained or is attaining any kind of celebrity status. It is NEVER viewed as a good thing.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ken Preuss
      Originally Posted by KristiDaniels View Post

      Be very careful with that business model.

      EVERY major player who has followed that business model has said they regret that decision.
      I've not found this to be true. Sure, Reese has moved away from it as have a number of others. Filsaime is obviously the most recent to announce it.

      But take a close look at something. What's providing these marketers continued momentum with the business brands they are now building? That's right... their personal brand is driving all of it. People will continue to follow these people for YEARS because of the *personal* equity they have built over time. This is exactly what Gary preaches.

      Will Apple even survive Steve's death? Will Microsoft survive Bill Gates leaving the company?

      Even if both companies survive, the "key person" insurance is HUGE when you sell a personality in the company as a celebrity.

      If your goal is to build a viable business, then that business needs to be able to survive you.
      Huh? The definition of a viable business has *nothing* to do with whether it survives you. If that's your definition, so be it. But for most small business entrepreneurs I've ever met they just want one thing: a successful business that feeds their family well and provides the lifestyle they want. That's it.

      If it can live on after you, great! But to call that the definition of a viable business model is inaccurate in my opinion. Trends are changing ALL the time in every industry we can think of. For a business to be successful in this lifetime is a victory. For a business to be able to live on generation after generation is borderline miraculous in most cases, and rarely happens.

      If your entire business is based on you being a celebrity, then you fail at that major goal. You haven't built a business. You have just made yourself a celebrity and given yourself a job.
      Well, in Gary's case his "celebrity" has caused his "real" business to explode with no signs of stopping. Not sure what else to say to that.

      As many of you know, I am speaking from experience as the widow of a famous Internet marketer. He made millions before he ever became a "celebrity" though and maintained a viable business that still runs to this day several years after his death. He was always careful to keep his celebrity status completely separate from the business. So it worked.

      We currently have two people in key positions in the business whose names you would recognize. To avoid paying massive key person insurance on them, we elected to keep their involvement in the company a trade secret. It is that expensive (think high six figures per year JUST in insurance premiums... per person!).
      Interesting. That is definitely something I didn't consider for sure, nor claim to have experience with.

      If you want to be a celebrity, that's fine. But think through the ramifications for your company and for your family before you make that decision. It is possible to keep your celebrity status separate from a real viable business if you decide to do it anyway, but it must be a purposeful decision.

      Pretending that it is important to become a celebrity in order to build a viable business is a huge mistake. The opposite is actually the case. EVERY major business fights against their CEO becoming a celebrity at many phases in their growth process. It is ALWAYS a major concern for investors and stockholders in a company when a "key person" has attained or is attaining any kind of celebrity status. It is NEVER viewed as a good thing.
      Your points are incredibly well taken. Thank you.

      I believe Gary's point is that times, they-are-a-changin'. Old "tried and true" business models are crumbling before our eyes. Large and established companies are *dying* by trying to operate the old way, and a huge part of that (in Gary's opinion) is the lack of transparency and the lack of humanity behind these businesses.

      I suppose in the case of public companies with stockholders and such, the game is much more complicated. Granted. But for the rest of the businesses out there (translated: the vast majority of businesses since most of them are privately held) the "new media" allows them to achieve market share through personal branding that they might *never* have been able to get.

      Best regards,
      Ken
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  • Profile picture of the author jasonmorgan
    The one flaw with this idea is... if everybody is a name-brand guru, who is going to buy their products?

    I don't buy WSO products or any other guru products and I have no idea who any of those people are that you listed.

    As was mentioned above, there are a lot of people who make a good living off the interent and IM and are unknown. From what I gather, the names you mentioned are people who make a living off selling advice and products to other internet marketers so it's in their best interests to become name-brand celebrities... they are banking on name recognition and trust in order to make sales. For many of us, creating successful web sites that generate high volume traffic and make high volume sales works just as well.

    Not that I think your idea is a bad one, it worked out well for Tony Robbins but I think you would have a stronger argument if you were advising creating a brand and not necessarily a person as the brand. Amazon, as mentioned above is a good example of a brand that people have come to know as the online destination for buying books and other products online.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ken Preuss
      Originally Posted by jasonmorgan View Post

      The one flaw with this idea is... if everybody is a name-brand guru, who is going to buy their products?
      It has nothing to do with being a name-brand guru. Never used the word guru, in fact. It has everything to do with building *personal credibility* and *market awareness* of who you are.

      And you are correct. There's no logistical way "everyone" could be "the" leader of a niche. But that's okay because most people are followers anyway.

      Gary's point is that the door is wide open for those who see the power of personal branding and are called to it.

      I don't buy WSO products or any other guru products and I have no idea who any of those people are that you listed.
      You proved my point perfectly. They don't *need* you to know who they are. Why? Because they have a massive following *without* you and many others. And that massive following translates into a massive and consistent income for them.

      As was mentioned above, there are a lot of people who make a good living off the interent and IM and are unknown. From what I gather, the names you mentioned are people who make a living off selling advice and products to other internet marketers so it's in their best interests to become name-brand celebrities... they are banking on name recognition and trust in order to make sales. For many of us, creating successful web sites that generate high volume traffic and make high volume sales works just as well.
      Yes, I totally agree there are other ways. I gave those four people as examples on this board and in this niche who most people reading would be able to relate to.

      Not that I think your idea is a bad one, it worked out well for Tony Robbins but I think you would have a stronger argument if you were advising creating a brand and not necessarily a person as the brand. Amazon, as mentioned above is a good example of a brand that people have come to know as the online destination for buying books and other products online.
      Again, I'm not saying the entire brand has to be the person. Gary has a personal brand and following that feeds his business brand(s).

      And *that* is the real power of personal branding in this New Age.

      Ken
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      • Profile picture of the author Ron Douglas
        Great post Ken - and not just because I'm mentioned in it .

        Whether you brand a company or brand your name, the point is - creating a brand that customers will recognize is a sure path to long term success.

        Back in 2004, I went to the first Warrior get-together in New York. At that event, I met Mike Ambrosio, Robert Puddy, and Mike Filsaime among others. This was before Butterfly Marketing was launched. I remember asking Mike F. - "what's the best way to break into the IM niche?" He responded with just 7 words that really stuck with me:

        "Establish Yourself As The Expert in Something"

        Whether it's establishing yourself as the expert or your brand, this is the fast track to building a business online and social media makes it so much easier. Find a need and position yourself as the expert solution. Become the go to guy for something and people will flock to you (*especially if it's something they are passionate about).

        Get yourself in front of your potential customers everywhere they hangout - Yahoo Answers, Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, Email Newsletters, Press Releases, Groups, Forums, YouTube, Podcasts, Blog Talk Radio, etc. You can setup keywords in Google Alerts to tell you where your customers are. The Internet makes it easy for you.

        Want to make 6 figures a year, every year? All you need is 1,000 loyal customers to spend $100 per year with you. This is something I learned from chatting with Dr. Mani. In fact, all you need is 500 loyal customers to spend $17 a month with you.

        Do the math and you'll see that making 6 figures is not that big of a deal. I crossed that bridge back in 2004 and I'm at the point now where I could take the year off and still make that amount (both online and offline).

        So, if you're struggling to make money online, consider this approach. It's not the only thing that works, but it works for sure.

        This past weekend, I went to Mike F's Affiliate Appreciation Weekend in Vegas and met up with my good friend Ty. Ty is a perfect example of a marketer who is making a KILLING by being the expert for a particular niche. You've probably never even heard of this guy, but everything you search for in his market brings up his sites in Google.

        Ty is one of the most underrated niche marketers online and he likes it that way. His laser focus on his niche and certified expert status makes Internet Marketing easy for him. He just launches new products to his followers and doesn't have to depend on anyone to promote for him. He has evergreen products that still sell well even after 5 years.

        Now that's a real business that will last long term. Not many people can claim that.
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        • Profile picture of the author Ken Preuss
          Ron - what can I say. You hit the nail right on the head man.

          Originally Posted by Ron Douglas View Post

          Want to make 6 figures a year, every year? All you need is 1,000 loyal customers to spend $100 per year with you. This is something I learned from chatting with Dr. Mani. In fact, all you need is 500 loyal customers to spend $17 a month with you.

          Do the math and you'll see that making 6 figures is not that big of a deal. I crossed that bridge back in 2004 and I'm at the point now where I could take the year off and still make that amount (both online and offline).
          The above should make every single Warrior who's not where you want to be yet open your eyes WIDE to what's really possible with personal branding.

          This past weekend, I went to Mike F's Affiliate Appreciation Weekend in Vegas and met up with my good friend Ty. Ty is a perfect example of a marketer who is making a KILLING by being the expert for a particular niche. You've probably never even heard of this guy, but everything you search for in his market brings up his sites in Google.

          Ty is one of the most underrated niche marketers online and he likes it that way. His laser focus on his niche and certified expert status makes Internet Marketing easy for him. He just launches new products to his followers and doesn't have to depend on anyone to promote for him. He has evergreen products that still sell well even after 5 years.

          Now that's a real business that will last long term. Not many people can claim that.
          Bingo. Again, the power of personal branding is goes FAR beyond you, your name or your legacy. The real power is the long-term CONSISTENCY it lends to every product, service or brand you *ever* associate yourself with.

          Thanks for chiming with all that gold Ron.

          Ken
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          Coming soon for all you IM junkies... The Internet Daily Show

          A Secret to Success: Making serious money online or offline is not complex unto itself - we're the ones who complicate it. Simply sell them what they are already buying.

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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    It's a good post Ken, and you make many valid points, but I think you can brand a business name as well as your own name. Heck, I'm probably better known as "Boogie Jack" then Dennis Gaskill - what kind of stupid name is that!
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  • Profile picture of the author Colin Palfrey
    Hi Dennis, I can't help but wonder how you got that nickname. LOL
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    • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
      Originally Posted by Colin Palfrey View Post

      Hi Dennis, I can't help but wonder how you got that nickname. LOL
      From picking my nose . . . JUST KIDDING.

      To make a long story short, when I was new online I made some graphics and offered them to a graphics site just to see if anyone would like them. They did, and wanted a name to credit them to. My wife didn't want me to use my real name for anything (she was afraid kooks would show up at our door). I was listening to a blues song while thinking about what name to use when a line in song went something like "you sure can boogie jack" so I gave that for the name. Well, within a few months I had someone from ZDNet contact me wanting to use some of my graphics on a CD book insert (I got a free book out of it) and they were also included with an HTML editor and a computer game. So, when I decided to build my first site I figured I was already known as Boogie Jack so I might as well keep riding that pony so I bought BoogieJack[dot]com.

      I'll bet you were hoping it was the first reason, eh Colin?

      Sorry Scott, didn't mean to detour your thread.
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  • Profile picture of the author Griffon
    Interesting post. I agree with everyone here. THe mistake is believing there is ONE way to do it. There are many routes to success, and keeping your mind open to the one that suits you is the key to getting there.

    Neal
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  • Profile picture of the author claywalsh
    i like what Gary is saying but his voice is really, really annoying half the time...
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    • Profile picture of the author Ken Preuss
      Great discussion! Rock on Warriors.

      Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

      What you've described is certainly one way to be successful online. But please don't suggest it's the only way - or even the best way.
      Point well-taken Frank. To be clear, I've definitely stated my opinion in the OP. But that's mainly because of my own experience - personal branding made me over $12K in my first 59 days online. This is NOT the norm, and I get that personal branding is not for everyone.

      I think the reason I'm so passionate about it is because so many people immediately DISMISS it. Mainly because they don't give *themselves* enough credit as far as the value they can personally bring to a niche.

      Originally Posted by Intrepreneur View Post

      You can brand anything you want which means it doesn't have to be your name. For me I wouldn't want to brand my name until the right opportunity came along anyways so kudos to those who felt branding their name in the IM niche was what they wanted to do.
      Good point. Keep in mind that personal branding is NOT entirely about branding your name. It's about having so much personal credibility that ANY brand you associate yourself with benefits as a result.

      In Gary Vaynerchuk's case, his core brand is WineLibrary.com. But because of the personal credibility and massive following he's created, every brand he ever has anything to do with will win and win big.

      Originally Posted by ElGatito View Post

      Agreed with Frank, but also think that Vaynerchuk has a point. Very little people are resilient enough to create an online business based on personal branding for 2 years before cashing in, and those who have been are doing it out of love, and are not always knowledgeable of the best ways to get money from it.
      Excellent point about waiting 2 years before cashing in. One of Gary's big things is patience. Most people simply don't have it.

      Sadly enough, most people in IM are still broke after 2 years of trying it. I contend that if people were true to their own DNA and focused on something they were really passionate about, worked their butts off and *really* cared about the customers they are serving, they would see their financial goals come to fruition much, much faster.

      Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

      Having said that, I have found that more people become my customers not because I knew how to get them from an article to a blog or from Twitter to an article or whatever, but because when they approach me personally, I actually take the time to answer their questions.
      Bingo. And Gary's point is that's all it really takes. I love how humble you were here. Seriously man, I've been drawn to your posts ever since I found out about WF and it's because you SHARE yourself... and yes, you make people *feel* something.

      Once again, that's all it really takes. You give a sh*t. And giving a sh*t pays the bills very, very well.

      Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill View Post

      It's a good post Ken, and you make many valid points, but I think you can brand a business name as well as your own name. Heck, I'm probably better known as "Boogie Jack" then Dennis Gaskill - what kind of stupid name is that!
      Absolutely you can brand a business name as well. And you *should*. But I contend that the quality and credibility of the human being(s) behind the business are its greatest long-term assets.

      When Google changes its algorithms Gary Vaynerchuk doesn't feel it one bit. Why? Because he has created a personal brand, a personal following that will forever remain unaffected by market conditions. People come to him, not the other way around. THAT is stability.

      Originally Posted by Griffon View Post

      Interesting post. I agree with everyone here. THe mistake is believing there is ONE way to do it. There are many routes to success, and keeping your mind open to the one that suits you is the key to getting there.
      Totally agree on this. I simply want people to understand the power of personal branding as it relates to how the web is evolving right before our eyes, particularly with social media.

      Originally Posted by claywalsh View Post

      i like what Gary is saying but his voice is really, really annoying half the time...
      Haha, yes and he even jokes about that. Yet that too is the beauty of personal branding. You just have to be yourself and many will follow. Some won't.

      Ken
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      A Secret to Success: Making serious money online or offline is not complex unto itself - we're the ones who complicate it. Simply sell them what they are already buying.

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  • Profile picture of the author Mr. Enthusiastic
    I have mixed feelings about this premise. There are some businesses where the key person's personality is obviously very crucial to their success - Steve Jobs, Henry Ford, etc.

    But who is Mr. FedEx? Did the Brown family start UPS? Were Mr. Alka and Ms. Seltzer famous chemists? Who's the Ambassador for Embassy Suites? Who invented Crest? These are examples of very highly respected brands that don't have a famous personality who comes to mind.

    In the War Room "My Ideas" area, look at Allen's "21 million thread." Not a word about "I'm just like you," or "Then the doctor discovered..." Just you, you, you, your problem, your solution, your order.

    I think it can work really well to build a brand based on who you are... your own personal story. And it can also work really well to build a brand based on what benefits are provided by a system or company... the story you help your buyers tell about their changed lives. Either type of story can be a great USP. What doesn't work is to not have any compelling story.

    This should give hope to struggling businesses. If you have a me-too product, be a great personality. (Works for some musicians with generic music, but a memorable image.) It's also OK to be behind the scenes. Just be sure that there's a compelling, emotionally engaging story in there somewhere!

    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author Blondmoo
    Think of two highly successful Vegas shows......Siegfried and Roy and the Blue Man Group.....the original 3 "Blue Men" do NOT even perform anymore. And unfortunately we all know what happened to the first successful show....something to think about any ways.
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  • Profile picture of the author Colin Theriot
    I agree with the OP, but something else to think about is that your personal brand does not have to be you the person. Bill Gates the man is not Bill Gates the businessman. The public facing personality of a celebrity is not necessarily the same as the person they are in private life.

    I use Frank Kern as an example here only because his transformation from Irwin F. Kern, typical Internet Marketer - to Frank Kern, super laid back surfing business guru - has been a very public one.

    The "Frank Kern" you see in his videos is very much a construction, a character based on and played by the real life "Frank Kern". Think of shows like like Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" - they're semi-biographical caricatures based on real people, played by real people.

    Now that's a BAD example in a way, because they still have the problem that David Gaskill pointed out - the personality IS the business. They go, the business goes. But hey, that's show businesses. And personal branding IS a form of show business.

    But that's not to say you can't have a character or mascot or morphing spokesman for your business - a "face" that the public can see and internalize and give life to in their minds. Clowns sell hamburgers, and the Rich Jerk sold an ebook or two.

    And a personal brand CAN transcend the person who founded it - it happens all the time in the design world. It will happen for Oprah, Martha Stewart, etc. But they've been successful at doing what Ken describes first, and then transforming that personal identity into a label that describes a lifestyle - which they can then stick directly onto all kinds of products and media (which promotes more products).

    Anyways, that's enough rambling from me. Too much coffee I guess, but great OP and discussion.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      I loved the video - and that had nothing to do with "branding"

      His message is a big one - and that's nothing happens until you attack your business like a business.
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  • Profile picture of the author JayXtreme
    Great post Ken...

    Really.

    It might not be the "only" way.. but it is certainly one of the most powerful ways to carve out your path...imho.

    More people would benefit if they really paid attention when you write..

    Peace

    Jay
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  • Profile picture of the author Sylvia Meier
    Great post.

    Personal branding and business branding in general are a big thing. But I do have to agree with some of the posters who say that personal branding can come at a risk, because if you die so too can your brand. That's not to say it has to be that way, but I think in the majority of cases that is what would occur.

    I use my name as my own branding and have run into my own issues in doing it. You see, everything, all my articles, my sites the whole nine yards I am known as Sylvia Rolfe, but I got married a few months ago, and now I go, alright, I would love to use my married name, but who would know me? I spent years branding Sylvia Rolfe, and if all of a sudden I start using Sylvia Meier, for the most part I've lost my branding, sure some people will put two and two together, but what about those that don't already know me or my brand. You search Sylvia Rolfe in Google and 99% of what is there, is me. On the other hand you search Sylvia Meier, and most of what comes up is NOT me. I know I can change that with time, but that again is one of the downfalls of personal branding, things can change and could land you back at square one.

    Sylvia
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  • Profile picture of the author WD Mino
    Personal Branding is no different the corporate branding it is a name that is known.
    Look at the authors for a minute aside from Ron Stephen king sells books and movies and etc. not stephen king industries . The reality is people will either make every excuse as to why their name is not on something or make every effort to have it on something.
    Some will put their name on anything-bad branding others do the wise thing and associate themselves with quality- people willl talk word of mouth speaks more then a hundred thousand dollars worth of advertising getting YOU out there known as the go to guy/gal for product x

    I often find that people are scared to have themselves out there to have their name upfront as it were but if you think about it people like to connect I have had people stop me and say hey I saw you on the news x weeks ago or I read your story on.. whatever people need to see you and come to know you however I don't know anyone including filsaime that made that much money in their first 59 days Um Hmm definitely not a common thing so really not much point in saying that people could not expect to achieve those results .

    people associate and remember faces better then words names better then commercials etc look at slap chop vince is the guy but slap chop is the product you associate him now with sham wow and slap chop he has branded himself as the promo guy. personal branding needs to be put into the perspective of what it is a brand no difference from Sony or WD it is how you put that brand before people and what you produce in quality that is memborable. Always Brand yourself every single author in the world has their brand not every one uses their real name but almost all use a pic people have a need to associate makes them feel like they know you etc.look at when they do book signings wow you would think those people were like I love the branding thing my name goes on everything no pic but any software I produce my business and name goes on it front and center branding is everything!
    great OP Ken
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  • Profile picture of the author John Rogers
    Personal branding is good for some and not so good for others. I agree that if you want to teach, or want to be the "go to guy," personal branding can be a huge deal. But it can also backfire. Look what happened to Perry Belcher. He put his face and name all over the place, and it came back to bite him in the ass, big time. I'm sure he's doing fine. He's a smart guy. But he was forced to completely redefine how he was doing much of his business.

    John
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    • Profile picture of the author Ken Preuss
      Holy smokes. There are so many great things being contributed to this thread it ain't even funny.

      Originally Posted by Colin Theriot View Post

      And a personal brand CAN transcend the person who founded it - it happens all the time in the design world. It will happen for Oprah, Martha Stewart, etc. But they've been successful at doing what Ken describes first, and then transforming that personal identity into a label that describes a lifestyle - which they can then stick directly onto all kinds of products and media (which promotes more products).
      Right on Colin. There's definitely an element of "chicken before the egg" here, where a strong personal brand paves the path to a massive corporate brand, or even multiple brands.

      Originally Posted by JayXtreme View Post

      It might not be the "only" way.. but it is certainly one of the most powerful ways to carve out your path...imho.
      You're absolutely right. It's not the only way, but I've seen it be so powerful for so many (myself included). Thus my passion for it. And thank you so much for the kudos. It means a great deal to me.

      Originally Posted by Sylvia Rolfe View Post

      I use my name as my own branding and have run into my own issues in doing it. You see, everything, all my articles, my sites the whole nine yards I am known as Sylvia Rolfe, but I got married a few months ago, and now I go, alright, I would love to use my married name, but who would know me? I spent years branding Sylvia Rolfe, and if all of a sudden I start using Sylvia Meier, for the most part I've lost my branding...
      Solid point and well-taken, especially from a male who admittedly doesn't have this kind of obstacle on my radar. Obviously personal branding comes with some caveats in this kind of scenario, no question.

      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      I loved the video - and that had nothing to do with "branding"

      His message is a big one - and that's nothing happens until you attack your business like a business.
      Great point. Actually I was going to post one of his other keynotes that hit even more on personal branding, but they were all an hour or more. So I went with a more digestable one.

      Originally Posted by WD Mino View Post

      Personal Branding is no different the corporate branding it is a name that is known. Look at the authors for a minute aside from Ron Stephen king sells books and movies and etc. not stephen king industries . The reality is people will either make every excuse as to why their name is not on something or make every effort to have it on something.
      That's a really good point actually. People often go to the extreme one way or the other on this - either branding the CRUD out of themselves at every chance (e.g. Trump) or hiding out to a degree and operating in a way where they don't have to be "out there" as a personal brand.

      Again, everyone has to choose what's best for them. However the danger lies in dismissing the value you could bring to so many more people... if only they knew who the heck you were.

      Originally Posted by John Rogers View Post

      Personal branding is good for some and not so good for others. I agree that if you want to teach, or want to be the "go to guy," personal branding can be a huge deal. But it can also backfire. Look what happened to Perry Belcher. He put his face and name all over the place, and it came back to bite him in the ass, big time. I'm sure he's doing fine. He's a smart guy. But he was forced to completely redefine how he was doing much of his business.
      Good points John. Regarding Perry (who happens to be a mentor to one of my businesses) he would be the first to admit that a huge part of his issue was the *way* he was doing things at that time, not so much that his name was at the helm of the branding (not that this helped him ).

      That said, you are dead on about the point that we now live in a *transparent* world online. If you choose to take on the massive upside of branding yourself personally (and the upside *is* massive), you need to make sure you conduct yourself with 100% authenticity and integrity at all times. 'Cause people, they be-a-watchin.'

      Ken
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  • Profile picture of the author SuzanneH
    Ha ha -- I was reading your post and thought to myself, "Sounds exactly what Gary Vaynerchuk preaches," and then I saw the link to the video...

    I've been following Gary for a few months now. Saw him live at a book signing back in October. Very motivating!

    Suzanne
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  • Profile picture of the author devearoux
    It's a good post and make many valid points..
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  • Profile picture of the author mello
    Personal branding has been a big issue offline for the last few years especially for the small operator eg speakers, coaches etc. I have no doubt it has benefits in the online world as well. For me it comes down to personal choice eg do you want to be that exposed or does it not bother you, and, what do you plan for your business?

    As Ms Daniels rightly said, if you want to sell your business or pass it on, its value can be limited if you are the brand. If you intend to run your business 'forever' or choose to morph it into something else later, then personal branding may be a way to go, especially if you want to milk the expertise angle.

    IMHO, personal branding is not critical but branding itself is hugely beneficial. More importantly is building relationships with your customers which aligns with your brand.

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  • Profile picture of the author Anonymous Affiliate
    In niche markets, personal branding is a good idea as your name gets spread around on internet forums and you grow a list of followers (mailing list) that will buy any of your upcoming products. However, the problem is that it's difficult to sell your site once you're ready to move onto different ventures because YOU are the main asset of the site, and without your continuous input it's basically worthless: some membership sites come to mind here.
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  • Profile picture of the author TelegramSam
    You can make very good money if you build up your own brand, if that is necessary for what you do.

    But if you really want to make the big bucks one day then you create a brand for your business.

    Then when you cash in your chips, the business can go on without you.

    Sam
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    • Profile picture of the author RMC
      Brand or no brand, it's 100% irrelevant.

      The REAL game is picking your position and holding steadfast to it with authority, and doing the work to back it up.

      You can always buy your way into the other side of the fence once you make a few bucks.
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