Branding yourself - complete honesty ?

[marklyford]

Hi All

When you start to brand yourself online, do you think its best to be completley honest? and do you think a rags to riches, back to rags and then riches again story really helps the marketing and sales of products and people ?

All opinions valued guys !

Cheers

[Mark Brock]

Originally Posted by marklyford

Hi All

When you start to brand yourself online, do you think its best to be completley honest? and do you think a rags to riches, back to rags and then riches again story really helps the marketing and sales of products and people ?

All opinions valued guys !

Cheers

I personally think if you are beginning to brand yourself you should be completely honest!

Only discuss hardships if you have actually suffered them (it may be okay to embelish on a few facts though - just don't go too far).

[marklyford]

thanks for the quick reply Mark !

[AndyCamden]

Are you talking about making your name brandable or a product?

[ileneg]

My motto is that when you tell the truth, you won't need to remember what it was that you said...

ilene

[TimRobinson]

People dig up just about anything on anyone on the internet and if you are hiding something it will probably be revealed at some point.

Thus: be transparent, let people know what you're really like, warts and all. People love talking to others who have flaws just like them, not perfect guru's who know everything and never fail.

[rosetrees]

Well - I'm an IM cynic - but I'm a politicial cynic too, so I guess it's in the blood.

If I see a "rags to riches" story, I just think "oh no, here we go again". I'm not impressed by attempts to play the "poor little me, you must feel sorry for me" card.

I want to know what you are selling and what it does. If it guarantees to earn me £50k in 50 days - it is irrelevant to me how rich/poor/hard-done-by/my-mother-didn't-love-me you were before you started.

Having said that, if the hard luck story is the direct reason for the product - such as how to survive an abusive relationship or how to succeed even though you were a school refuser - then yes, go ahead and tell it.

[marklyford]

Originally Posted by AndyCamden

Are you talking about making your name brandable or a product?

Hi Andy

Im planning to make myself brandable together with my forthcoming products / services

[marklyford]

thanks for all the opinions so far everyone !

[AndyCamden]

So one of the things I learned was from Eben Pagan.
I am not sure if you know him, but he brands himself as David Deangelo.
His company is named Double Your Dating. Notice the kind of rhyme scheme he is using.

Another example would be Pepsi and Coca Cola. Which one is #1 out of those two? COCA COLA is. Theirs a certain ring to it when you say it and its easier for other people to remember. Other examples: Kit Kat, Mars Bars, etc. I am not saying you have to rhyme your first and last. Its just an idea but it has been statistically proven to result in more sales over the course of time.

Another thing is to make sure that you ALWAYS come off as an authority. For example, if you wanted to make a name for yourself on this forum, you wouldn't go around asking for advice all the time. That would BRAND you as a newbie. Newbies are not looked up to. You want to CONSTANTLY give value and advice to others. This establishes you as an expert in your field if it is sound advice.

And one other lesson I learned from Eben, PEOPLE LIKE TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE, NOT BUSINESSES. I will let you think about that one.

Well, I am off to bed. Hope that helps!

[marklyford]

Hi Adny

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate the incite. I have expertise in a certain field , and have been very successful in the past, but Im just getting to grips with opinions within the IM industry.

thanks to all that have replied

[MaskedMarketer]

Originally Posted by AndyCamden

So one of the things I learned was from Eben Pagan. And there thing is to make sure that you ALWAYS come off as an authority.

And one other lesson I learned from Eben, PEOPLE LIKE TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE, NOT BUSINESSES. I will let you think about that one.

Great advice Andy.

Authority and Honestly play a big role.

Eben is a smart cookie. And in regards to the OP- not only should you brand you also need positioning (which I believe you are getting at).

Eben is great at positioning, but its not his idea.

Why not go straight to the horses mouth and look up Al Reis, that's where Eben learned it from

[Loren Woirhaye]

Sure - be honest... but your business prospects will put
you on a pedestal and you don't want to dispell that
client perception.

You do want to come across as knowing your subject,
but not arrogant. Putting your address and phone number on
your stuff makes people go "wow!" this guy is for real -
don't worry about weirdos calling. Seldom happens. The
benefits of appearing authentic andaccessible far outweigh
the penalties.

I have a book right here by persuasion expert Kevin Hogan
and he put his direct-to-me phone number on the inside
dust flap. He's worth modeling.

[MaskedMarketer]

Originally Posted by Loren Woirhaye

I have a book right here by persuasion expert Kevin Hogan
and he put his direct-to-me phone number on the inside
dust flap. He's worth modeling.

Loren,

Your just a flowing river of wisdom

I was just listening to a Kevin Hogan audio last night.

Very honest and truthful.

A true expert in persuasion and he's usually a head of everyone else.

[Loren Woirhaye]

Thanks.

It's good to come off as a real-person who isn't like some
sort of genius if you coach or teach... just a person who is
further along the path. I was just reading a thing by Bob
Bly about getting and keeping business in tough times -
here on Facebook:
14 Winning Methods to Sell Any Product or Service in a Down Economy | Facebook

I liked what he said about not being a Prima Donna or arrogant
when times are good because your customers will punish
you for it later when you need their business.

If you develop software you might want people to think
you are a genius though - with some sort of aloof mystique.