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Building an image

by traxmaker
13 replies
What do you believe to be the most important thing when starting a foundation to build a memorable image for marketing? Do you think its the name, site appearance, phrasing of your articles or what?
#building #image
  • Profile picture of the author Michael Oksa
    None of the above.

    The most memorable image you have to develop is you.

    Everything you say, write, and do is a reflection of who you are. And you can't fake that (at least not forever). That's good or bad news, depending on who you are.

    All the best,
    Michael
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    "Ich bin en fuego!"
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    • Profile picture of the author traxmaker
      Originally Posted by Michael Oksa View Post

      None of the above.

      The most memorable image you have to develop is you.

      Everything you say, write, and do is a reflection of who you are. And you can't fake that (at least not forever). That's good or bad news, depending on who you are.

      All the best,
      Michael
      Very well said. I think much of the issue comes with family not wanting my "real name" known and not wanting me to expose personal thoughts or preferences which is exactly what I intend to do here. Reading posts I saw another with a similar thing (not wanting their real name known) which lead me to ask this question. Thanks for the post. I think it is exactly what I was needing to hear, or rather read.
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  • Profile picture of the author easylearning
    To build an image, the most important thing is content. Content is more important than a nice design because this is what will really convince people to buy a product.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Oksa
    What if they never see the content because the design turns them off?

    It all goes together into one nice big package. that's why I think the most important aspect of anyone's online image is themselves.

    Let me add that it's a good thing to think about. A lot of people don't care about their image at all. Kudos!

    ~Michael
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  • Profile picture of the author easylearning
    If someone is only attracted to the image and not the content, there is a high probability that he is not interested in the product. Writing good content is important because people who are interested in your product will look at it.
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  • Profile picture of the author artsub
    At the risk of just "Jumping on the bandwagon", I like what both Michael and easylearning have to say. First up, yes, it's all about you. There is an old saying in sales... "people buy people not products".

    Having said that, my personal experience shows that everyone loves an educator. If you teach people something, they love you. Just look at Frank Kern. He gives away loads of free material, and everyone loves him, and are more than happy to open their wallets for the $2000 paid stuff.

    Just one other thing I will add... video. If people can see your face, they start to feel like they know you, and you can build rapport at a whole new level. This really creates a memorable image.
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  • Profile picture of the author easylearning
    artsub: it's a good idea. Videos are not essential for a website but they will help to build an image as long as what you say it the videos makes sense. Also, since they combine both content and images, videos should be able to help you get more sales.
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  • Profile picture of the author RentItNow
    1) Color(s) of your material and layout. Do not underestimate this.
    2) You ability to draw people's attention
    3) Your passion for the subject.
    4) You ability to give at least something they were originally looking for in the first place and then the hardest...
    5) Your ability to direct them (control the flow or communication or action).

    Lastly, your persistency. I do not igonore people that can keep me informed and up-to-date for a long time. I can easily ignore someone that is fly-by-nite.
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    I have no agenda but to help those in the same situation. This I feel will pay the bills.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kevin Koop
    If you are planning to be the "face" of the business you are building then I wholeheartedly agree with Michael... the entire package is important!

    However, if you want to build a more "corporate" entity, then I would say that design/appearance/pro content plays a more significant role.

    When you think of "Nike" or "eBay" you certainly have an image of them but it is not one that links to a particular person.

    It just depends on your end goal.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Oksa
    You raise an interesting point, Kevin. And while you may not think of those companies as being associated with a particular person. Yet, these companies were started by people who were building an image.

    They were able to transcend the image of an individual. "Person" probably isn't the right word for them, but each company does have a distinct "personality"

    I'm not saying you're wrong in any way, just adding another level to the discussion.

    ~Michael
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    • Profile picture of the author TedMarlett
      Michael Osaka -->You raise an interesting point, Kevin. And while you may not think of those companies as being associated with a particular person. Yet, these companies were started by people who were building an image.

      They were able to transcend the image of an individual. "Person" probably isn't the right word for them, but each company does have a distinct "personality"

      I'm not saying you're wrong in any way, just adding another level to the discussion.
      I believe in the person building an image first. As a professional counselor, I have worked with many people who present different types of images to get what they want. The most effective are the people who present themselves as they really are (ie; honest and all the things that go with that) true to themselves and others.

      I have found the people who do this are extremely self-knowledgeable and can relay that self to others. The people who tried to "pretend" to be something else have all been uncovered and did not accomplish much, including get ahead and anything they wanted for long. Almost everything seemed to backfire on them as time went by.

      This can go especially wrong for educators. The persona can only last for so long and there goes everything they have tried to build.

      The trouble is is that the internet makes it so easy for people to build a business and dupe people all the time. A reasonably intelligent person can usually tell the con from the honest person after a while through what the person does and others comments.

      Your personal image and presenting will always stand by you regardless of what you do. People can think anything they want and no one will know--but as soon as they open their mouths or write something, everyone will get the picture of who they really are. Each person's personal image is always built into what they are selling.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kevin Koop
    @Michael and Sven - I totally agree with both of you.

    Personally, I am branding myself and have no desire to become the next Nike or eBay. However, some marketers, like Armand Morin are moving away from personal branding and towards corporate branding.

    I was talking with Armand at a seminar recently and he was telling me that he was planning to remove his likeness from all of his websites and make every one of his websites congruent from a design standpoint.

    For him, I guess that makes sense because he is interested in building a huge business but for most of us, I think personal branding is the way to go.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Oksa
    Nicely said, Ted - I couldn't agree more.

    All the best,
    Michael O-k-s-a
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