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Branding yourself - complete honesty ?

by marklyford
14 replies
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
#branding #complete #honesty
  • Profile picture of the author Mark Brock
    Originally Posted by marklyford View Post

    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).
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  • Profile picture of the author marklyford
    thanks for the quick reply Mark !
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    • Profile picture of the author AndyCamden
      Are you talking about making your name brandable or a product?
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      • Profile picture of the author marklyford
        Originally Posted by AndyCamden View Post

        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
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        • Profile picture of the author 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!
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          • Profile picture of the author MaskedMarketer
            Originally Posted by AndyCamden View Post

            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
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    • Profile picture of the author 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.
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  • Profile picture of the author ileneg
    My motto is that when you tell the truth, you won't need to remember what it was that you said...

    ilene
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  • Profile picture of the author 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.
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  • Profile picture of the author marklyford
    thanks for all the opinions so far everyone !
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  • Profile picture of the author 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
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  • Profile picture of the author 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.
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    • Profile picture of the author MaskedMarketer
      Originally Posted by Loren Woirhaye View Post

      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.
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      "I Pay Less Attention to What Men Say. I Just Watch What They Do."
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  • Profile picture of the author 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.
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