Bradley H. Smith >

Be fantastic or be forgotten.

Someone said this to me last week. True more than ever in our world of constant content.

 

Who can forget THIS face.

When was the last time you did a deep SWOT analysis on your company?

Yeah. Me too...

I'm in the best selling marketing book because I believe the author's base premise.

People (prospects) want to learn what your product will do FOR THEM - not what your company does. Every bit of content you present MUST address the prospect's question - "What's in it for me." Period.

 

Congratulations on the 3rd Edition of The New Rules of Marketing & PR," David.  Thanks for making me a best practice in the book. 

How do you know if your product has become a commodity?

Long-time clients switch for a better price. You gave them no passionate reason to stay.

 

Live free (and differentiate) or die.

  

Go to hell, Klout. I don't need your manufactured stress.

I know many people are digging Klout, but I am officially disengaging myself. It's a money maker for some company that is trying to feed on my vanity. Obviously, judging by this photo on my homepage, I have no vanity.

What the final straw was it sent me an alert email to go see the screen below. I have plenty of REAL “Oh no!” in my world, thank you. I am not playing your game. 

I will create my own clout. And Photoshop my own Klout.

Don’t abuse your personal brand and place fans at financial risk.

Subjectively, I am not a fan of Glenn Beck at all – to be clear. Objectively, I think this (image below) sponsorship is an egregious use of “celebrity” to pump a product. Will he take responsibility for the product’s promise – or lack of performance?

How much financial risk should you ask from your fans? Pimping someone’s financial future (INVESTMENT) is very different than buying a $15.00 bottle of perfume from a pop star brand or booking a cheap hotel with Captain Kirk. The “personal brand” needs to be credible to the product / service.

 

He’s turned into Ed McMahon.

Forms are important for (traditional) lead generation, NOT for lead qualification!

This form truly angered me.  They used the email address field to PRE-qualify leads - and since I used my "gmail" address, they DIS-qualified me. For a whitepaper PDF download? Ridiculous and insultive. You never know where your NEXT client may come from. 

 

Many people are out of work and don't have access to a business domain address. 

 

 

Get a wide variety of titles and perspectives when collecting professional recommendations.

Whether you create a personal CV site (like my site here) or use LinkedIn, be VERY strategic on who you ask for recommendations. Get a true blend of people you reported to, people that reported to you, people you were peer to and key business influencers. Ask folks for detailed thoughts on working with you, not general platitudes.

If you're in marketing, creativty is the "unspoken" testomonial. Don't let LinkedIn be your style.

Meet promises to build a good brand.

Exceed expectations to build a great business. 

Clients, prospects and partners LIKE truth. Funny that.

Authenticity and transparency are the new “ads.” If your’e still marketing like P.T. Barnum, the web WILL expose you. That’s what the power of social media is really all about.  

 

The truth hurts. I sent 1,000 of these shirts to all my sales channel. THEY loved it. The tradeshow hosts, well... not so much LOL. ( this is a grueling show)