Tag Archives: brand

Owning Bad Publicity

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I remember a few years ago back at Gnomedex in 2007 when Vanessa Fox spoke about owning bad publicity. It wasn’t called that. I can’t remember what I had to eat yesterday, much less what the title of a session at a conference four years ago was. But. I do remember the gist of her talk.

The idea was that some things in life, especially on the web, you can control. Companies hire marketing firms to try to spin a positive message for them in the social media outlets as well as hiring search engine marketers, brand consultants, etc to curate their brands.

Sometimes that works. Other times, the reputation and image on the web is controlled by other people. You can’t control the fact that you suck at times. You also can’t help what people might think, even inaccurately about you.

As the story went, Vanessa ran into an uncontrollable problem where people were googling for “vanessa fox nude” – damn perverts. Instead of getting upset and worrying about how people were valuating her, she went out and bought the domain vanessafoxnude.com and redirected it to her site.

To this day, that story resonates with me. I’ve personally had people disparage me. To this day, if you google my name, you will find one such article on the front page of Google. Hint: It has to do with a weasel. As a result, I’ve considered buying branded stuffed weasels to give away at events.

A long time ago, I acquired a reputation for being extremely honest to the point of sometimes offending people or putting them off. Is this really how I want to be seen? Probably not. Since embracing that, has it been successful for me personally and professionally? So far, I think so.

Don’t let negative press get you down. Own that shit and move on. Make it a part of your brand. If you’re wrong, own up and be transparent. If you’re not, just incorporate it into your offering.

Photo Credit: mushon.

The Rule of Brand, SEO, Trust and Marketing

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Almost five years ago, I started this blog without much idea what was going on. In fact, in many ways, it was an opportunity to pass time at work, in a job that I cared little about and that I was doing little more than doing time with. I setup a WordPress blog, went to town writing about whatever the heck I felt like writing about. It’s a common path followed by a great many bloggers.

At some point, however, I came to find my voice on this blog. I wrote in an authoritative way on topics that I was knowledgeable about. I challenged assumptions made in industry, and brought a common sense, no bullshit approach to conversation. I’ve been rewarded with many fans, followers and friends. Literally, my brand, personal or otherwise, is golden. As it should be.

This blog is not a make money quick kind of venture. In fact, I think I made $35 last time I got a check. Not much more than beer money, but that’s fine – I make my money because of my blog, not via my blog. I don’t play the game of SEO, link building and trying to get the most page views. That is a game played by a few power players who have worked the system and built up alliances. I have built my authority and stature, not on making money with my blog or by selling someone elses product in return for a kickback. I have not worried about how many pageviews and selling CPM advertising. I am worried about the quality of the content, the truth in my writing, the community that pays attention and, basically, changing the world one word at a time.

This is my value. This is why when I talk about Government and the web, even though I’m not one of the Goverati, people pay attention. This is why when I write about marketing, I get listed as a top marketer despite not being one. This is why when I examine technology policy, executives from technology companies email me.

This is the real shit. This is not fraud. This is not get rich quick scams.

I’ve said it many times, the most recently being at the excellent Bootstrap Maryland event… You do not control your brand. Your customers do.

I do not control my brand. My readers do. My community does.

My brand is not destroyed by Google bombing my name or brand into search engine rankings. When I get negative press, I let my community protect my brand. It makes no sense for me to engage in a protectionist way since I can’t protect my brand anyway.

This morning, I woke up to this story, where Jeremy Schoemaker attacks my brand and my name. Besides the fact that the post is completely schizophrenic and not very well thought out, much less executed, let’s look at the marketing techniques and think about brand. The title of the post is loaded up with my name and brand. He makes sure to this because that will weigh higher in the Google index. Indeed, his post is the 7th SERP in Google when you search for my name after only a few hours. Whatever.

It doesn’t change my business. It doesn’t change my brand. In fact, it doesn’t change my authority because my trust is with you, my community. On Twitter, I am being defended. Fine, whatever. I appreciate it.

In today’s online world, I am constantly hearing about companies who are afraid to converse because they don’t want disagreement. They lose the conversation. In some cases, they try to erase bad publicity.

Conversation is going to happen. Negative conversation is going to happen. The reality is that bad PR doesn’t kill a company. How the customers or community respond make the brand.

Class is adjourned.

How Much Are People Talking About You? Part Deux

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Last year I wrote a post titled, “How Much do People Talk About You?“. I could very well simply republish that post and be done with it, but I wanted to come back to the topic a year later and discuss it more because it’s important.

It’s important from a marketing perspective, and of course it’s important from a branding perspective. More importantly, though, it’s important because the answer to the question will either make or break you in a down economy.

If people know who you are, and you have a good reputation as a subject matter expert, as a brand leader or otherwise, you will never lack for work!

This is not a money grab. This is not a formula. You can’t simply do x, y and z and be talked about in closed circles. It takes time, perseverance and consistency. It takes presence marketing.

At two separate conferences, recently, my name was dropped by a panel member for different reasons. Twice, in fact, at Blog World Expo – and I was not even there to hear it happen! I heard from someone else.

The key here is that the consistent message I have put forward here has infiltrated the minds of other influencers. Without me writing yet another post, or speaking on yet another panel or directly influencing anyone face to face, my message reached to whole new audiences.

How much are people talking about you?

When you are cited, quoted or your name is passed to someone as a referral, you will never lack for work. People will come knocking on your door looking for your help and expertise.

If you don’t make a difference, however, you’re expendable. When management looks at the roster, your name will likely be checked off as someone who is eligible for a pink slip.

By being a known and significant entity in your organization or sphere of influence, and letting other people market you, you will never lack for work.

Promises Made, Promises Delivered

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Your customer base expects you to do things. They wouldn’t be your customers if not. They expect you to deliver on what you say you can deliver, and they expect you to do it right now. Think about it. You too are a customer and you expect the same thing.

What happens when a company, a campaign, a spouse makes a promise and doesn’t deliver? What happens to the trust? What happens to that relationship?

If Barack Obama promises to ensure that 10% of the nations energy comes from renewable resources by 2012 (he is promising that) and doesn’t deliver, what will voters think of his energy record in 2012 when he is up for re-election?

If Geico promises to save you 15% on car insurance and they end up being more expensive, what happens to their credibility?

If a wife cheats on her husband and he finds out, where will his trust level go?

If an employee is promised a pay increase after 6 months but doesn’t see one until two years, what happens to the credibility of the employer?

Promises delivered create trust which drives sales and delivers brand loyalty. Without that trust, the brand is worthless and the loyalty goes to a competitor. That is never good for business.

Jeremy Zawodny Leaves Yahoo

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Photo Credit Josh Bancroft
Yahoo’s brain drain continues and, TechCrunch provides a great analysis into the latest desperate deal Yahoo is engaged in. This time with Google.

Yahoo is in a very bad position and everyone knows it. Now, possibly the best known Yahoo, Jeremy Zawodny is leaving the company for greener pastures. Jeremy made his announcement the other day amidst denials.

I won’t at all be surprised if some people think this is related to Microsoft or Carl Ichan and the uncertainty surrounding Yahoo’s future. The reality is that there’s nothing pushing me out the door at Yahoo. The reason I’m leaving is that something very compelling has come along to lure me away. Despite what the current press sentiment might be, Jerry and David have built a remarkable company.

While I don’t believe this for even a second, I also know what it’s like to leave a company you feel tremendous kinship to. Especially one you’ve been at for a very long time.

Jeremy was one of those guys I read avidly in my early years of blogging. James from Outside the Beltway was my political blogger of choice. He reads my blog today as I do his. Seth Godin was my business blogger of choice. I’m quite sure Seth does not read my blog. Jeremy was my technology blogger of choice and I have no idea if he reads my blog. :-)

I’m really excited for Jeremy. I’ve felt he should move on from Yahoo for awhile now, and I’m sure he has felt the pressure to do so himself. Finding people in technology – particularly at web companies – that stay with a single company, loyally, for 8.5 years is somewhat akin to Cal Ripken being a Baltimore Oriole for all of his 20+ year career.

Whoever he lands with gets a tremendous depth of knowledge, ingenuity and public respect. He could be an evangelist, a product marketer, a product manager, a systems administrator, a DBA, a business development guy or even Public Relations. Whoever gets him doesn’t just get a brain, but gets a whole lot of influence and political capital in the web world.

Congratulations, Jeremy, to you and your new wife. Don’t worry about the economy. I’m pretty sure you can pick your job. And it sounds like you have.

Update: Jeremy is going to Craigslist.