Branding – It’s one of the most spoken, yet least understood elements of marketing.  If someone who has never studied marketing asks you what branding means, what would you say?

It is the perception?  The gut feeling?  The impression about you?  All of the answers are correct and they’re all intuitive.   A subjective feeling of how others observe you becomes your brand.

Mashable’s Dan Schwabel takes this subject a step further.  He challenges you to establish a brand online and maintain it, particularly with the use of Social Networking tools.

Here is the summary of what Dan has to say.

“To know if you’ve discovered your brand, you need to make this equation equal.  Your self-impression = How people perceive you”.

Then gives what he calls ”Personal Branding Toolkit” with list of things you can use to highlight brand.

Speaking of online presence, Schwabel reminds us

“Don’t be fooled by the myth that if you build it, they will come. Unless you’re the luckiest person on earth,  you’ll have to actually communicate everything you’ve created to others”.

Then in the following article, he goes on to talk about how to maintain a brand once you establish it.

Schwabel mentions,

“…what others say about your brand (especially if they are respected and well-known) is more impactful than what you say about yourself”.

There are two main parts to brand maintenance that matter: online “spring cleaning” and careful listening.

“Online ’spring cleaning’: As your brand grows, you must ensure that all the online assets that you have control of grow in the same respect”.

“Careful listening: People are going to be talking about you in various places, such as Twitter, blogs, social networks and more. You need to keep track of what they are saying, so that you can respond accordingly”.

In summary, Schwabel says

“It all starts with you. You can make anything happen and now, with these social tools, it’s easier to accomplish more in less time. People that can help you accomplish your dreams are at your fingertips.  It’s up to you to figure out what you want to do and surround yourself with the people that can help in your personal branding conquest”.

If there is one secret you wish you knew, what would it be?  How about a secret to persuade and influence your blog/newsletter readers?

Persuasion… can be studied, measured, practiced and orchestrated.  It’s not anything you just let it happen.  But something you can make it happen.

I am going to share that secret with you today and if you don’t know any other way to persuade people, this will help you promote tremendously.

You can persuade your readers by providing the type of content that challenges their intelligence and make them want to re-evaluate what they’re currently doing.

Make people say “Wow, I’ve never thought about it from that perspective” or “I’ve never been asked that question before”.

The moment people start saying this, their minds are shifting — you just gave them a different reality, perspective, idea that allow them to think in fresh ways.

When this occurs, they will appreciate you and be more open to you.  If you want to do this effectively, start thinking like a composer.  It takes a composer to create a piece of music that consists of music notes.  However, you and I both know that music notes have been around before Mozart came into the world.

To spread your ideas, you do NOT have to invent anything new.  All you have to do is to liberate people from their conventional thinking and allow them to challenge their own existing beliefs.

People don’t need to agree with everything you say — as long as they’ll have something to ponder after reading/listening to your message, you’ve accomplish your job as a persuader.

Too often, business owners feel they’re not progressing and are stuck at certain stages of their business.  More than likely, all these people are doing is seeing their business from the perspective that they only know about — so question them, challenge them, and make them think that it’s okay to “step outside” of the box.

If you’re successful at giving people new vision, reality and possibility that they’ve never thought possible to realize, you’ve just shifted someone else’s mind forever no matter how small that movement may be.

Every morning, I listen to the radio like all other drivers on the road.

Then I noticed something what I’ve always known.  It doesn’t matter what city I live, all car dealers blast the same radio ads.

It can’t be truer.  They all sound the same and want to be number dealership in ____ state.  But what does “being a No. 1 car dealership” mean to a consumer?

Nothing.

It doesn’t mean when I visit that dealership, I know I am going to get the fairest deal.  It doesn’t mean I am going to be treated fairly.  It doesn’t mean that I am going to experience anything different than when I visit other dealerships (with the exception of dealership like CarMax).

In fact, all I am getting is the name of that dealership and by so doing, hopefully I will make a visit there instead of the one next to it.

Car dealerships do this for a few reasons.  Mainly, this is why — they look at what others do in their industry.  When you have been in the same line of business so long, it’s hard to change the way things you do in one industry.

But, there is a problem — if all you’re doing is the same as what everybody else is doing in the same industry, it’s going to be difficult to always achieve the “No. 1″ market share.

Pretty soon, the market will sort out the irrelevant ads from the superior brands.

What’s the solution there?

You can borrow ideas from outside your industry.  In fact, you can bring different, unique, superior concepts from other industries and innovate to suit your industry.

This way, you can be the first one to introduce that concept to your industry and become the authority figure when it comes to that particular concept — how refreshing would it be?

Then if that concept is truly consumer centric, if it clearly articulates “What’s in it for me”?  It will outperform “We are number one dealership in ____ state” ads by 100 times.

I sent this article out to my newsletter subscribers on Friday, preparatory to the launch of Mass Control 2.0.

I take Frank Kern’s marketing strategy as an example of why giving outstanding content brands you best online.

ACTION TAKERS NEWSLETTER BROADCAST FEB 13, 2009

Hello it’s Tak Hikichi here. I appreciate you taking busy time
reading this newsletter this week.  Hope you’re having a good
Valentine Day weekend with your family and loved ones.

=======================
MY TAKE ON FRANK’S STUFF
=======================

Tomorrow, you’ll start receiving tons of emails regarding Mass
Control 2.0.

I am not participating in this launch promotion and would like to
give you my take on it today.

I’ve been watching Frank launch products over the last few years and
his style has been nothing but short of exemplary.

================================
WHAT MAKES FRANK KERN SO UNIQUE?
================================

One way Frank Kern does so well to brand himself is offering not just
“different” content, but OUTSTANDING content.

In the crowded marketplace such as “Internet Marketing niche”, it
won’t take long for anyone to become “forgotten” if you don’t produce
great stuff.

Business Owners, whether online or offline, do things very similar
to their competitors within the same industry.  This happens because
businesses look to their most profitable competitor and wants to
craft their marketing campaigns — similar or just better.

However, what would happen if you decide to “step outside the box”,
and as business school professors would tell you to “move outside your
paradigm”?

–

You’re going to stand out.  When everyone zigs, you zag. If you
succeed in promoting it, you may even produce an outstanding result.

But this takes “the guts” to do because you’re going to be looked at
differently.  Your idea may NOT be accepted and it’ll test your “guts”.

For these reasons, many marketers or business owners choose to stay
within the comfort zone.

After all, it’s easier that way.

===============
FRANK IS BOLD
===============

Yet, Frank Kern is bold.  He sets the standard for this industry and
dominates in popularity.

He is likable because he leads by example — this also takes the
guts to do.

==========
THE SECRET
==========

What he coined as “Mass Control” is really nothing but the Education-Based
Marketing.  First he gives a cool name (Mass Control) to this method
and creates a private brand of his own.

He uses it within the Internet Marketing community and positions
himself as the “authority figure” of such method.

Notice this method of marketing isn’t anything new, yet he crafted
his promotion around this concept so well that others THINK that he
is the “go to guy” when it comes to this type of stuff.

Result? Brilliant.

==========
THE GUTS
==========

This happens when you bring a concept or idea from outside your industry
and apply it.

In fact, a “profitable idea” doesn’t need to be something that you
invent yourself.

Think of the Japanese business world for a moment.  The Japanese
is known NOT for its reputation to INVENT, but IMPROVE on an idea.

In fact, many of their existing products and services were born in
America.  But they do it very differently, producing different results.

===========================================
CROWDED MARKETPLACE IS YOUR NEW OPPORTUNITY
===========================================

In order to really standout in the crowded marketplace, it won’t be
easy unless you’re generating ideas.  But you don’t have to necessarily
become the one to “invent” it.

Look for ideas that have helped you in the past from your profession
or own expertise and see if you can somehow IMPROVE it by applying
to your niche.

To do this effectively, you must know your “strengths”.  If you don’t
you WILL FOLLOW the herd by doing what everyone else is doing in
your industry and end up even staying “mediocre”.

Let’s not be that way.

========================
DEVELOPING “YOUR STYLE”
========================

If you feel you don’t have anything “different” about yourself,
it means you’re not qualified, yet.  You have lots to learn and
study before perhaps offering your service.

If you don’t have nothing to say, then your list isn’t worth
joining and others won’t sign up. It’s the fastest way to perish
in the crowded marketplace.

If you think you have to be earning lots of dollars before
publishing your ideas, then think of something that you KNOW you’re
better at it than anyone else you know – this doesn’t have to be
a “marketing method”.

Capitalize on your knowledge and try offering your opinion or method
that might lead to a new idea or concept if you can explain it
from “refreshing” point of view.

–

It’s easy to do this in the Internet Marketing niche.  Why?  Because
so many marketers look at their competitors and only attempt to do
bit better.  As a result, many marketers end up giving up, thinking
this is a battleground only reserved for the gurus.

It is, if you keep on playing a game on “their” turf.

But it won’t be, if you can generate a unique idea, concept or
philosophy that others value – then you will gain a home court
advantage because you’re now playing the game on your turf.

It’s contagious and others will follow you.  Instead of you following,
you’re going to lead. That’s scary, it takes “the guts”.

Your Newsletter and your list will stand out because so many marketers
today are using their lists exactly the same way.

It’s okay because that’s other people’s style.

Not yours — you’re going to be unique, you’re going to be outstanding.

============================
IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN THIS
============================

I do have a Master Resale Rights for “Mass Control Revealed” interview
if you’re interested. It’s not the actual Mass Control product, but
a 60 minute interview Frank gave about a year ago.

I am an authorized reseller for this product and you can buy the same
rights at $7.

It’ll come with the product, reseller package and you can put your
own name to where it says “From the Desktop of: My Name” and sell it
just like I do.

I just use simple Paypal secret script and sell it whenever Frank
promotes something. You can promote it to your list and
people always grab a copy.

Here is the link >> http://asktak.com/mass/

========================
COULD YOU DO ME A FAVOR?
========================

If you’re a subscriber to my Action Taker’s and if anything has
helped you.  Would you please send me a testimonial?

I am in the middle of having serious makeover to my existing sites
and products.

It’ll be nice if you could join me on my home page.

It doesn’t have to be long or it doesn’t have to be supplied with
picture.

But if you like to include URL, name or first name and last name
initial, whatever style you prefer, you’ll be on my home page once
it’s done.

Just reply me to this email and I will thank you by displaying your
business profile once my new site is up.

But please send it only when it warrants.

by jhf

Chris Guillebeau at The Art of Non-Conformity recently published an interesting post.  Chris first paraphrased from something he heard what the Applebee’s restaurant CEO said.

“What people want and what they say they want are different.”  I can’t argue with that, either.

However, what’s also important to note is what a business thinks people want and what people actually want are different.  The difficult part is to find what’s suitable for the most majority of your market.

For example, a website owner decides to publish video squeeze page. but a visitor wants to read the content instead of watching it.

How about Volvo or Porsche adding their stylish and sexy product line in addition to their safe and fast cars?  The companies want to add them, but do their customers really want that?

Only the time will tell.  But to keep its defining attributes, companies need to keep something aligned.  That “something” is anything exclusive about the brand.  So if Volvo adds something stylish, it also needs to be safe.  If Porsche adds something new, it must be sporty also.

Imagine a horse – without showing you the picture of a horse, can you describe what a horse look like?

Think of HUMMER.  Without looking at the picture, can you imagine what a HUMMER look like?

OK, try thinking about Buick, Suzuki, Isuzu, Oldsmobile… are there defining attributes to these brands?

Rarely.

And if there aren’t defining attributes to strike your imagination, no matter “how long” they’ve been around, people still can’t make connection.  In fact, when there is no connection being made between the market and a product, there is no brand for that company.

It’s not even easy to be the “cheapest” because only ONE company is allowed to do while everyone else has to use branding.  Sometimes a business has to give up large portion of market and look for somewhere else to compete in order to stand out.

In the 1980s, Subaru competed against Toyota, Nissan and Honda with sedan lines and they failed.  In the late 1990s, they decided to ditch the big market and focused on “All Wheel Drive” segment of the industry and they dominated it — a new brand was born.  They’ve always been around, but in the minds of consumers, it was a new (and much more respected) Subaru.

Sometimes, what a business thinks what their customers want and what people actually want are different.  In Internet Marketing, it’s easy to be “all knowing” marketer, but don’t want to be the SEOArticleMarketingPPCVideo guy/girl.  It’s better to have a focus while giving up something seemingly hard to do.