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Secrets to Success
John-Paul Micek
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Are you marketing like a meatball?
Imagine the biggest, juiciest, most delicious meatball you can imagine. Now, in your mind, draw a picture of that meatball covered with caramel, hot fudge, whipped cream, and colored sprinkles.
Pretty disgusting, yeah?
That's the picture that marketing guru Seth Godin painted in his new best-seller, "Meatball Sunday." He makes the case that new-media marketing options like blogs, online video, social networks and all of the Web 2.0 social-media marketplace are like the toppings at an ice-cream parlor.
If you start with ice cream, and then add sprinkles, cherries, hot fudge, and whipped cream, the resulting ice cream sundae will taste great. But, if you start with a bowl of meatballs, and add sprinkles, cherries, hot fudge, and whipped cream, the dish becomes messy, disgusting, and ineffective.
Seth's message is directed at corporations who sell basic staples like cereal, beer, cars and toys, but this analogy is even more applicable to entrepreneurs and small-business owners.
Here's why:
I'm going to ask you to imagine that meatball again. Except this time, I'd like you to picture that meatball surrounded by fresh handmade spaghetti, covered with the tastiest marinara sauce you've ever had, dusted with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and accompanied by a great glass of Chianti.
Quite a different experience now, isn't it?
You see, for the small-business owner, the fact of the matter is that you are the business. You are what you're selling. Why? Because the fact is, people buy who you are before they buy what you're selling.
If you're marketing in today's new-media marketplace, it doesn't matter if you're marketing as a meatball, tofu, or ice cream. However, you have to know whether you're a meatball, ice cream, or whatever, before you know what toppings would best compliment you.
Once you have your personal brand and Persuasive Selling Platform(TM), then you can focus on your Tribe, and, only then, choose what communication channels (toppings) are best for you.
What needs to come first is you answering the following:
» What is my personal brand?
» How effective are you at gathering a tribe that connects with your style?
» Have you chosen the right "toppings"?
The bottom line is pretty simple. It's human nature for you to want to hang out with people who are like you. The same is true in business.
How well you package and present yourself will have a major impact on your success in today's new-media marketplace.
What about you?
What are your answers to the questions above? And what else do you think is crucial to persuade people to buy who you are before buying what you're selling?
John-Paul Micek is a business coach at RPM Success Group Inc. Reach him at
JPM@RPMsuccess.com or toll-free at (888) 334-8151.