PRACTICE MARKETING blog

I’m on vacation right now. My uncle suggested I blog about my trip, and look out for [personal brand marketing] tips along the way. Of course I should web-log my trip… I’m On The Road, with my tablet (Kerouac 2.0, I’spose - 40 years hence).

Well, I’ve been having too much fun on my vacation to blog daily. But I got a couple of down hours waiting for my Grand Canyon tour to pick me up…. so here’s 2 vacation-inspired tips:

1. Yesterday’s off-road ATV 4×4 action through the Sonoran desert makes me think of this: You should brand yourself by showcasing your unique interests! It makes you more memorable: Remember, ↑ Remembered ⇔ ↑ Referrals 2. Of course, sharing the hobbies of your community helps to create a bond too. For example, how many of you Mix Greens? …Golf with business?

But that’s not what really inspired me to blog right now. Last year I wrote an article called “What are your White Wires?” for Debonair Magazine. I was also invited to share this personal branding insight to the graduating athletes of C.W. Post University. (I finally got to tell the jocks what to do!)

Yes, times they are a-changing: While white wires still brand the iCommunity, nowadays it hardly brands you. Personalize your vanilla iPod earbuds, brand your distinctive persona: I just learned about Emotibuds (and its extended Emotibles line) while reading nytimes.com/Magazine.

Moreover, this functional-to-fashion accessory helps to illustrate tip #3: How can you take a seemingly ordinary part of your style, and make it extraordinary?

By accentuating something positive about your “external character,” e.g., your wardrobe, body language, etc., you become (as Cosmo Kramer said) “more you, than you’ve ever been!” Its a simple way to stand out. (Tip 4: Like white wires, splashy ties are old hat. My article will help you be more clever.)

I give you specific areas & steps to brand your own “White Wires” in my article. (Tip 5: Caricature artists are great at picking up our distinctive quirks.) “What are your White Wires?” Here’s mine (from the article)…

…I’ve got a penchant for mixing and matching colors like a bad acid trip. So I’ve set out to become known for my eye-popping blazers: Business, creativity, and showmanship, all wrapped up into one.

Last week, I met a colleague at the bank branch he manages. To be introduced to his superiors, I donned a navy suit, tan shirt, and a tame scarlet tie. His eyes popped to a grin, “What? No crazy jacket today?” He leaned over to his partner, “This guy’s got the wildest suits!”

I smirked at his quip. It tells me my fans are noticing, remembering, and talking about me, exactly how I want. I’ve branded my persona onto his mind: My “white wires” may be a 4-button saffron jacket and a striped chocolate shirt. What are yours?