By Gerry Visca
BURLINGTON, ON April 10, 2012 Gerry Visca, an inspirational speaker who works out of Hamilton and has presented to the Burlington Economic development Corporation luncheons and worked with numerous people in the city on developing their personal brand.
He is always intrigued by the unique differences between entrepreneurs that succeed and those that cease to exist. In his book, The Innovation Gap® he set out ten creative laws designed to cultivate creativity in life and business. In this article Visca expands on creative law No.5 Building the Brand Experience. Visca will tell anyone who will listen that if you are not being seen then you’re not being heard.
Buzz, bzzzzz buzz.
Visca, an internationally recognized inspirational speaker, has been helping people build their personal brand for more than five years.
It’s about generating momentum and driving clients and customers to your hive. Strive to create a culture of brand ambassadors dedicated to shouting you from the roof tops. Do whatever it takes to get the word out, but do it with impact. Tease your market with a strategies like: ‘Its coming’, be focused on creating market awareness. Remember the incredible frenzy generated around Apple launch of the iPad in 2010? Over 300,000 were sold on the first day. The strategy deployed by Apple was deliciously simple: ‘Tell the world we don’t have enough and use the media to spread the word’. Build buzz, means you need to try something new that you haven`t already done.
Visca is a huge fan of guerilla and buzz marketing techniques with the intent to impact your audience with blasts of shock power. A great example: the launch of the season finale of The Soprano’s. Over 5,000 yellow cabs in New York had an arm hanging out from the trunk with a pinky ring and a yellow label that simply read: Sopranos – Season Finale.
I love getting into the trenches with my clients and helping them live their brand. A great hands on example of BUZZ marketing is one of my past large-scale construction clients and how they won the building of the ROM Crystal in Toronto. They delivered their bid in an ancient style crate, a replica of ‘raiders of the lost arc’. My client filled the arc with straw, ancient artifacts and a leather-bound proposal with tea stained edges. The overall impression was one of passion and dedication in winning the contract. t.
Believe – and let them `feel` your belief.
You have to move yourself though the fear and recognize that fear and doubt are simply energy. Recognize that energy flows where your attention goes so a great way to move through the fear is to create. Work your plan and continue taking action. Affirm every day that you have created what you desire most. Believe it is possible for you and allow it to flow into your life. If you’re not passionate about your brand then you will not have enough power to create an engaging experience.
You are the queen bee of your brand and the conductor of your life so shout it out to the world with powerful intention. Ask yourself; ‘How do I or we want to be perceived? Strive to create ‘sticky strategies’ that project you to the world with confidence, passion and enthusiasm. Project yourself as average and you’ll never stand out from the competition or get your message to stick to the minds of your target audience.
Get them to `belong` to you.
I love the words; ‘Together we’re better’. The power of collaboration is key to building momentum and getting your message to buzz across multiple channels with greater impact. Within the mathematics of collaboration {1 + 1 = 11}. Belonging is about striving to cultivate an inspired colony around your brand. It’s about cross pollinating with the many and cultivating a culture of initiation. Recognize that the sum of the parts work together to create a coherent whole. There are many great examples of top brands that strive to create communities around their brand; Lulu Lemon, Facebook, YouTube, Apple, Nike and one of my favorites Starbucks. The genesis of the Starbucks brand stems from a movement focused on ‘creating a third place’.
Be Brief,
How many times have you participated in a networking session where you are asked to give a 30 second pitch on you or your business? Did you panic or had you mastered the art of being brief? If you want a sure way to kill your brand, just continue driving 500 word mission statements to your audience.
The way that you marketed several years ago is no longer relevant in today’s swarm of viral messaging. Being Brief is about say more with less. A great way to engage your target market is focusing on your why. Ask yourself; ‘Why do we exist? What pain are we taking away from our clients? How are we being of service to the world?
Its questions like these that help you communicate like a champion and stand out. Use your instinct when being brief and focus reach the sensing and feeling side of your target audience. Those hearing your words will rarely remember what you said however they will recall the feeling that they had. Strive to be brief and focus on the essence of your brand’s purpose. When delivered in this way you will be powerfully perceived as sweet nectar to your audience.
Bang, bang!
Visca wisdom: if you are not being seen then you’re not being heard.
The fifth B in the killer B’s of branding is titled bang. When I’m asked to deliver an inspirational key note I strive to put on the ultimate show. When I first launched my inspirational tour back in 2009, I branded my full day workshops as Branding Boot Camps® and received praise for inspiring people out of their seats to create their lives.
I wanted to deliver a feeling of inspiration at multiple levels. Making a bang with your brand is about learning how to fail, fail again and eventually fail better. If you’re not trying new things then you are not making a strong enough impact with your customers. You need to ask yourself; ‘Are my current strategies making enough impact on my audience?
Am I continually raising the bar in everything I do? Am I communicating like a master and getting my message out with passion and enthusiasm? Successful leaders continually seek new and innovative ways to create a surge of momentum around their brands. Making a bang with your brand is about standing out, participating, leaning in and raising your hand.
Gerry Visca is a “brand developer” who can be found at www.redchairbranding.com He is focused on igniting the inner genius that lies deep within individuals.
