Communication

Dancing Personas

Garth Beyer

Personas are built, not bred.

Marketers establish their buyers’ persona to give them direction on how to communicate.

Kids establish their everything is silly and cute persona to get out of spilling the cup of juice you gave them in the pool.

I’ve established this persona of allowing myself to be vulnerable so it makes it easier to ship something each day.

Personas are incredibly interesting because they are ever-changing, always dancing. We, as marketers and as people, have the ability to influence the persona of others, but we’re also forced to update our persona when it doesn’t work anymore.

Leaving direct mail on the doorway handles of people’s homes used to work for a construction business. It fit their buyer’s persona…until it didn’t. Same with the kid and his juice. Silly and cute only works for so long. And it will be interesting to see if being vulnerable ever stops working for me. (I assume it will once it becomes constantly expected.)

While no persona lasts forever, we have a say in the longevity of it for ourselves and others.

I have a young friend who you would think is an old man by how much he aches, complains, and doesn’t care what comes out of his mouth. Not to mention how slow he drives. Since his friends (including myself) always call him a geezer and point out all the things that make him an old man, he continues to fill the shoes of that persona.

Michael and I chatted about this phenomena on our podcast (episode 9) when discussing why people become referees. Since recognizing my influence, I’ve started pointing out all the things that make my friend young and I holler at those who feed his old man persona.

Personas are simply a new name for category, and humans are naturally categorical in thinking, in acting, in deciding to buy product X or product Z, but they don’t often realize it.

Being the best you, making a positive impact on others, and crafting the greatest marketing message is almost all rooted in your understanding of the personas of those you’re engaging with as well as yourself.

 

Stay Positive & Now You Know, Leverage It

In The Box Podcast

Episode 11: Media Law, Earbuds, Dojo, Pilot Episodes And More – Podcast

Garth Beyer

On this episode of In The Box Podcast, we had a conversation about dojos, pilot episodes, copyright law, the nastiest four letter word out there, and generational differences in society… I mean, earbuds. Enjoy.

Episode 11: Media Law, Earbuds, Dojo, Pilot Episodes And More

Pilot episodes – Can you really tell if something will be a success after the pilot episode.

Dojo – What is a dojo to you?

Copyright, Fair Use, and other laws of the internets – Can you really overkill being cautious of copyright and other media laws?

Communication – What are your favorite forms of communication?

Food/Diet – Why is food not viewed as a good investment but a diet is?

Earbuds!! – Do you think earbuds are destroying the threads of society?

 

Stay Positive & What’s Your Dojo?

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Leave Your ________ At The Door

Garth Beyer

You likely read the title as Leave Your Ego At The Door. It’s a common phrase. I don’t think it works too well.

Leaving your ego at the door might mean you leave a bit of passion outside, you leave some excitement behind, you leave out some grit.

Better to read, “Leave Your Shoes At The Door.”

As in, be prepared to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, prepared to see the business or project or product through someone else’s perspective, perhaps even to adopt a new worldview.

When we enter a room with blinders on, wearing our own shoes, ready to show and tell how we view the world, we miss out on the unique proposition, we miss out on communicating our understanding of clients, of consumers, of anyone else involved in the decision-making process.

Sales happen when empathy is expressed, not when you prove you’ve got a guaranteed idea.

 

Stay Positive & I Can’t Express How Critical Putting Yourself In Others’ Shoes Is

Unlocking Potential #16: Q&A With Chris Brogan

Garth Beyer

chrisbrogan-2014-Credit via Raul Colon

I have to admit, I squealed a bit when Chris’s assistant emailed me back stating Chris would be game for a Q&A as part of my Unlocking Potential series.

Chris is full of wisdom, insight, and complete passion when it comes to marketing and living life to the max. His way of working and writing has gotten me to expand my mindset to be a bit more okay with being a bit more weird.

As Chris would agree, weird is good.

Without further ado, please welcome, Chris.

Q: What’s your story in three sentences?

I started out by writing a blog that got more popular. I helped many businesses figure out how to be human at a distance. I continue to help people find ways to build their business by understanding where they belong and how they can better serve those people.

Q: Alright, that was rude of me. Use some more words to explain. How the heck did you build such a strong tribe?

I rarely need more words. The people who I’ve surrounded myself with are people who seek to be of service and who seek to connect others. Growing capabilities and connections. It’s an easy model.

Q: What have you come to find are the two or three most effective ways to get people to share a product, a story or a blog post with one another?

I find that people share what they feel resonates with them. Where most folks get it wrong is they seek numbers, not resonance. Why try to get “everyone” to see what you do? Share it with the folks who feel they belong in the circle with you. They are who want the information in the first place.

Q: What are three qualities you think every person aspiring to be a successful entrepreneur need to have? Why these three over all the other qualities?

I think entrepreneurs need to be service-minded, need to be brave, and need to be eager to share their resources at every turn where it makes sense. I think these three are great because they set up a simple framework for persistent growth of the self and of one’s networks.

Q: I asked John Saddington, who was my 11th Unlocking Potential interview, this same question. What is the biggest challenge you’re seeing today’s entrepreneurs facing?

I think most of the people calling themselves entrepreneurs are actually just people trying to make and sell things without the mindset of serving a particular group of people. They lead with the question “How can I make money” instead of “how can I help someone else succeed?”

Q: Would you tell about the most recent time you had faced a huge challenge yourself and how you did or didn’t overcome it?

I face challenges daily. I think the theme recently is, “Be willing to be even more humble and learn what you aren’t fully understanding.” That lesson keeps being introduced to my life, so I’ll keep learning.

Q: What are you afraid of? Really. Emotionally.

I’m afraid of sharks. I’m afraid of not being able to provide. I’m afraid that my ability to serve will somehow miss the people who most need what I can do to help.

Q: What are a few habits you’ve developed that were essential to your success?

I’m an expert communicator, so that serves me well. I’m very driven to produce. I’m very disciplined. Those really all help.

Q: What is something you haven’t shared with your tribe yet about yourself?

It’d be really hard to figure out what I haven’t shared. I’ll talk about anything. Poop. Sorrow. Depression. Whatever. I’m a fairly open book.

Q: Right now, in the present moment, what would you do or create if you had unlimited resources and time?

Another universe.

Q: Where can people find your remarkable work and what is the best way for someone to reach out to you?

I’m pretty easy going. chrisbrogan.com is a good enough place to start. Grab my newsletter and hit reply. I write back. 🙂

 

Stay Positive & Learn What You’re Not Fully Understanding

How Corny Are You Willing To Go

Garth Beyer

Corny

“Corny” is a term we use for a depth we’re uncomfortable with, that we may be guilty or embarrassed about.

It’s corny to say you’re cooler than the other side of the pillow, but it’s true, and me saying that is unique. I said it once to a gym teacher back in middle school. He had a smile on his face the rest of the day and I like to think he had us run one less lap because of my comment. We shared an experience together — an odd one, sure, but those are the best ones.

Unique and interesting comments of praise are scarce, and scarce things are meaningful.

How corny are you willing to go to make someone’s day?

I used a line by Oscar Wilde in a Thank You letter to someone recently. It was corny, but real, as so often corny things are. I’ve also seen people write something simple like “I know it’s corny, but I’m so thankful for you.”

 

Stay Positive & Clichés Are One Thing, Being Corny Is Another

Photo credit

Variant Feedback For Effective Communication

Garth Beyer

Martin Luther

Martin Luther revolutionized German culture and made a dent in standardizing their language. He would travel and read his translation of the Bible into the vernacular and ask each audience that listened, “How did this sound? Was it too banal? Was it strong? Did it sound good?”

He rewrote and rewrote and continued reading aloud until he got “yes” as a response from everyone from the baker to the welder to the merchant. His writing was a variant of German, intelligible to both northern and southern Germans, his target market solely because he had his system of feedback, he listened, he rewrote.

Note, Luther didn’t change the message of his writing, he merely changed the wording to effectively communicate the message he wanted. (He did get in some heat for adding some words when he shouldn’t have. Remember, this is a translation of the Bible, not much room for creativity.)

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree. – Martin Luther

Who was Luther and why does he deserve this blog post? He was a constant seeker and recipient of feedback. He didn’t take criticism personally. He ignored the naysayers. If some commoner expressed a dissatisfaction with his words, Luther didn’t begin to question whether he himself was right or wrong, he merely wondered what he could do better to communicate his beliefs.

Now-a-days I see people quit, toss their business plans, and remove their books from Amazon because their message didn’t resonate with whom they thought it would. I witness speakers decide not to speak in front of an audience again because their first audience wasn’t convinced by their message. I miss out on seeing a starting blogger become influential because they stop blogging. Why continue if no one is reading, right?

Wrong.

By doing what Luther did and sharing our ideas, our blog posts, our podcasts, our business plans, our art, we have the opportunity (I mean, come on, there are more than seven billion connected people on this planet) to check whether our way of communicating is effective for the audience we’re reaching for. Why are we not doing this more often?

Why are we limiting ourselves to mastermind groups, to people who already think like us, to our idols or our best friends when it comes to seeking feedback and tweaking the way we communicate? Certainly I’m not suggesting reaching out to all seven billion people, but the group you’re now letting influence your communications can increase in size and as a result your words, your art, your message can get stronger.

 

Stay Positive & Send Something My Way, I’ll Give Some Feedback thegarthbox@gmail.com

* Worth a read: The social Origins of Good ideas. Essentially the best ideas come from outside communities, just as often as the best feedback.

Photo credit
Unlocking Potential: Interview #7 With Dana Arnold

Unlocking Potential: Interview #7 With Dana Arnold

Garth Beyer
Dana Arnold

I’ve ran into a handful of linchpins since my last segment of Unlocking Potential, and I am ecstatic to be sharing these interviews with you again. Remember, linchpins are people who are essential to business success.

One of the easiest ways to check if you are doing work that matters, if you’re a linchpin is to ask yourself if your business and the people you work with can continue without you around? Are you essential?

Dana Arnold is a linchpin at Hiebing, an integrated marketing and brand development firm in Madison, Wisconsin. She is remarkable. While typically we start by giving some background, I’ve jumped the gun and wrote a profile feature on her already.

In short, she’s a Public Relations guru, mentor, and a woman who started her first PR business at 25. Without further ado, welcome Dana Arnold.

Q: What are three main skills you need to do what you do?

Dana: Strong communication – writing, listening, speaking; empathy helps on two fronts – understanding a target market and counseling clients; creativity – I’m in the idea business and finding new angles and opportunities moves the brands I represent forward.

Q: I have my own reasons, but what do you think makes you indispensable, a true linchpin?

Dana: This is a tough one! On my best days, I hope that it’s my constant pursuit for what’s possible. I think that any team (including mine) wants to be inspired and pushed. I think I do that on a pretty consistent basis. It makes the individual better, the team better, the work better and ultimately our clients better.

Q: Where do you find inspiration to test new waters and walk past boundaries?

Dana: I can’t help but want to push past boundaries… fiercely independent and really curious (just ask my mom!) Daily inspiration I find most often in reading, which I do constantly – mostly digital reading at this point of articles, blogs, tweets. There are some people I read who are in the business – but most of what I find inspiring is reading things on leadership.

Q: What are a few habits that are critical to becoming a remarkable PR pro?

Dana: Reading, daily. Getting out from behind the computer to TALK to people: co-workers, clients, media, vendors.

Q: In one sentence, what is your life calling?

Dana: In every interaction, live positively.

Q: What are four life lessons you have learned from following your calling?

Dana: 1. You can just go with what surrounds you – or influence it. I choose to influence it. 2. Perseverance.  3. Everything matters – every word, every gesture, every piece of interaction has an impact. 4. LAUGH – a lot – and surround yourself with people who want to laugh along with you.

Q: How do you push your client’s or your team’s imagination and motivation?

Dana: With clients, I regularly share new ideas, opportunities and approaches to what we’re doing – and being sure to connect those items to why their target audience cares about it (and how it can move the needle for their business). I hope that I inspire my team’s motivation and imagination by leading by example… and asking a lot of questions (not giving them the answers)

Q: What do you do to continue your growth as a PR pro?

Dana: I’m a member of PRSA and Counselor’s Academy (a sector of PRSA for PR agency leaders); I read voraciously; I surround myself with a really smart team that pushes me; I attend key conferences such as SXSW

Q: What motto do you live by?

Dana: As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. (An excerpt of a full quote that I LOVE from Marianne Williamson)

Q: If you got to write a test for those who want to go into heaven, what is one question that would be on the test?

Dana: How much did you love?

Q: What couldn’t you live without?

Dana: Coffee (you’ve got this!) + Wine (hey, you gave it your best shot!)

Q: What is a project you’ve wanted to create, but haven’t had the time to do?

Dana: Something that helps set up young, professional women to succeed in the workplace.

Q: Where can people find you and your art?

Dana: @BigKitchen and www.hiebing.com/blogworthy

 

Stay Positive & Let Your Light Shine