Is your personal brand WOM ready
What is WOM you ask? Well basically it is Word Of Mouth. With the Internet and the Web the power of word of mouth has risen exponetially. Anyone can comment on any given subject at anytime from anywhere in the world. That is a huge network of opinion and potential. And in a massive market like this the immortal words of Oscar Wilde come into play, ” The only thing worse than being talked about is NOT being talked about.” Now you have to ask yourself. Are you ready to be talked about?
Mark Di Somma, a mamber of the Audacity Group, lays out 11 questions about your brand and its WOM potential. They are:
What sort of reputation do you actually want? In other words, what do you want to be known for? And what do you want to see spread? To an extent, that’s something you can’t control. But it’s something you should think about, and train your people to think about - because it’s great discipline for behavior.
Do you have a sound-byte brand? Can others describe what makes you special in a sentence - because if they can’t, how do you think they’re going to get everyone interested quickly? If you don’t, then you need to start circulating those thoughts in your email sign offs, your newsletters, the way you talk about your business, the way you introduce your company to others. Impressions are too important to be left to chance.
Do you make news? What are you doing to give your brand and your business gossip-ability? Who’s going to listen to your story - and why? Do you have RSS feeds or blogs to help your customers quickly gain access to what’s new in your world?
Are you listening? Word of mouth brands thrive on interactivity. That means encouraging your customers not just to talk amongst themselves, but also to talk openly and clearly with you. What are you doing to encourage feedback? What measures have you put in place to help those who do interact with you feel that their opinions are valued, sought and actioned?
Are you intriguing? People spread news because they want others to know things, but they also want to be judged on what they talk about - negative, positive or just plain interesting. How will talking about you enhance the status of the person spreading the word? Will you bring people flocking?
Are you findable, forwardable and linkable? No point in talking and being talked about if people can’t access you. Can you be reached by those you want to do business with and who discover they want to do business with you? If not, you may well find the frustration of not being able to get hold of you becomes the new point of conversation!
Are you commentable? Are you saying things that capture people’s attention and get you posted and referred to? Are you taking a stand on things that matter to the people who matter to you? You don’t have to be controversial of course. You may be whimsical, pointed, scathing, authoritative, insightful . but if you’re going to declare an opinion, make sure it’s orginal and that it’s one worth having!
Are you being honest? There’s nothing wrong with seeking publicity. There’s everything wrong with being deceitful and chances are, you will be found out.
Can you take the criticism? Because it will come. Inevitably. If you’re prepared to take advantage of communal chatter, then you need to be prepared to take a little flak as well.
Have you made being remarkable a feature of your brand? Have you incorporated outstanding thinking, actions and commitments into your way of doing business - and are they consistent with the reputation you’ll looking to achieve? If not, then you’re going to fall short or go unnoticed - both of which completely defeat the point!
Do you know what’s being said about you? Have you searched your company name to see what’s already out there? Are there impressions circulating about you already that you want to capitalize on or counter? Or are you starting from a clean slate?
Answering and addressing these questions will help you hone your personal brand WOM potential.
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