Shiny
When you go to a party, some people are interesting, some are not. The ones you want to get to know are shiny. My word for it.
I’ve been watching Twitter and social media and thinking about it, reading blogs and turning over in my mind the ideas of The Wizard of Ads (a hero) and Jelly Helm and Laura Roeder and the Hubspot tribe, the Eisenbros. Cult Branding folks. Michele Miller.
The big question is, why are some blogs, brands, companies, people…shiny? Why do people want to engage with them?
I think all of my heroes have a piece of the answer. But I think the answer is bigger than any one of them. They’re all speaking to the pieces that they’re interested in. They have a piece of the elephant. I’m trying to see the whole elephant.
I think some companies and people are aping others, they have a facade. They aren’t sure who they are. They’re all over the place in terms of brand because they don’t know themselves, or they’re in transition. I think others are authentically shiny …together, have an identity….but have yet to express it. Maybe they do not express it clearly. The top smart ones are shiny and people know it.
Basics. Hubspot says to measure metrics and put out good content. FutureNow says to use the words people are thinking in your copy. Laura Roeder says to engage people on Twitter and give them information they need. The Wizard says to surprise people. The Cult Branding guys say to find others who are like you. Jelly Helm shows me how to surprise people and reminds me to keep my integrity. Michelle Miller says to remember the differences between different types of people and speak to all of them in the way they can receive it. There is overlap in what some of my heroes say. A lot of it really.
Authenticity. Listening. Approachability. Attractiveness. Common Ground. Shared Perspective. Imagination. Understanding. Responsibility.
Gee, that sounds a lot like that being at that party…looking for folks you’re interested in getting to know. And my thoughts on all of this? Maybe the marketplace is all about shiny people, finding other shiny people.
Hm.
I think this person has a grasp on what I’m trying to get my head around.
