Bob Baker, author of Guerrilla Music Marketing (among other things), just posted something on his blog called Three Simple Marketing Words. Read it.
By the way, the three words are "Recognize Your Uniqueness." So true...
There is definitely something to be said for "copying what works." But it's my opinion that you'll do a lot better with it if you can add your own twist to things...
Do we really need another heavy metal band? Not really.
But what about a heavy metal band with a parrot for a singer? That's a lot more interesting...
Have a friend who is brilliant at online marketing. But he doesn't look like everybody else and was worried about fitting into the "old boys network."
I think this is a good thing. Do we really need another fat white guy in a suit talking about online marketing?
I'm not going to name names, but there are maybe 3-4 "Internet Gurus" who don't look like everybody else and don't speak like everybody else (although I think they play the game more conservatively than they need to), but somehow ended up among the top people. How? It's not a just a fluke...it's because they stand out and people in the audience who also "stand out" can releate to them. And this brings in money, which is all the "old boys" care about.
Seth Godin has a book called Purple Cow, which I think illustrates this concept perfectly...
How often do you notice cows on the side of the road? Not often. Why? There are thousands of them.
But you'd notice a purple cow, wouldn't you?
So make yourself a purple cow.
A note to fat white guys wearing suits... You can still be a purple cow, you'll just have to do it with exceptional products and services, which you should be doing anyway. :)
