Member-only story
Let’s Talk About How to Build a Brand
It’s about more than fancy fonts and clever logos
While the online space and social media have ushered in access to knowledge previously locked away in library stacks, continuing education classes, and on microfiche, they’ve also opened the door to scam artists and faux marketers who hock five-figure online courses and master classes riddled with inaccuracies.
Business coaches peddle their wares while they have zero experience beyond building an Instagram presence. I’m not knocking anyone’s hustle, but I’m questioning how factors of luck and opportunity (in addition to hard work, of course) can translate to the complexities of small businesses and corporations. What may have worked at a particular point in time may not work for others without understanding the discipline of marketing.
Rampant misinformation is spreading like a pandemic. Five-page glossy PDFs reduce building a brand to picking a logo, font, colors, and writing a diary entry on behalf of your dream customer. That is not how you create a brand. It’s a dangerous, half-baked shortcut that could hurt your business.
Then there’s the issue of access. I’m tired of seeing boldface names brag about seven-figure sales (which isn’t net income), yet their programs are available only to a specific segment of people who…
