Human Brand Archives - Jessica Ann Media

Ep 19: Ted Rubin on looking people in the eye

Welcome to Episode 19 of The Art of Humanity, where we explore creativity + consciousness to allow you and your business to evolve. In Episode 19, Jessica Ann talks with Ted Rubin.

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Many people in the social media world know Ted for his enthusiastic, energetic and undeniably personal connection to people. Ted is the most followed CMO on Twitter according to Social Media Marketing Magazine; one of the most interesting CMOs on Twitter according to Say Media, #13 on Forbes Top 50 Social Media Power Influencers, and number #2 on the Leadtail list of Top 25 People Most Mentioned by digital marketers. ROR is the basis of his philosophy. All About Relationships! His book, Return on Relationship, was released in 2013, and How To Look People in the Eye Digitally in 2015.

In this interview, Jessica Ann and Ted Rubin talk about:

His background with Seth Godin, starting back in 1997 (He sent Seth Godin a resume!) And the critical error that he made at the beginning of his career.
His work with E.L.F. cosmetics in 2008 at the early stage of social and how he built a brand using ingenuity without a marketing budget.
(6:00) I speak my mind. I say what I think. I tell people that they have to get back to something that is near and dear to your heart: their humanity. It’s about building relationships and being good to people. It’s about how connecting with people in a real way will benefit your business.
(9:15) I got to listen and learn from Seth Godin. A lot of what I got from Return on Relationship came from Seth’s Permission Marketing…about bypassing the agencies whenever you can and talking directly to the people you want to do business with. Agencies provide a great function but Seth’s point was: instead
(10:45) A network gives you reach but communities give you power…Networks allow you to connect with various people but communities care.
(11:33) This evolution to me has been like a God-send. Not only am I a community builder but now I have all of these platforms to build communities that enable and empower me. But I also love to interact and meet with people. I’m obsessed with interacting with people. If you’re going to make responsive part of your personal brand, be prepared for when your following grows and you have to be responsible for what you care about. And for me, the beauty or the difficulty of it is not something I built into my brand…it’s a part of who I am.
(13:00) His definition of community in today’s digital age.
(17:46) It’s not about the platform it’s about the people.
(22:00) This is how you separate yourself, and that you do care about humanity. When you pass people in the street, smile at them! A brand is what a business or a person does…a reputation is what people remember and share.
It’s less of a problem than an opportunity. If you’re with someone, put the phone down and look at someone. This isn’t so much about humanity (although that has a lot to do with it). It’s about showing people how important they are to you.
(26:30) He tells a true story that not a lot of people know.
You will feel better if you treat people better. You will feel better if you default to happy. You will feel better if you stop before you go off on someone. Take a breath and smile.
(32:18) I’m not a big persona guy. And what I’ve learned is that it’s very hard to maintain a persona. In other words, if I didn’t really believe in what I do, it would be hard to keep it up. It would be hard to fight the naysayers.
(33:30) The hilarious study that was done on Millennials about the reason that the consumption of cereal is going down is because Millennials are too lazy to clean the dishes from eating cereal. Here is the study in The Washington Post.

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June 15, 2016 0 comment

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How to Build a Human Brand

I sipped my water with shaky hands (secretly wishing it was vodka) as I stood in front of the dean and two other professors. I spent months analyzing storytelling in the media – and was finally ready to explain authenticity and meaningful media in my content analysis.

It was the day I was defending my Master’s thesis. And I had major squinzies. I cleared my throat, stood up straight, and then…bolted out of the room.

I couldn’t take the pressure of months of agonizing research boiled into a one-hour presentation. I wanted it to be over. So I got scared and fled. It made perfect sense in my head.

I eventually collected myself, took a deep breath, and slowly sauntered back into the room – with a smile and a sense of already overcoming something.

I danced with discomfort that day. And shipped my work into the world when I was ready. But it wasn’t easy.

It’s easier to wear the mask.

We’re taught to use big words to sound smart, never show fear, and to comfortably masquerade in a mask. It can take time to deconstruct these false realities. And it often requires real effort and a solid strategy to build your brand in a human way.

Whether you’re learning this the hard way or trying to get out of your own way, here are some ideas for how to build a human brand:

1. Be a humble human

It’s ironic, really. When you graduate from academia, you’re seen as an expert in your industry. But the moment that you proclaim you’re an expert or give off the vibe that you’re really an expert, you get egg on yo’ face. And that’s humiliating.

Humility is the quality or state of not thinking that you are better than other people – which is why it’s important to not be an expert. And while it’s important to be regarded as a credible and trustworthy leader in your industry, try not to humiliate yourself by proclaiming that you’re the best. Don’t be that guru, ninja, or maven who knows it all.

You want egg rolls. Not eye rolls.

Stay humble to keep your brand human. You may find that it’s ironically satisfying.

2. Look at history

The need to build a brand that’s human is nothing new. In fact, a book published in 1999 called The Cluetrain Manifesto describes the importance of being human in business. Humanity gives your marketing an edge. And the rich history of humanity shines with humility from stories.

When you look at history, you can better harness humility and humanity. This can help build your brand, and grow your business.

3. Cut to the core

When you cut to the core of your brand, you can ask yourself uncomfortable questions that make you and your brand uniquely you.

Some questions that you may want to ask yourself are:

Why did you start your business?
What are your weaknesses?
What are some of your unique traits?
What are the needs of your customers that only you can solve?

Answering these questions is not always easy. And it may seem counter-intuitive to put your weaknesses out there. But when you learn to tolerate discomfort, you can gather your grit so that you can reap rewards in the long-run.

When you cut to the core of who you are, you open doors to opportunities. You start to tell stories to keep it real. And you win new business along the way.

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4. Create context with storytelling

Context is “the parts of something written or spoken that immediately precede and follow a word or passage and clarify its meaning.”

Context is about finding ways to weave worthy moments into your stories. Context is what can give you creative confidence. And this…THIS is what connects us to each other.

5. Use Words Wisely

You may think that what you do speaks for itself…but stop right there.

On the web, words rule. Words are how you build your brand in an authentic way.

Words are how you gain more traffic for your website, build influence, and grow. Words are what make you human. And while the industry term for this is “content marketing” it’s so much more than that. It’s an art.

Good art drives conversation. It creates connection. And connection drives business.

Whether you’re a witty wordsmith or a wannabe wordie, words rule the web. If you’re looking to grow your business in a meaningful way, content marketing is how it’s done.

Contact us to learn about building a Human Brand through Content Strategy.

February 13, 2014 10 comments