I never imagined that my blog would have not one but two posts inspired by hip-hop artist, T-Pain, but this man is more influential than we may give him credit for.
With that in mind, it turns out that T-Pain knows a thing or two about personal branding. Aside from establishing a unique and authentic brand voice, T-Pain understands the importance of a personal website.
In January 2022, T-Pain took to Twitter to announce he was hiring several positions for his company, Nappy Boy Entertainment, ranging from videographers, photographers, and editors. Twitter is such an incredible place to find talent, so why not open it up to his fans and followers who may be qualified?
His call for applicants had very specific instructions, asking them to send in resumes, reels, a website, and portfolio. And when he says, reels, he doesn’t mean an Instagram Reel. He means a highlight reel showcasing your work.
T-Pain was then flooded with replies from interested people who sent in links to their Instagram profiles and social media accounts to demonstrate their work, which didn’t sit well with him.
A follow-up tweet said:
I’m not going to your Instagram to check your shit out. Be professional and make a reel or a website. If Instagram is the height of your professionalism then you won’t fit over here anyways
This then sparked a debate about whether a website is necessary when we have social media, with many followers poking fun at T-Pain saying he is showing his age with this old-school mentality.
But T-Pain doubled down and said:<
Every single time someone sends me to their IG the whole page is 90% nothing to do with their profession. Ppl that have never been in the hiring position telling me how to do this is just… sure you guys are right. I’m old as hell and I’ve never done anything in this space. Sure.
Can you get by showcasing your work on social media? Sure, but it won’t be an ideal experience for the hiring manager. Sifting through Instagram content to understand what you’re all about can be clunky. And as one applicant of many, don’t you want to make it as easy as possible for the hiring manager to choose you?
This probably isn’t the advice you want to hear, but the answer is, you should have both.
A personal website is your own slice of the internet that you can tailor exactly to your goals. It puts your work on a bigger stage, and does your skills justice. You can organize the site strategically with categories and sections that are easy to navigate and let people know your main objectives. It’s an investment in yourself, and one you never have to worry about potentially disappearing one day.
The other strength of a personal website is that you are in control. There are few content limitations. You have the flexibility to tell your story seamlessly, vs. in a series of posts that may lack continuity or consistency. Your blog section is a surefire way to demonstrate your expertise, even in the absence of workplace experience.
How Your Personal Website Gives You a Competitive Advantage
I preach this idea to my students all the time. Our channels empower us to prove what we’re capable of. You may not have the picture-perfect credentials a recruiter is looking for on paper. But if you intentionally build your personal website to illustrate what you can do and how you think, they’ll evaluate you a lot longer than if you had nothing to show.
And for the entry-level applicants or those who are returning to the workforce in hopes of pivoting to a new industry, your personal website can help you do this. If you’re a recent college graduate with a degree in communications, and you REALLY want to get into the competitive field of sports marketing, dedicate your website to this craft. Write about the recent rebrand of the Washington Commanders, or the most inspiring storytelling moments from the Olympics.
If you have a mid-life realization that you want to switch your career path from nursing to becoming an author, build your personal website about being an author. Share excerpts of the drafts you’ve scribbled in your notebook, or blog about your writing process and challenges.
Ultimately, your personal website allows you to focus your goals with more organization and flexibility than your Instagram profile would. And as long as job applications are still asking for links to your personal website(spoiler alert— they are), don’t let that be a box that goes unchecked. Never miss an opportunity to make an amazing impression.
From a more tactical standpoint, a personal website is key to growing and scaling your brand for the future. Social media isn’t where people go with the main intention to shop. They’re there to scroll and pass the time. Your website sets you up for the long-term if you ever need a marketplace to sell products, services, courses, or anything that suits your niche. Even if you go viral on TikTok, the next place you want to direct people is to your website to buy your offering.
Then, the gift keeps on giving. Your website gives you a chance to gather email addresses and create a list of qualified contacts that you own. When you have an email list, those are people who have willingly signed up and said“Yes! I want to hear from you!” You can create tailored emails with more of what your audience is looking for, and send them knowing delivery is guaranteed. Unless you have a misspelled email address, or you get caught by a spam filter, you can guarantee your email is hitting the recipient’s inbox. You no longer have to rely on dubious social media algorithms and hope your audience gets your message.
As if these weren’t enough reasons to put together a personal website, another is that it simply couldn’t be easier to do in this day and age. You no longer need to know how to code, or even how to design. Platforms like Wix, SquareSpace, Weebly, and WordPress have gorgeous layouts that are entirely customizable. You can choose a simple portfolio or resume template, or go for a more robust business-oriented site. The point is, you have options, and it’s something that can totally be done in just a few days.
I’ll end with a main point that has a double meaning. Something I always say is, you become known for what you own. This applies to the fact that you literally will own your website. If an algorithm makes you pay to play, or if a social platform fizzles in popularity, you can rest easy with your site and list of contacts you’ve built.
But more figuratively, you become known for what you own — the skills, talents, and knowledge you have. Own them and shout them proudly. Demonstrate them confidently. Declare who you are and what you can do, and believe it. Paint that picture for your audience so you become top-of-mind for what you do best.
If you were a young girl growing up in the’90s, you pretty much had no choice but to love the Spice Girls. They were absolutely EVERYWHERE. If it weren’t for them, I certainly would have had a much harder time making friends on the playground.
I owned the CDs, saw Spice World in theaters, and had school supplies with their faces on them. My only regret is never having seen them in concert.
But as an adult fan looking back on the Spice Girls’ legacy, I think about what I learned from them. For one, they taught me how to be a good friend because your girls always come first. But secondly, they were the first to teach me about brand purpose… I just didn’t know it yet.
Your brand purpose should directly answer“Why does this brand exist?”
Sometimes, brands go wrong when drafting their purpose and they make it about them. They think it’s about selling lots of products, boosting their bottom line, or filling the pockets of their C-suite executives. But a brand purpose is never selfish.
It’s not about the things you sell, but about what those things can do for people or the planet. It’s how your brand can make the world a better place.
Here are some examples of brand purpose:
Crayola: to unleash the originality in every child
Southwest: to connect people to what’s important in their lives
Dove: to help women everywhere develop a positive relationship with the way they look
Nike: to bring innovation and inspiration to every athlete in the world
Google: to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful
You’ll notice a pattern here. When writing a brand purpose, it should always have a powerful verb, because it’s what you do for others. There is an action. In the examples above, we saw verbs like unleash, connect, and help. Simply following this format will strengthen your own brand purpose.
‘Girl Power’ as a Brand Purpose
In their quest for fame and superstardom, the Spice Girls knew they wanted their music and careers to be meaningful. They didn’t approach their work with the goal to sell millions of albums or concert tickets. That may have been part of what they wanted to do, but it wasn’t their WHY.
Instead, the Spice Girls existed to unify young girls and inspire them with the confidence to do anything. It all started with their well-known mantra,‘Girl Power’.
Its meaning may seem implied, but when asked about‘Girl Power’ in 1997, Scary Spice said:
“It’s about spreading a positive vibe, kicking it for the girls… It’s not about picking up guys. We don’t need men to control our life. We control our lives anyway.”
This purpose was consistent in everything they did, including the lyrics to their songs, like Wannabe. Also, in the Spice Girls movie, Ginger Spice scares off a suitor by mentioning the word feminism.
The ethos of‘Girl Power’ clearly resonated with the Spice Girls’ millions of fans. They sold over 100 million records and topped every major albums chart around the world. It gave their music and work a deeper meaning, which created a deeper connection with their fans.
Not to mention, the Spice Girls embraced individuality, with each member having their own style and unique personality. This gave their young fans someone to look up to and identify with as they established their own social circles. For what it’s worth, I always loved Ginger Spice.
Their strong brand purpose led to even more Spice mania, with the group being named‘the most merchandised band in history,’ according to Wikipedia. The article went on to cite a quote from John Mckie of BBC stating that while other stars had used brand endorsements in the past,“the Spice brand was the first to propel the success of the band”.
The Guardian‘s Sylvia Patterson also wrote of what she called the Spice Girls’ true legacy:“[T]hey were the original pioneers of the band as brand, of pop as a ruthless marketing ruse, of the merchandising and sponsorship deals that have dominated commercial pop ever since.”
Fun fact: The Spice Girls dolls are the best-selling celebrity dolls of all time.
‘Girl Power’ – From Lyrics to Copywriting
If it weren’t for an ad for an“all female pop act” published on March 4, 1994 in the British newspaper, The Stage, we may not have the Spice Girls. The want-ad called for women ages 18 to 23 with the ability to sing and dance. Over 600 girls responded, 400 auditioned, and only five were selected.
And then, the Spice Girls’ very own feminist movement began. They started living out their purpose.
Although your brand may not have lyrics like the Spice Girls do, you still create messaging. You don’t sing to your audience, but you communicate. You are empowered to share a brand purpose.
The takeaway: make sure your message is rooted in something more meaningful than your brand itself.
Every time I open up my Instagram, it seems like I’m introduced to a new celebrity beauty line.
I can’t say I blame these celebs — if I had massive influence and millions of Instagram followers, I’d want to cash in on this $50 billion industry, too. It’s what made Kylie Jenner a billionaire at just 21.
Other successful celebrity beauty lines include Fenty Beauty by Rihanna, The Honest Company by Jessica Alba, Haus Laboratories by Lady Gaga, and Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez. Jennifer Lopez is also set to release JLo Beauty in January 2021.
These women are some of the biggest stars in Hollywood. They’re talented, beautiful, and glamorous, so of course their fans are fawning over their beauty products.
But one of my favorite people to fangirl over long before I knew anything about hair and makeup was AJ McLean from the Backstreet Boys. And he’s now added his own line to the beauty mix. Yes, AJ McLean — the tattooed, “bad boy” of the group — now has a nail polish line called Ava Dean Beauty.
AJ has always been a beacon of individuality — it’s a reason his fans love him. One of his trademarks, besides wearing loud hats and sunglasses, is his manicured nails. He is known for wearing black nail polish, and no one has embraced this quirk more than his two young daughters, Ava and Lyric.
AJ McLean’s Story — The Brilliance of Ava Dean Beauty
I know what you’re thinking. Is there really room for another nail polish line in this cluttered industry? Does Ava Dean Beauty even stand a chance? The answer is “yes” because AJ is marketing it just right.
Here’s what makes this brand launch a success.
It’s different.
Let’s start with the obvious. AJ is a bit of the black sheep of the Backstreet Boys, and he’s certainly a black sheep in the beauty industry. It’s not often you hear of a beauty line created by a man. This fact alone is notable and will capture attention. It’s unexpected and unique, which makes it easily marketable.
Ava Dean Beauty also breaks down gender stigmas and promotes important conversation.
It’s purposeful.
As Simon Sinek says, start with why. AJ had a clear purpose for starting Ava Dean Beauty: his daughters. At-home manicures became AJ’s way of bonding with his girls during those breaks in his busy schedule of recording, touring, and rehearsing. He wanted quality time with his family, and now, they’ve created something together.
Each nail polish in the Ava Dean collection is named after a member of the McLean family, including his wife Rochelle.
It’s personal.
What’s one of the biggest drivers of a brand’s success? Passion. There are many instances where celebrities, or anyone, will create a company simply to make money. They design products or force deals that don’t make sense or align with who they are. It’s all business.
Thankfully, AJ made sure Ava Dean Beauty was true to him. This benefits not only himself, but his fans and customers. His brand isn’t a gimmick. He didn’t just slap a logo on T-shirt and watch the sales come in. He collaborated with his daughters to design something meaningful to them, which makes it meaningful to his audience. This connects people to Ava Dean Beauty on a deeper level.
It’s communicated with a story.
It’s no secret that I will support pretty much anything a Backstreet Boy does. They’ve marketed to me since I used my allowance to buy their CDs. But as a marketing professional, I’m especially proud to support Ava Dean Beauty and am impressed by their promotional messaging.
The homepage of the website immediately personifies the brand with heartwarming photos of AJ painting his daughter’s nails. The shots weren’t taken in a photography studio, but authentically in the comfort of their own home. The copy speaks to the brand’s purpose and creates an emotional connection.
When you click on to read their full story, it goes on to say:
This wouldn’t be the first time something a Backstreet Boy has done has gone straight to my heart! I happily pre-ordered my own nail polish and it should arrive in Spring 2021.
On the surface, the beauty industry may seem like it’s all about perfection, especially when backed by celebrities who always look flawless. But the most game-changing players in beauty aren’t about perfection. Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty champions diversity, while Jessica Alba’s Honest Company is about ethics and safety. Ava Dean Beauty represents family and acceptance.
Perfection is Boring
On the surface, the beauty industry may seem like it’s all about perfection, especially when backed by celebrities who always look flawless. But the most game-changing players in beauty aren’t about perfection. Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty champions diversity, while Jessica Alba’s Honest Company is about ethics and safety. Ava Dean Beauty represents family and acceptance.
Whenever you stand for something bigger and more purposeful than your products themselves, your audience will get behind you.
MTV is hosting their annual Video Music Awards on Sunday, August 30th.
We all know that the best part of the VMAs are the performances. This year Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, The Weekend, BTS, and CNCO are just a few acts to take the stage.
But to practice social distancing, all performances will be held outdoors with “limited or no audiences”… yikes.
Truth be told, the VMAs’ audience has been dwindling for years.
There are two things that can explain their consistent ratings decline:
1. If Britney Spears isn’t performing, there’s really no point in watching.
2. MTV deviated from their original brand purpose.
The Early Days of MTV
MTV officially launched as a channel on August 1, 1981, which was the same year as the first launch of the space shuttle, Columbia. This explains the significance of the moon man awards they hand out at the VMAs.
You can watch it here. You might want to skip to the 1:50 mark:
The original slogan of the channel was “You’ll never look at music the same way again”.
And through the ‘80s and ‘90s, MTV delivered on their promise to bring more music, through video, to audiences. They had shows like Yo! MTV Raps, TRL, Headbanger’s Ball, and Making the Video, mixed in among their music video marathons.
But by the early 2000s, MTV’s programming strayed away from music (although they were still airing Making the Band — the inspiration for my podcast).
Their show line-up was mostly original reality TV shows like Laguna Beach, 16 and Pregnant, Room Raiders, and even Jackass.
By 2010, MTV officially dropped “music television” from their logo altogether.
So for at least the past decade, MTV admittedly hasn’t been about music except for one night of the year: the Video Music Awards.
But If MTV doesn’t care about music, why should their audience?
This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Stephen Covey, author of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:
“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”
When I was a kid, MTV’s “main thing” was music. Their programming fueled my passion for it, and I couldn’t get enough. I was glued to the TV. Their programming added more context to the music I loved. I looked forward to exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, and concert specials.
But now, if I want to learn about music, I’m on my own. Yes, social media has given us access to our favorite musicians, but as a network, MTV isn’t contributing to the conversation or adding any value.
That’s the problem. They’ve given up on music, which doesn’t set the right example for their audience.
If you want your audience to care about something, you have to be the thing you want them to care about.That means 365 days a year… not just one night for an awards show.
This applies to MTV and pretty much any organization.
I think about this a lot in the non-profit world. I see so many non-profits make their messaging about their sponsors, volunteers, and donors. They profusely thank them and feature them on every one of their channels.
Of course, these groups are important. They provide necessary funding and assistance to keep these organizations going.
But you want your audience to care about the people (or animals!) you serve. Tell THEIR stories. This happens to be the better approach to create more donors, sponsors, volunteers, and funding.
Your supporters want to know how their donations or hard work are impacting people’s lives. THIS is what will open their hearts and wallets going forward.
Stick to the thing you want to be known for, and you’ll hold your audience’s attention.
I know… pursuing a shiny new opportunity can be tempting. You may feel pressure to innovate or switch things up, like MTV did once they got a taste of reality TV.
But stay the course. Specialize, niche down, and go all-in on what you do best. And if you must try something new, make sure it reflects who you are as a brand.
When you hear the word autotune, who comes to mind?
If you’re a pop culture fanatic, you may think of Cher, who is often credited as the first artist to experiment with autotune with her 1998 single, “Believe.”
But if there’s anyone who’s known for using autotune consistently, it’s hip hop artist, T-Pain. In fact, he’s so strongly associated with autotune that an iPhone app called“I Am T-Pain” was created to mimic the effect.
Every one of T-Pain’s songs brings me back to my college days when I actually looked forward to going to the club. He had hits like Bartender, Buy U a Drank, and I’m N Luv with a Stripper just to name a few.
These songs cut through the late 2000s competitive hip-hop scene. T-Pain was up against artists like Lil Wayne, Drake, T.I., Flo-Rida and Jay-Z and yet he still produced hit after hit.
The Secret to Brand Voice Differentiation
Marketers can relate to T-Pain’s position as an artist. Your category is crowded. Whether it’s your personal brand or your business, you’ve got your own set of competitors.
In the face of competition, most underdogs have their strategy all wrong. I’ve had countless clients who try to copy what their competitors are doing, throw more money at advertising, or invest in expensive innovations to try to demonstrate that they are better.
From what I’ve seen, these efforts won’t push you ahead in the race — at least not as quickly as you’d hope.
Take it from one of my favorite authors, Sally Hogshead, who says
“It’s good to be better, but it’s better to be different.”
And this is exactly how T-Pain stood out. He wasn’t necessarily better than other artists of his era, but he packaged his work in a unique way with autotune. It was something we’d never heard before. After his debut single “I’m Sprung” dropped, we were hooked.
Individuals and brands have a similar opportunity to differentiate themselves. You don’t have to be the best or have the biggest following to get noticed. All it takes is a creative approach that is unlike what the other guys are doing.
Finding Your Brand Voice
If you work in marketing, you may have heard about the 4 P’s of marketing which summarizes the pillars of a marketing strategy.
The 4 P’s of marketing were introduced in the 1950s, yet brands are still leaning on them to create their marketing mix.
However, customers of today are turned off when brands only speak to their products, pricing, placement, and promotion. The 4 P’s do little to differentiate your brand or make your audience connect with you.
Instead, brands need to shift to the new P’s of marketing. In his book, About Face: The Secrets of Emotionally Effective Advertising, Dan Hill says the new P’s of marketing are
Passion
Purpose
Personality
These are the 3 P’s are what will make your brand shine in 2020.
Breaking Down the 3 P’s: Personality, Passion, Purpose
First, let’s start with personality, because this reminds me of T-Pain. His use of autotune added personality to his music and lyrics. He found a way to make his songs uniquely his by expressing himself in a different way.
We see this in other competitive categories. For example, Wendy’s stands out in the fast food wars by sharing their brand voice with a touch of sass.
Next is passion. This is another commonality we see in the music industry and marketing. Musicians share their passions with us through song. Through their use of lyrics and melody, they get their audiences to feel something.
This should be every marketer’s goal — to get your audience to care and to feel your passion.
Apple does this well. They’re not just passionate about technology, but what the technology can do for people. They want to spark your creativity.
Same with Nike. They’re not just passionate about shoes and sports apparel, but what the apparel can do for you. They want to ignite your inner athlete.
Lastly, is purpose. Your audience wants to buy from brands who have a purpose that’s bigger than your bottom line.
Today, we look for brands that are sustainable and socially responsible. And especially in light of COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement, we’ve seen tons of brands take a stand on both safety and diversity.
A brand who’s never missed an opportunity to stand up for what they believe in is Ben & Jerry’s.
Remember: if you want to stand out and build a relationship with your audience, spend less time highlighting your products and promotions and more time expressing your personality, passion, and purpose.
Even T-Pain would agree that finding your unique brand voice can be a key to success.
Over ten seasons and 236 episodes, audiences around the world got to know and love every character of Friends, inside and out. They each were known for specific traits:
Monica was the competitive neat freak. Ross was the academic. Joey was the ladies man. Phoebe was the free spirit. Rachel was the beautiful fashionista.
And Chandler… Oh, Chandler. He was the funny one, yet always the butt of the joke.
But the writers were so good, that even the characters we saw for only a few episodes had depth.
From Ross and Monica’s parents, to Phoebe’s twin sister Ursula, and Gunther of Central Perk, it felt like they were in our own social circles.
However, there is one supporting character who outshined them all. In fact, she appeared in at least one episode of every season. Do you hear her name calling out to you, like a foghorn?
Yes, Janice Litman-Goralnik was cast in season one to play Chandler’s love interest, and we haven’t been able to look away ever since.
Janice as Personal Branding Inspiration
Although Janice wasn’t everyone’s favorite person to be around, one thing is for certain: she made her presence known.
I couldn’t help but notice that that is one of the main goals of personal branding. We all want to make our(online) presence known, and leave a lasting impression on our audience, just like Janice managed to do.
Here are some Janice-inspired tips to help you elevate your personal brand:
Have a catchphrase.
Okay, perhaps not a literal catchphrase like Janice’s iconic “Oh. My. GOD!” But, people expected to hear this every time she walked in a room.
When you write your own content, focus on a specific niche so people know what to expect from you. Over time, you will become known as a subject-matter expert, and people will recognize your writing almost instantly.
Define a consistent voice.
Here’s a test: can you hear this picture?
Janice’s unpleasant cackle and nasally voice could make our our ears bleed, but they became a recognizable part of her character.
Hopefully your brand voice is a lot less annoying, but when you define it, stick to it. You have the opportunity to make your content stand out simply by how you deliver it. Establish a voice that is true to your personality.
Think about presentation.
I know Rachel and Monica get all the credit for their fashion sense, but Janice’s looks are incredibly underrated. She most notably wears bold colors and a ton of animal print.
This may not be your style, but you should develop your own brand aesthetic like Janice did. From the formatting of your tweets, to the treatment of your photos, and the colors on your website, consider how your content is presented.
Show up.
Throughout the series, it becomes a running joke that Janice always seems to show up unexpectedly.
P.S. this is one of my favorite Chandler lines in the entire show:
The lesson here is that if you want to people to discover you online and build your brand, you have to show up consistently. Post often, engage with others, and you’ll be heard.
Be persistent.
Remember when Chandler is desperate to get rid of Janice, so he pretends that his job is relocating him to Yemen?
Nevertheless, she persisted.
Let me set the record straight: being persistent is not the same as being annoying (except maybe in Janice’s case).
If you really want something, go after it. Build your brand and chase opportunities that interest you.
So why not send a DM to someone you admire?
Why not pitch your writing to a publication?
Why not follow up on your job application until you can’t be ignored?
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
What Would Janice Do?
Even though she wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, Janice was always unapologetically herself.
Follow her lead by leaning into your personality, rather conforming to what you think the Internet might want you to be.
Build your brand that is true to you, with all of your quirks, and you’ll undoubtedly leave your mark.
Defining your niche is easy with this free discovery workbook! It’s packed with eight exercises to get the gears turning and help you uncover your unique value.
