#WTFWednesday: Famous for Being Famous

As Homer Simpson said in an episode of The Simpsons, “Everybody knows that famous equals trustworthy!” (Say what?) We find it fascinating, for example, that people like “The 25 Women Who are Famous for Simply Being Famous” are…
1) Famous for being famous and nothing else…
2) Landing big endorsement deals (think Paris hilton or the Kardashians)
3) Not new to the limelight. We figured this was a new phenomenon but it’s not! (On the list are several candidates from the 70’s and 80’s, like Zsa Zsa Gabor.)
The myth that famous equals trustworthy has been around for some time now, and sadly, many celebs are positively famous for doing negative things (i.e. promiscuity, drug use, or other poor behavior). This aspect of marketing makes us say WTF?!
We say, “No talent no problem” may work in Hollywood, but in terms of business credibility, it should be avoided at all costs. To quote Scott Cook, “A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is – it is what consumers tell each other it is.” You have to EARN your customers.
Does this mean we’re suggesting you run out and hire a PR firm? Nope. It means you need to have to perform an honest and accurate tally of your business’ reputation. Conthentic can help; one of the services we offer is reputation analysis and management.
Basic steps you can take include are to ask yourself:
  1. How do your customers see you? Are you reading reviews? When was the last time you performed a customer survey?
  2. Who are your stakeholders? Can you improve your relationship with your vendors? What will it take to convert non-customers?
  3. Who in your business can take the time to examine this and design a plan to intervene with any mistakes or bad impressions that are out in the marketplace about you?
Not sure where to start? www.Conthentic. We’re available a la carte, and can give you a courtesy, no-commitment required assessment of your business.