A must read ‘Away message marketing post’ about why you need to read my blog!

If you have ever left an away message up, that is marketing. Intentionally or unintentionally it sends a signal to your buddies that see it (or that you are hoping see it).

Here’s why:

Would you ever leave an away message if no one was ever going to see it?

Of course not.

Essentially, you are marketing yourself and solidifying your personal brand. (Whether you realize it or not.)

Throughout college, I’ve seen some ridiculous away messages…

Away messages ranging from girls and guys reaching for attention ( I mean, reaching), rap lyrics, famous quotes, what that person is doing at that second, e.g., ‘On the phone with Rach!’

Hilarious stories, recaps of their prior night, what they intend to do that night and why, e.g., ‘Out getting obliterated b/c I finally finished my midterms, yayy!!’, bragging, promoting, selling stuff, complaining and mad, e.g., ‘Ughhh, stupid psychology, reading while everyone is out! Of course this only happens to me!’

Happy faces, sad faces and every face you can imagine (faces circa ’03 starting getting out of control), telling people why they have the best boyfriend or girlfriend in the world and how lucky they are, e.g., ‘Oh my God, I’m the luckiest girl in the world, Jonny bought me flowers!!!’

Why they hate their life at the moment, countdowns, e.g., ‘Only 874 days ‘till AcaLocooo!!!’, tragedies, mishaps, self-promoting, favorites of anything, e.g., ‘Loveee the O.C., it’s my most favorite show in the world!’, links to new pictures (every day), recommendations, badmouthing, trash talking.

How great their life is, e.g., ‘Our Tuesday night is your spring break!’, (Okay Arizona students, we got it, your school is so sick that you are constantly putting up away messages letting us all know how great it is).

What they want you to do, e.g., ‘Away, call me!’, (“Ya know, I totally forgot about phones, thanks for reminding me!”), and so many priceless away messages I’m still missing.

I always believed your away message shows people who you are deep down. In college there aren’t many times when you are alone. But, right before you put that message up your sitting at your desk all alone, thinking to yourself. And Bam! you put it up. Those few seconds, or minutes to some, really project who you are to your buddy list world.

How many times have you put an away message up so freakin’ excited to see the replies you get from it? How many times did you say, “Wow, that’s going to be a sick away message!”? How many times did you say, “Yo, did you see so and so’s away message?!?!”

A lame, boring person is just going to resort to the typical ‘Default Away Message.’ A creative person will do anything in their power to not resort to the ‘Default Away Message.’

They’ll listen to a song if they have to and pick out a quote, even if they have no idea what it means, e.g., ‘I saw ya motha and she said, “What?” so I popped her’ – Jay Z. As long as you have the famous rapper afterwards, it’s okay. “ No, no, Jay-Z said it, it’s cool!”

An enterprising person is constantly selling something, a funny person is constantly putting up great stories, a person craving attention is constantly putting up new pictures, and the list goes on and on.

It’s all part of your personal brand. It’s how others view you. How your coworkers view you.

So, if you are wondering why you need to know about marketing and read my blog, here’s why:

Every little thing you do has an impact on your personal brand. And everyone wants a strong personal brand. (At least, I hope so!)

Whatever you do in life speaks of your personal brand. People spend countless hours trying to maintain the image they want people to see. My definition of personal brand is simple.

When someone says your name what’s the first thing they will say about you? What comes to their mind when they think about YOU?

The stronger the brand, the more slips ups you can incur. But sooner or later, you’ve all heard the saying, “If it looks like a duck, acts like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it’s a duck!”

Just remember that.

I want you to be the best brand (and person) you can possibly be. Because nothing is more important than your own personal brand!

Now you can totally agree or disagree with me but…

I gtg, so I’ll ttyl. 🙂

Leave a Reply