The Importance of Branding

To quote Matthew Kobach (@mkobach), "Twitter is a key that unlocks thousands of doors, some of which you never even knew existed." As a member of the Twitterverse for almost 13 years, I always enjoy meeting new people and learning from them. I recently connected with Anthony Gaenzle and invited him to appear here on my Blog in a Q&A format. Highlights of our conversation about branding follow a brief introduction.

Anthony Gaenzle is CEO and Founder of Gaenzle Marketing. He is a two-time published author and digital marketing influencer. He has helped brands both large and small grow and thrive across multiple industries through strategic marketing campaigns and leveraging a powerful network of influencers. Several of Anthony's links are provided at the end of this Q&A.

QUESTION: You wrote a book entitled THE BUSINESS OF BRANDING YOU. What three personal branding tips would you give everyone?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: The biggest part of building a high-impact personal brand is relationship building. Networking, in other words. Seek to build a network of like-minded people, and work together to help one another grow. It's amazing what you can achieve when you focus on growing your network.

Help others grow. Focus first on adding value to others without asking in return. For some, this may sound counter-intuitive, but as people begin to see that you're genuine and you truly want to help, they'll begin to help you.

Finally, clean up your digital presence and put together a strategic vision for the story you want to tell about your personal brand. Understand your audience, and craft a story that appeals to them. Be consistent, be present, and be active online. Find ways to help, and your personal brand will thrive.

TWEET THIS: The biggest part of building a high-impact personal brand is relationship building. ~@AnthonyGaenzle #PersonalBranding #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: What first attracted you to the specialty of brand marketing?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: Brands, whether personal or for your business, have a story to tell. I have a passion for digging in and finding that intersection between strategy and creativity to create a compelling story that helps get across your value in the market and grabs attention.

QUESTION: What is your fave branding quote, and why?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: The "Think Different" slogan from Apple always stands out to me. We all want the newest, the best. We want something innovative, and we want to tell our friends about it. Apple thought differently about the PC, they thought differently about the phone, and it came across in the popularity of their products. People wanted to stand out and get away from the same old thing.  

QUESTION: Who are your three fave people, from history or the modern era, whose personal brands stand out, and why?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: From the content marketing space, Joe Pulizzi has built an amazing personal brand. From founding the Content Marketing Institute to now launching The Tilt, Pulizzi has essentially positioned himself as the godfather of content marketing. The orange suit was a great touch. If you work in any area of marketing, you've heard of Pulizzi at some point. And you may have had the pleasure of attending Content Marketing World, listening to his podcast, or engaging with Pulizzi on social media.

Ann Handley is another one. She founded Marketingprofs, boasts the bragging rights to being the first Chief Content Officer in history, and really has some amazing insights. If you aren't signed up for Handley's email newsletter, do so now. It's great.

A colleague of mine, Ryan Biddulph, has carved out a niche in the blogging space and created a solid personal brand. Framing his blog, Blogging From Paradise, as the tales of a digital nomad blogging and traveling the globe, Ryan has built a huge following and gained tons of respect. One of the best things about how he has built his brand is that he focuses first on helping others. He goes out of his way to lift others up, and it's paid dividends as word-of-mouth from other bloggers and marketing pros have created a ton of social proof.

QUESTION: What are your three fave brands, and why?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: I love the Clemson University brand. I may be a bit biased, but they really have a brand that welcomes people into the family. Whether it's academics or athletics, you really feel like you're part of something. From Dabo Swinney's "Little Ole Clemson" comment to the friendly brand persona the school has built, it's really impressive.

Disney has always been a favorite of mine. It's just so impressive that it all started with a sketch of a mouse and turned into such a force that's recognized all over the world. It's amazing how the Disney brand captures the hearts of people of all ages. You see 90-year-olds smiling just as wide as 9-year-olds when they talk about Disney. I worked there for several years, and they do such a wonderful job of making each and every cast member a part of the brand. It's cheesy to say, but it truly is magical.

Marvel has really developed an amazing brand. From the pages of a comic book to a worldwide cinematic sensation, it's amazing to see how the Marvel Cinematic Universe pulled together an ongoing, cohesive story that keeps growing in strength. This is an excellent lesson for brands. Consistency and storytelling are keys to growth, and no one does it better than Marvel.
 

TWEET THIS: Here's an excellent lesson for brands: Consistency and storytelling are keys to growth. ~@AnthonyGaenzle #BrandTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: Brand experience is closely tied to the overall customer experience. I wrote about some amazing customer experiences in one of my blog posts (link provided below). What's your fave all-time customer experience story, and why?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: While Delta Airlines may not be known for its outstanding customer service, there is one story involving Delta that stands out. Last year, a child was flying Delta and left his teddy bear, "Teddy", on his flight. Rather than simply toss the teddy bear in the lost and found, the airline's employees took "Teddy" on a journey around the US. This is a case where the staff went above and beyond, and it culminated in a reunion between "Teddy" and his 10-year-old owner on TV's Good Morning America. When brands go above and beyond, it sticks. People remember these types of stories.

TWEET THIS: When brands go above and beyond, it sticks. People remember these types of stories. ~@AnthonyGaenzle #BrandExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

My thanks to Anthony for sharing his brand marketing insights and for appearing here on my Blog.


Image Credit: K. Earest via Unsplash.

Post referenced in final question:
Want Your Brand to Soar Above the Competition? Learn from 6 Amazing #BrandExperiences
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/04/want-your-brand-to-soar-above.html

Read the full story about Delta Airlines and the teddy bear:
https://godanriver.com/news/local/danvilles-flying-teddy-bear-becomes-tv-star-for-a-day/article_5f92f8d0-4bf6-11ec-8caa-b7ba6bd3203f.html

Watch the Good Morning America video:
https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/video/small-act-kindness-make-difference-someones-life-81397810

Check out Anthony's links:
Gaenzle Marketing:
https://gaenzlemarketing.com/

Amazon author page:
https://www.amazon.com/Anthony-Gaenzle/e/B096WJ3DZ6/

Anthony's website:
https://www.anthonygaenzle.com/

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AnthonyGaenzle

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/anthonygaenzle/

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonygaenzle/