Jeremiah Owyang has written a good post today on how to get noticed.
Getting noticed is a major problem for most bloggers starting out (and most who have been going for years also). Jeremiah’s suggestions are great:
- Have a goal, Develop a unique brand, Get personal, Attend local events, Lead events, Be interesting and Archive your achievements.
He writes great thoughts on each of the above points – well worth the read.
One other thought comes to mind as I read what Jeremiah had to say:
Positioning Yourself is Key
I think a key to getting noticed is to think carefully about how you position yourself.
I remember seeing a study a few years ago that found that in offices, people whose desks were positioned near where there was a lot of passing traffic (water coolers, near elevators etc) were among the most connected and known in the office. Those whose desks were off in corners of the building where few people ever went were often the most socially isolated and invisible in the office.
The take home lesson from this is that if you want to be noticed – you need to position yourself where the people whose attention you want to grab gather.
Gary Vaynerchuk from Wine Library TV is a guy who I think embodies this brilliantly.
I’ve not met him in person or even seen him in action live (this will change soon as he’s keynoting at Blog World Expo – but from watching from a far – Gary has positioned himself very cleverly at tech events and in social networks recently and in doing so he’s been noticed big time.
It might seem odd for a Wine Expert to position himself at Tech Conferences but in doing it he’s got himself (and his book – 101 Wines: Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight, and Bring Thunder to Your World (one that I own and recommend – particularly good for those who love wine but who, like me, know nothing about it) blog and company) on the radar of key influencers who have spread the Gary Vaynerchuck virus throughout the world.
The principle of positioning is there for all to see. Gary has decided who he wants to notice him and he’s positioned himself in the paces that they gather en masse (and from what I can see he’s done this prolifically).
This doesn’t mean Gary ignores the little guy – he’s someone who is dedicated to interacting with as many people as possible (see 1st video below) – but he’s also someone who I think has really mastered the art of positioning himself brilliantly also.
Let me leave you with some Gary Vaynerchuk teaching and inspiration via a couple of videos:
First – one on his mission in life, to meet every person on earth:
Here’s another video where Gary talks a little about some of the philosophies that he’s grown his business by – including a little on what I talk about above:
Check out the Gary Vaynerchuk blog for more videos on how Gary goes about his business – and if you’re a wine lover but need some help – check out his book book – 101 Wines: Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight, and Bring Thunder to Your World.
