Comments on: About My Professional Photo- Dear Ginny, WTH?

By: Doug Buenz

Doug Buenz — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:23:06 +0000

Excellent post Ginny! I think it comes down to what your target audience is. If you are trying to appeal to dogs and militant PETA members who are in the market to buy a home, it might be a good strategy (I’m willing to bet that neither group is strong target market). I guess I better air brush out the photo of me with my cell phone in one ear and a thumbs up with my free hand…

By: AgentGenius

AgentGenius — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 06:02:37 +0000

#agnow What kinda China Syndrome would we create if we threw up a page where you could post a .jpeg of "The fuglie... http://cli.gs/jzdEA

By: AgentGenius

AgentGenius — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:35:37 +0000

#agnow There is a competitor on my market who has the worst professional photo I have ever seen and she is pictured... http://cli.gs/1nBbp

By: Ken Brand

Ken Brand — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:02:35 +0000

What kinda China Syndrome would we create if we threw up a page where you could post a .jpeg of “The fugliest, most heinous business card you’ve ever seen?

I’m also thinking that if we had enough of them, we could put them in a big book, a PostSecret.com kinda thing. Bet it’d be a best seller Coffee Table/Cautionary Tale book. No doubt it’d be a super stickey web site, like failblog.org (guess it’d have to an anonymous to protect the innocent & the un-innocent.)

????????

By: AgentGenius

AgentGenius — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:48:06 +0000

#agnow Hmmm that IS the question.. What if one man's silly is another man's certain? I think the best personal ... http://cli.gs/MaNYq

By: AgentGenius

AgentGenius — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:36:43 +0000

#agnow okay sweet, let's talk about brand impression: if your post card says silly with 10% unemployment abound,... http://cli.gs/Yb3mL

By: teresa boardman

teresa boardman — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:35:35 +0000

There is a competitor on my market who has the worst professional photo I have ever seen and she is pictured with her dog. I love the photo. I figure more business for me.

By: AgentGenius

AgentGenius — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:28:17 +0000

#agnow Ah I see now...you're right that is not a good referral. Mindy's brand isn't near as bad as cleavage lady t... http://cli.gs/T0pRv

By: AgentGenius

AgentGenius — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:25:44 +0000

#agnow isn't that the point? it wasn't working because the only impression made upon this couple was her bitchy loo... http://cli.gs/8SZrJ

By: AgentGenius

AgentGenius — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:14:52 +0000

#agnow "<- can you google that?" I Googled it, came back with a blogspot blog entitled "Musings of ... http://cli.gs/DmMsu

By: AgentGenius

AgentGenius — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:05:07 +0000

#agnow Sometimes you've achieved or are achieving your reputation as a producer despite your awful branding - I've... http://cli.gs/tMa2N

By: AgentGenius

AgentGenius — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:44:19 +0000

#agnow Ginny- Might there be the slightest possibility that you've been had? It seems like someone just wanted t... http://cli.gs/1RZEh

By: AgentGenius

AgentGenius — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:17:37 +0000

#agnow ah...the calmness of the voice of reason. thx benn http://cli.gs/AUDzR

By: Austin Smith - Goomzee.com

Austin Smith - Goomzee.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:48:04 +0000

Hmmm that IS the question..

What if one man’s silly is another man’s certain? I think the best personal brand is one that fits you as an individual, one that can easily be connected to the job you do, and one that conveys the right impression, as you said.

Case by case basis?

By: Benn Rosales

Benn Rosales — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:36:39 +0000

okay sweet, let’s talk about brand impression:

if your post card says silly with 10% unemployment abound, foreclosure rates beyond measure today and into 2010, and people are destitute and possibly homeless, layoffs like crazy all around you and you want to sell or buy, what message are you looking for?

In 2002, 03, 04 you could get away with a lot, but what about today? do you risk silly, or do you go with certain? Strength, dependable, certain, calm, stable, or funny shoes and socks, scuba diving, cleavage, dog on a leash, rock in hand? What’s the message you want?

By: Austin Smith - Goomzee.com

Austin Smith - Goomzee.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:28:15 +0000

Ah I see now…you’re right that is not a good referral. Mindy’s brand isn’t near as bad as cleavage lady though, IMHO.

By: Benn Rosales

Benn Rosales — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:25:42 +0000

isn’t that the point? it wasn’t working because the only impression made upon this couple was her bitchy look and her cleavage. I actually met the couple in a focus group on exactly this subject, and it was a question they asked because they wanted to talk about a postcard she sent them the month before-

so, they remembered the following:
breasts
her bitchy look
it said top producer
colors were black and red

and nothing else…

By: Austin Smith - Goomzee.com

Austin Smith - Goomzee.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:13:18 +0000

“<- can you google that?"

I Googled it, came back with a blogspot blog entitled "Musings of a Fat Chick"…close, I guess?

Haha, I can't believe one of your clients said that…but hey, at least her brand is working for her, however inappropriate it may seem.

By: Benn Rosales

Benn Rosales — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:05:02 +0000

Sometimes you’ve achieved or are achieving your reputation as a producer despite your awful branding – I’ve actually heard this quote “what’s that bitch with the cleavages name?” from a consumer trying to remember the name of a top producer They remembered her bewbies and that she looked bitchy, but not the name of her or her company.

What’s the name of that chick scuba diving with the sold sign? <- can you google that?

The message you're sending is the point of the post, and when you go back to the point of the post, the message is clear. If your brand is bitchycleavagechic, then it aught be your domain name too, then again, what does cleavage say about your business?

By: Austin Smith - Goomzee.com

Austin Smith - Goomzee.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:48:40 +0000

Yep good point Ben.

My purpose in directing everyone to Mindy was to illustrate the variety of brands out there, and the effectiveness of ‘full-throttle’ launch into such brands, no matter how ridiculous they may seem.

Ginnie, I gotta say I think you may be coming down a bit hard on Mindy. Sure those shoes may be beyond outlandish, but I reiterate: EVERYONE IN MISSOULA KNOWS HER NAME. Steve and Mindy are also one of the top producing teams in the area, and have been around for quite a long time. Selling homes gives a good name to agents everywhere… (not to say I would ever wear those shoes or back that marketing campaign, but you see my point)

Benn – agreed Odysseus is a pretty awesome looking dog. If only we could all land on such a ‘personal brand goldmine’ as Swann found..