Comments on: Your Biggest Fan http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/15/your-biggest-fan/ Fascinating, Inspiring, Rewarding and Engaging kinded spirits. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:34:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Patrick http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/15/your-biggest-fan/#comment-154183 Patrick Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:19:45 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/15/your-biggest-fan/#comment-154183 Exactly Jennifer. It certainly is a fine line. To me it's more of deep personal thing instead of a braggadocios habit. While I may have expressed what I did as a business owner it should be the goal of an employee to look at the company they work for as one of their favorite brands. Yes, often we want to get a job just to pay the bills and sometimes, especially in more difficult times it harder to pick and chose. That being said the bests times on any job I have worked are when the employees rally behind the company and it's mission, not necessarily their supervisor. The is a significant aspect of "buzz marketing". On the opposite end the worst memories I have had when working at other companies are when I have had to do endure listening to fellow employees complain about everything. As much as Apple is also one of my favorite brands I have said before that Steve Jobs is both Apple's best and worst asset. The best because he sets the tone for the companies mission, the worst because the company is too tied up into his personality. Thankfully he has done things in recent years that were unheard of when he joined the company. Like the switch to Intel and also allowing Windows to work on a partition. To put it in very simple terms. I love the work the company I own does. I love the work I do and I want our customers to know we love working for them. Exactly Jennifer. It certainly is a fine line. To me it’s more of deep personal thing instead of a braggadocios habit. While I may have expressed what I did as a business owner it should be the goal of an employee to look at the company they work for as one of their favorite brands. Yes, often we want to get a job just to pay the bills and sometimes, especially in more difficult times it harder to pick and chose. That being said the bests times on any job I have worked are when the employees rally behind the company and it’s mission, not necessarily their supervisor. The is a significant aspect of “buzz marketing”. On the opposite end the worst memories I have had when working at other companies are when I have had to do endure listening to fellow employees complain about everything.

As much as Apple is also one of my favorite brands I have said before that Steve Jobs is both Apple’s best and worst asset. The best because he sets the tone for the companies mission, the worst because the company is too tied up into his personality. Thankfully he has done things in recent years that were unheard of when he joined the company. Like the switch to Intel and also allowing Windows to work on a partition.

To put it in very simple terms. I love the work the company I own does. I love the work I do and I want our customers to know we love working for them.

]]> By: Ellen Weber http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/15/your-biggest-fan/#comment-154144 Ellen Weber Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:52:26 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/15/your-biggest-fan/#comment-154144 Great discussion here and both sides tend to have an interesting point. It's really tone that makes the difference. At a recent business leadership gathering - one person took extra time to brag about products during intros. It backfired as people resented the inserts. It seems that when we communicate with a genuine interest in other's brands -- through asking a well planted question or two - this helps us to avoid too much talk about our own brand. It appears that both sides of this discussion make a good case for engaging others first, too:-) Am I correct? Great discussion here and both sides tend to have an interesting point. It’s really tone that makes the difference. At a recent business leadership gathering - one person took extra time to brag about products during intros. It backfired as people resented the inserts.

It seems that when we communicate with a genuine interest in other’s brands — through asking a well planted question or two - this helps us to avoid too much talk about our own brand.

It appears that both sides of this discussion make a good case for engaging others first, too:-) Am I correct?

]]> By: Jennifer http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/15/your-biggest-fan/#comment-154120 Jennifer Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:09:45 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/15/your-biggest-fan/#comment-154120 That's part of the issue in trying to communicate this idea... there's a fine line between overt egotism and being proud of what you do. Like any individual... you'd better like yourself, or you enter into the realm of depression and self-destructive behavior... but you also don't want to be that guy - you know the guy. Same in business. You should admire your own brand. If you don't... you're probably doing something wrong. Off-putting for me is when it gets to the Steve Jobs level of self aggrandizing (sorry Mac heads... I'm sure I've opened a whole new can of worms by going the Apple route). Love what you do. Be proud of what you do. There's nothing wrong with that. That’s part of the issue in trying to communicate this idea… there’s a fine line between overt egotism and being proud of what you do. Like any individual… you’d better like yourself, or you enter into the realm of depression and self-destructive behavior… but you also don’t want to be that guy - you know the guy. Same in business. You should admire your own brand. If you don’t… you’re probably doing something wrong. Off-putting for me is when it gets to the Steve Jobs level of self aggrandizing (sorry Mac heads… I’m sure I’ve opened a whole new can of worms by going the Apple route). Love what you do. Be proud of what you do. There’s nothing wrong with that.

]]> By: Patrick http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/15/your-biggest-fan/#comment-154023 Patrick Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:15:13 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/15/your-biggest-fan/#comment-154023 Alva, I did make a point not to mention my own company first out of the three choices for that very reason but I did want to make a point that I have been thinking about my own companies branding A LOT lately and how important it is to me. I wasn't trying to advertise because the blog mentioned what more of creative thinking venue than anything else. If you knew me in person, (You may, I'm not sure) but I rarely if ever toot my own horn unless it's required in my own advertising or a networking event. The point is I am passionate about my work to the point it doesn't even feel like work and I want to make my company a place I would love to work for as well even though I am the owner. Alva, I did make a point not to mention my own company first out of the three choices for that very reason but I did want to make a point that I have been thinking about my own companies branding A LOT lately and how important it is to me.

I wasn’t trying to advertise because the blog mentioned what more of creative thinking venue than anything else.

If you knew me in person, (You may, I’m not sure) but I rarely if ever toot my own horn unless it’s required in my own advertising or a networking event.

The point is I am passionate about my work to the point it doesn’t even feel like work and I want to make my company a place I would love to work for as well even though I am the owner.

]]> By: Alva http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/15/your-biggest-fan/#comment-154011 Alva Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:04:34 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/15/your-biggest-fan/#comment-154011 I think that depends a lot on how it's said or presented. I think when some people hear a company rep name their own brand as an answer to this kind of question, it sort of makes them roll their eyes. That kind of self-congratulation can be a little offputting, I think. That said, most company reps certainly should be thinking it - or else trying hard to make improvements. I think that depends a lot on how it’s said or presented. I think when some people hear a company rep name their own brand as an answer to this kind of question, it sort of makes them roll their eyes.

That kind of self-congratulation can be a little offputting, I think.

That said, most company reps certainly should be thinking it - or else trying hard to make improvements.

]]> By: Patrick http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/15/your-biggest-fan/#comment-153993 Patrick Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:55:16 +0000 http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2008/02/15/your-biggest-fan/#comment-153993 I'm glad I subscribe to your blogs RSS feed! I was certainly a pleasant surprise to receive this in my newsreader so quick this morning. I'm still getting over the flu here, bad deep cough so anything uplifting is great today! I do want to say that Brains on Fire is also one of my favorite brands. As an integrated marketing communications company I know how important consistent branding is. I'm in the process of writing a series on branding right now and just to let you know I had already planned a mention of BOF in a future post in the series. Thank you for your kind words. I’m glad I subscribe to your blogs RSS feed! I was certainly a pleasant surprise to receive this in my newsreader so quick this morning. I’m still getting over the flu here, bad deep cough so anything uplifting is great today!

I do want to say that Brains on Fire is also one of my favorite brands. As an integrated marketing communications company I know how important consistent branding is. I’m in the process of writing a series on branding right now and just to let you know I had already planned a mention of BOF in a future post in the series.

Thank you for your kind words.

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