DON’T CONFUSE YOUR CUSTOMERS

Today I got two packages in the mail.

One was from someone I spoke with recently, and they said they’d send me something. It came in a sturdy, colorful envelope, it had their name on it, and the shipping label said “delicious ideas inside.”

The other was an item I ordered from someone I’ve followed on Instagram years ago. I paid $40 for this item. It showed up in a plain box, with a USPS shipping label, with no mention of the senders name or brand. It was sent from MERCH COMPANY, basically.

I realize this person has probably outsourced their order fulfillment to a third party. I get that.

But when you pay for-real money for something, the first thought upon picking up the package shouldn’t be “who is this from?”

When I got the package from the person I spoke with recently, there was no confusion, only delight.

Don’t confuse your customers.

MARKET YOU

From Mike Cessario, the CEO and co-founder of Liquid Death:

Most brands are marketing their liquid, not their company. Your company is your brand. You cant actually own your liquid. It’s easily replicated. But no one can copy your company, what you stand for, what you care about more than anyone else, what makes you laugh, what you love, what you hate. Making people love your company creates far longer term success than only being able to make them love your liquid.

Stop marketing your vinyl, your tour dates, your next class, your whatever, and sell everything that is YOU, through and through.

Riffs? I got riffs. How-to guides? Got a million on YouTube.

But I will support people with less flashy videos, with basic websites, because of who they are.