Do you have an idea, business, talent, or cause that you want to promote? If so, then you have two basic options. First, you can start out famous, and then simply tell the millions of people who know you about your new idea. Secondly, you can start as an unknown, and then build a following for yourself and whatever you are promoting.
If you fall in the first group, you probably aren’t reading this guide. But if you fall in the second, we’ve got just the advice you’re in need of. Here are three tips to go from obscure to on top.
Shock, Scandalize, Surprise
Nobody ever got anywhere by being timid. If you have a message you want to get across to people, you need to be different to get their attention. The more different you are, the better. The videos, websites, and apps that go viral are those that most surprise and intrigue people. Don’t be afraid to push the envelope. The brands that do the best are those that challenge people, shock them, force them to react, and make them talk to their friends. GoDaddy and RyanAir are good examples of companies that have used this approach to great success. You don’t want to step all over the common standards of decency, but it’s okay to be a little provocative.
Talk to People Who Matter
Remember in high school how it was the cool, popular kids that everyone knew about? If the nerds in the chem lab did something, nobody paid any attention, but if the quarterback, point guard, or hottest cheerleader made a peep, everybody in the room listened up. Well, social media works the same way. You want to get the attention of the movers and shakers. Work hard to establish a relationship or some form of connection with them, and they will mention you to their followers. One influential connection is worth more than hundreds of unknown friends.
Hustle Every Day
Perhaps the most important thing is to stay active on your social media. Never give up and never take a day off. Always look for opportunities to talk with your followers and share ideas with others. Tweet from cafes, your office, the park, the movie theater, everywhere. Remember, if you’re using a public network, you should use a VPN service to protect your information. But whatever you do, just keep working at it, and soon enough, if your message is good enough, it will get through to its intended audience.
