When the time comes for Kobe Bryant to hang up his uniform and retire, he will be on the fast track to the Basketball Hall of Fame. With five championship rings on his fingers, four All-Star game MVPs in 14 appearances, a record of 15 All-NBA selections and 12 All-Defensive team awards, Bryant has become a household name throughout the world. His brand is recognized everywhere from Los Angeles to Beijing.
You could imagine the shock, then, for Boston College students when but a few minutes into a recent lecture on how the NBA is a model for successful international marketing, the door to the class opened and in walked Bryant himself.
“It was surreal,” explained Professor Nick Nugent when about the experience.
The 35-year-old Bryant, who is currently on Injured Reserve due to a fractured left knee, happened to be in town to attend a Lakers game against the Celtics.
“Learn. Learn. Learn. Thank you #BC,” Bryant tweeted following the lecture, adding “#international marketing and ‘education never stops’” to the end of his tweet. Bryant then took the time to pose for pictures and sign autographs for the awestruck students.
Your brand might be like Kobe Bryant—already a household name recognized by people all across the world. But as he recently showed us, it doesn’t matter how successful your marketing strategy is. Take a time out, reflect on your recent efforts and see what you can be doing differently to market yourself as best as possible. Here are some helpful questions to ask yourself about your brand as you adjust your content marketing plan:
What could I be doing differently? Maybe your blog schedule needs a tune up. What time of day are you posting? Research indicates that 70 percent of users claim to read blogs in the morning. And the average blog receives the most amount of traffic at 11 a.m. on Monday. Try changing up your habits to see if you can generate more traffic and bring even more eyeballs to your website.
How can you increase my ROI? Try using social media to increase profits. Get on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to build your business and get the word out about your product. Take the example of Coffee Groundz, which now uses Twitter as a direct ordering channel for customers while marketing products at the same time. Be innovative and get creative on social media to increase your bottom line.
Is my voice working? Maybe your blog posts and articles are rubbing consumers the wrong way. Tone and voice are crucial when marketing. Try making a list of key vocabulary words you consistently use to see what you can fine tune, throw out or use more of to get a better connection with your audience.
Remember, there is no room for complacency with your content. Use Bryant as inspiration for how to better your brand, and customers will almost certainly come knocking.