Mick Jagger, the frontman of the Rolling Stones, is not just a musician; he has achieved the status of a legend and has been knighted by the late British Queen Elizabeth II. In one word: he is a brand.
As long as my face is on page one, I don’t care what they say about me on page seventeen.
Mick Jagger
3 Takeaways for any brand
This quote bears a lot of wisdom. There are at least three takeaways from this.
- No matter what you do or say, you will always find people who don’t like it. Get used to it and remain consistent.
- If you make it to the front page, you’ve won. Your brand is out in the world, and the naysayers’ opinions could hardly be less important. But if you are on the front page, make sure you appear in a positive light.
- Page 17 does not bring you much further. This is especially true for Google search. Unless you are a very large brand or have an unlimited marketing budget, it will be very hard to make it to the first page with a very competitive keyword.
This brings me to three very important topics when it comes to branding.
Focus!
Find your point of difference, also known as USP. This sets you apart from others and allows you to find the keywords you want to be found by. You might want professional help with SEO, which can be greatly beneficial. Just be aware that this is not a one-time job. It requires constant surveillance and optimisation. Moreover, the keywords will vary depending on the geographical regions as the search terms used by people are different.
Consistency
Be consistent. Stick with your brand values and your products or services. Do not allow critics to discourage you. I am not saying that you should not listen to your customers or even critics. Both can give you valuable insights that allow you to tweak your product. Do this without betraying your principles and keep going. I am not just talking as I know how difficult it is. However, I am sure that even the Rolling Stones played before almost no audience. Stay true to yourself.
Nobody is perfect
I’d rather be dead than singing ‘Satisfaction’ when I’m forty-five.
Mick Jagger
The song “Satisfaction” was written in 1965 when Mick Jagger was 22 years young. To him, 45 must have sounded like half-dead. He will turn 80 in a few weeks, and for all I know, the Rolling Stones’ audience still wants to hear it at every concert.
Even if you err, it does not prevent you from becoming a legend.
