Ted Rubin

“Growth hacking refers to a set of marketing experiments that lead to growth of a business. So it happens that growth hacking is usually about social media, viral marketing and other relatively novel marketing methods. And none of these methods can be done without tools. How to go about it? What tools will help you? Or perhaps no tools are good enough? I’ve decided to ask the experts – people who’ve been doing growth hacking successfully for years using all the help from the available software.” ~Alina Gorbatch

The difference between your brand and your reputation can be easy to miss because so many marketing writers use the terms interchangeably. The fact that the terms really are similar in many ways does little to help with the confusion. Both concepts have a major influence on how your business is perceived, but your brand is only a part of the whole that forms your reputation.

The word “Friend” may have been generally devalued by Facebook brilliantly taking “ownership” of the word, but its all about how YOU use it, and the reputation you build. Always keep in mind… Your brand is what you do, your Reputation is what people Remember and Share.

When you think of the worst customer experiences you have had, does travel leap to mind? Some lost baggage here, a delayed flight there, a reservation snafu, and all of a sudden you’re dealing with customer service reps who have absolutely no power to solve your problem. Small problems turn into big ones, and you’re continually sent up the chain of command until eventually someone arrives to offer a half-hearted solution that you have no choice but to accept.

You might know me as a positive guy if you have read, listened to, or watched my stuff over the years. I strive to be that way, especially when I’m interacting with others, but it’s never been an automatic thing for me when evaluating myself. In my younger days – still young, by the way, or at least like to think I am (Attitude, Perspective… Mindset) – I was my own worst critic. It was a challenge then, and it’s something that I still work on to this day.

Marketers love re-targeting, and it’s a pretty natural, if misguided, instinct. This person bought something, or looked at something, they seemed happy enough about buying it, so let’s not let the party end without getting them to buy even more. We all experience it as consumers. Spend a few hundred dollars on a new phone, pick up all of the standard, relevant accessories, and there’s still no chance you’re making it to the exit door without getting bombarded with very special offers.