Today’s Celebrity is YOU! Top 10 Steps to Digital Stardom
Move over Madonna.
Today's new star is YOU.
You can thank social media for that! The old days of backroom PR machines cranking out publicity is long gone. The publicity machines of today are FaceBook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube, to name just a few. The typical "message control" has been replaced by social media "influence". And we all know who drives that electronic press release--YOU!
So you want to be a STAR?
It's still a struggle, but today's world allows some new and interesting steps to gain your star on the digital walk of fame. Here are the top ten steps along that path!
Top Ten Steps to Digital Stardom
- Pick your topic. You can make noise in almost any space in the digital world. But if you pick your battle in a smaller market or area, you have a better chance at success. Pop music might be your ultimate goal, but if you narrow the down the topic to something like live acoustic guitar performance, your chances increases significantly. Simply put, you need to compete on terms that give you an advantage.
- Focus. Find your specific "area of greatness" and STAY THERE! The temptation to chase stardom is great and that will often lead you off task. It's essential to own your specific turf!
- Connect with like-minded people. Social media is social. You can use it to build a great network of friends who become your fans. Start small and build! You'll be surprised at the number and quality of people you can connect with.
- Be original. Whether you're a writer working on a novel or a singer trying to find an agent, your voice and content should reflect your own unique style. Every element of your commmunication--from tweets to Facebook posts build your brand. Make them stand OUT!
- Be consistent. Say it. And say it again. Social media is immediate, but also requires a consistent voice to provides an real impact. Build a schedule or timeline to make certain that you remain active and involved.
- Be patient. Overnight success happens. But it usually happens after a long trial of work, failure and missteps. It only looks like it happened overnight!
- Look for the "heat". Aside from making your brand stand out, you can also attract attention by following the hot stories, ideas and issues around your topic. Be a part of this dialogue!!! Jump in an provide your perspective. It's amazing how many "experts" are really people who just showed up and provided a sustained engagement in a topic or idea without any specific expertise.
- Connect with powerful people. It's OK to reach out to celebrities. A sincere approach that adds value is the best way. Don't be a stalker--contribute to the dialogue.
- Wait to be arrogant! Acting like a celebrity when you're not is a sure path to failure. While your "brand" might require some bravado, be careful not to "jump the shark" when you're not quite Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli!
- Accept gradual success. Set some goals along the path to stardom. Simple things like building a Twitter following of 1,000 or 1 blog entry a month is a great start. Incremental success will build that basis for your achievement.
Like never before, the ability for an individual to tell a great, personal story is here. All the tools are at your fingertips. It's no longer about access to the convoluted and protected path to celebrity but more about YOUR individual efforts to break through the digital chatter and step onto the walk of fame. And you can always follow me @JohnNosta for advice along the way!