5 Marketing Tips from Business Guru P.Diddy
Sean “Puffy/Puff Daddy/ Diddy/Brother Love” Combs is one of the greatest marketing geniuses on earth. He has remained relevant and dominant to hip-hop music, culture, fashion, business and entertainment over the past 20 years. Last year, Sean was also recognized as one of the Forbes 100 Greatest Living Minds. He is also often considered one of the top 3 of 5 wealthiest hip-hop artists on the Forbes list. Amidst all these, you may wonder, how does he keep all eyes on him? In this article, we will discover 5 tips from Diddy that can help us improve our marketing game and slay! 1. Say Your Name If there is one thing Diddy always does, is use every advantage to promote his products or name. Whether its an interview on Ellen or a cameo on The Breakfast Club, Diddy always has his products such as a bottle of Ciroc. You should take advantage of every airtime you get to promote your brand and products. Through being strategic, you should find a way to guide the conversation in a way that allows you to talk about your products. This will help increase your revenue and the reach of your brand. 2. Make The Circle Bigger The fact is you can only be in one place at a time, but you need to get the word out about you, your brand or business. You need people spreading a positive word about you to others. Diddy figured this out in his early days as a music producer when he started Bad Boy Records, which celebrated its 20-year reunion tour last year. Diddy has been instrumental in the careers of musicians like Notorious BIG, Mase, and more recently French Montana. Whenever a record of their plays, it will at some point announce “Bad Boy.” Through shaping and promoting the careers of the musicians he worked with, Diddy also extended his marketing reach. When you help other people achieve their goals, you also, in turn, grow your circle of influence and people who will do anything for you. 3. Stay On the Beat Is Diddy an expert of the FMCG, Film and Music industries? Probably not, but he knows enough of the field to spot a real opportunity. You don’t want to seem like you are all over the place, but rather that you ‘happened’ to be in a certain place or sector because you keep your finger on the pulse. Whatever you are working on, you need to know all the new developments and contribute to the conversations in a meaningful way that elevates the topic. Diddy lost his father to gun violence at a young age. Though he became successful, he didn’t forget to empower his people. His response to Black Lives Matter through building a world-class school in Harlem, the neighborhood he grew up in. 5. Have Fun Diddy always looks like he is having a great time, from salsa dancing in his underwear to the energy he brings when he is hosting shows. People are attracted to someone who is upbeat, so plaster a smile on your face and get hyped about whatever you do! We are always exchanging energy so make sure you put out positive vibes only! DO YOU HAVE ANY BUSINESS LESSONS TO SHARE? Let us know here.
Caron Williams: The hip-hop maven behind The Plug Magazine
[bctt tweet=”It’s a balancing act offering our audience what they want to read & what we feel is an important story” via=”no”] By now, everyone in the industry knows the lovely Caron Williams. Hailing from Cape Town, this beauty has been in the creative industry for years and has now added “Editor” to her resume. The Plug, the new and freshest hip-hop online magazine has really changed the game in such a short amount of time. The Plug gives you the need to know and the latest on all things hip-hop, fashion and urban culture –locally and abroad. This magazine has been an incredible platform, giving us in-depth insight into our favourite local and international artists in a fresh and innovative way. As a young Black woman, Caron is breaking the barriers of a male-dominated industry, paving the way for young creatives. Having turned her knack for hip-hop into an incredible publication, Caron has clearly become a powerhouse in the making, in her own right. In this short interview, Caron gives a sneak peek into how she grew the magazine, being a woman in the industry and what the future holds. What inspired you to start The Plug? I’ve always been incredibly passionate about hip hop, urban culture and fashion and becoming an Editor has always been my dream. The Plug Mag was the brainchild of 6th Avenue Group, they approached me regarding becoming the Editor of their online publication before it was founded and I agreed. Have you found that being a woman in the industry has proven to be difficult? If so, what kind of setbacks do you have? Being a black woman in any male-dominated industry definitely comes with immense challenges, but the truth is, the game is hard for everyone. You have to be tough to be in this industry and willing to put up a fight every day. Regardless of your gender, if you don’t know who you are, aren’t clear about your vision and aren’t willing to put in the work, the game will chew you up and spit you out. I’m not fazed by being a woman in this industry because I can hold my own against the best in the game and this is only the start. I want to be the best and I’m going to be the best, no stereotype about by gender will deter that. [bctt tweet=”The reception is inspiring & shows the SA hip hop community is hungry for powerful content” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I know that you also have a knack for fashion, can we see a publication of the sort from you again soon? Anna Wintour and the late Franca Sozzani are my idols. Fashion has always been my first love and a passion I’d love to return to. Establishing my own fashion publication is something I definitely aspire to do one day and the success of The Plug Mag is essential for me to reach that point. South Africa has such incredible designers and fashion talent, which deserves to be celebrated. Speaking of fashion, what are your must-have items this season? Definitely my camo bomber, Army green overall, deep maroon lip colour and a great pair of boots. The publication has grown tremendously this past year – how has that been for you and your team? It’s been a thrilling experience. It started off as a passion project from a group of creatives who truly love hip-hop, fashion and the culture as a whole, so to see how much it has grown and resonated with people is truly incredible. We have so much we still plan to do with The Plug because we truly want to transform the local urban cultural landscape, so the response has been encouraging. On a personal level, it has been a challenging but fulfilling experience. How is the future looking for The Plug? Any chance you will switch to a print publication? We have so many exciting plans for The Plug Mag. We’re immensely ambitious with our plans. Watch this space… [bctt tweet=”Editor, @CaronWilliams_ chats with us about how The Plug is transforming the local urban cultural landscape” via=”no”] As a woman in a male-dominated industry (hip-hop), you have basically become the answer for consumers who want to know more about what’s happening in the industry, how does that feel for you? It’s an interesting position. It’s always a balancing act offering our audience what they want to read and what we feel is an important story that needs to be shared with the culture. The reception to the content we’ve put out has been very inspiring and demonstrated that the SA hip hop community is hungry for powerful and engrossing content. What advice do you have for people who want to start their own thing? Passion is the foundation of any great venture; it’s what drives you when things get challenging. You truly need to have a clear vision of what you’re trying to achieve and how you plan on doing so. You have to understand that great projects and brands take the time to build and that you have to be in it for the long haul. Over and above everything, you really just have to work hard and put in the hours. Outwork everyone, study the game, study your peers and become versed in the industry you’re trying to penetrate. You also have to surround yourself with people who are as passionate and driven as you are, and people who have been in the game longer than you have been so you can learn from them. Be realistic about what you want to achieve; people are often very idealistic about startups. Even if it’s what you’re passionate about, it’s still going to be hard work. Build a network, sell people on your vision and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. [bctt tweet=”Build a network, sell people on your vision and don’t be afraid to make mistakes” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Which songs do you currently have on repeat? I’ve had Mick