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Lessons from American Idol

Self Branding

No, I’m not talking about some masochist urge to hurt myself with a branding iron. I’m talking about making a decision to make yourself into a personality. Remember, you can’t wait for someone to appoint you the expert.

Although I’m no great fan of American Idol I do catch it from time to time. (Kelsey, 15, is amazed that I know the words to the songs of the 70’s and horrified that there is this new attraction at Disney. Yes, apparently Disney runs and American Idol style attraction where all day long groups of guests compete in karaoke style singing, with the “winners” moving to the finals at night. I threaten that I’m going to do that when we get back to Orlando. But I digress)

Recently the Washington Post did and article on the show’s host, Ryan Seacrest. The article, The Man, The Brand, The Plan to Rule TV-How Ryan Seacrest Has Turned His Name Into a Household One, naturally caught my eye. Although his biz is “show biz” there is a remarkable consistency amongst those who make a decision to become famous in a niche.

Here are some of the major points from the article:

•    He started doing te New Year’s Eve on Fox five years ago to create the perception that he would be the next Dick Clark. Seacrest said “I had a total, 100 percent strategy to be the Dick Clark for our generation.
•    At age nine, he knew what his path would be and he step he took was in fulfillment of that path. (Some might say, “well, he’s lucky he knows what he wants to do—I still don’t. I think that frankly most of us do know what we would like that path to be….we just think that others would think we are crazy so we don’t ever let our dreams wonder beyond our mental self limits.)
•    The article noted that he’s not all that talented. In fact, it called him “anti-talented.” He’s a professional personality.
•    Folks joke about him (he’s short and apparently there are many jokes about his sexuality.) Rather than get upset, he goes with the flow and finds a way to leverage the fact that they are talking about him. We call that immunity to criticism. He says the more jokes there are the more inescapable the name ‘Ryan Seacrest’ becomes. It’s good for business.
•    He chose his relationship with Procter and Gamble (toothpaste commercial) because Procter and Gamble has so many different products, hence, more future opportunity.

Never, ever wait for someone else to appoint you the “guru” in your niche. It might never happen. I’m giving you permission now to be “guru” in whatever field you want to be. You just have to start acting like “guru.”