May I Have Your Attention, Please?: Build a Better Business by Telling Your True Story

241 Pages·2005·1.67 MB·English

by  Chris Hilicki, Andy Andrews

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More Praise for May I Have Your Attention, Please?
“Give Chris Hilicki your attention and she’ll give you something
priceless: the ability to discover and live your true story. She not
only helped me tap into the core essence of my publishing company,
she helped me tap into the core essence of my personal story. My
brand—and my life—are the richer for it.”
—Allen Arnold, Senior Vice President and Publisher,
WestBow Press, A Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc.
“A few years ago, Chris set out to build a children’s book company
and created a powerful brand recognized and adored by children and
parents across America. Along the way, she discovered and nurtured
her own ‘personal brand identity’—a feat that served to catapult her
career and contribute to a high level of personal satisfaction. Chris’
‘true story’ approach to branding is compelling and motiva-
tional. At last we have a unique branding strategy with insight
and advice to empower us on both a personal and a professional
level.”
—Yvonne Martin Kidd, Director, Marketing and
Communications, Vanderbilt Owen Graduate
School of Management
“Chris Hilicki has written a profoundly human business book
that urges each of us to be aware of ourselves as brands. Whether
we know it or not, we all stand for something in the eyes of others.
Our ‘reputations’ account for only part of this, for that term too nar-
rowly reflects the rational side of our natures. Our personal brand
identities encompass reputation, but also the deeper symbols and val-
ues we embody and that frame our social personas. Chris Hilicki’s
enormously warm and readable book reminds us that we are the ones
responsible for constructing and shaping this social persona—our per-
sonal brands. It is not just Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates who create
their own personal brands—it is each of us. In awareness of this lies
unique power and freedom. In the venerable American tradition of
the motivational guide, May I Have Your Attention, Please?is sure
to be worthwhile for readers at all stages of their careers.”
—Scott McDonald, Ph.D., Senior Vice President,
Research, Condé Nast Publications
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“Me? A brand? Are you kidding? May I Have Your Attention, Please?
makes us realize that not only do our own experiences greatly impact
who we are, they create an impression in others’ minds that we can
call our personal ‘brand.’ The unique history and character of a corpo-
rate organization is the true basis for a brand, much more than just a
logo. Chris Hilicki persuades us to thoughtfully take the time to ana-
lyze and rebuild our own brands. By sharing her extraordinary per-
sonal and professional experiences, Chris reveals the secrets to what
truly sets brands apart. This book helps us all realize that shining a
light on what makes us different is the essential first step to creating a
powerful brand. Read it and get started on your journey to success!”
—Theresa Reagan, Executive Director,
Children’s Health Education Center, Wisconsin
Children’s Hospital
“After reading Hilicki’s book I realize I have been studying the most
powerful branders in the world—babies. Babies do just what Hilicki
says a brander should do: Their stories are short, incredibly clear, un-
apologetically attention getting, and, most important, authentic and
unique. Hilicki does something for us that babies can’t do. She tells us
how to discover our own story. She gives each of us ways to dis-
cover our authentic me and genuinely make others a part of our
story. When people experience our story they will feel thrilled to
know, share, and be connected to us,just like with babies. So, when
you read this book you risk becoming a baby, but the benefit is mak-
ing yourself into a unique brand.”
—Ed Tronick, Chief of the Child Development Unit,
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry,
Harvard Medical School
“Chris Hilicki has put together a great resource for every CEO and
company that wants to define and improve their brand. Each of
us, whether as individuals or as organizations, has a story that must
be told. Chris helps us create the chapters that immediately bring the
brand to a better life.”
—Kevin E. Dunn, Former USA Division President,
McDonald’s Corporation
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May I Have Your Attention, Please?
Build a Better Business
by Telling Your True Story
Chris Hilicki
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Dedicated to Rich, for loving me just the way I am
Copyright © 2005 by Chris Hilicki. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
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permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons,
Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6011, fax [phone].
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and the author have
used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or
warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book
and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a
particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or
written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable
for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither
the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other
commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential,
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Hilicki, Chris.
May I have your attention, please? : build a better business by telling your true
story / Chris Hilicki.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-471-67889-9 (cloth)
1. Success in business. 2. Self-actualization (Psychology) I. Title.
HF5386.H52 2005
658.8'27—dc22
2004016913
Printed in the United States of America.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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Contents
Foreword ix
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xvii
Part ONE Believe in the Brand 1
Chapter ONE Everyone Needs a Little Attention, Brands
Need a Lot 3
Attention for Better or Worse ■ The Relationship between
Attention and Brands ■ How to Use This Book ■ What Do
You Want to Be When You Grow Up? ■ The Time for Truth Has
Truly Come ■ True Stories Can’t Be Copied ■ Unlock Your
Identity and Lock onto Your Brand ■ Branding Is All about
Stories and Storytelling ■ What Do You Call Attention? ■
Attention and Humility Can Coexist ■ A Higher Rung on the
Ladder of Success ■ What Does Sharing Your Story Mean?
Chapter TWO True Confession: Good for the Soul,
Great for the Brand 23
Brands Matter. Brands Matter. Brands Matter. ■ To Matter You
Must Be Original. To Be Original You Must Find Yourself ■ Who
v
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vi CONTENTS
Needs Your Brand More—You or Them? ■ How Many First
Impressions Can You Make? ■ How Many Lasting Impressions
Can You Make? ■ Your Brand Is Everything ■ If Your Brand
Is Lost ■ Brands Are Better than Features or Price ■ One Good
Brand Leads to Another ■ What’s Your Story? ■ When Brands
Appeal to Our Senses They Become Sensational ■ Brands Are for
Influence, and Nothing Influences Like the Truth ■ Sales versus
Marketing versus Branding ■ Brand Backlash ■ Brands Inside
and Out ■ Faux Branding ■ Our Experiences Shape Our
Values, Which Shape Our Brands
Chapter THREE Brand-Stand: Your Platform for Success 56
Personal versus Professional ■ Are People Choosing You? ■
What’s in a Name? ■ In Business, It’s Always Personal ■ If We
Knew Now What We Knew Then ■ Unlock Your Authenticity ■
Conforming ■ Self-Examination ■ The Treasure Hunt ■
Your Experiences Have Profound Value ■ Support Your
Experiences ■ You Have a Story to Tell ■ Control Your
Story ■ Memories ■ A Return on Your Investment in
Branding—We Want More
Chapter FOUR Bring On the Brand 82
The Race Is On ■ Listening ■ How Your Brand Is Born ■
Brand Reconciliation ■ The Competition ■ How Brands
Live ■ Branding Up ■ The People Inside the Brand ■
Brand Pressure
Part TWO Build the Brand 103
Chapter FIVE Making a Brand Impression 105
Emotional Experimentation ■ The Secret Service of Brands ■
Sanction Yourself ■ Actions Speak Louder than Logos and
Taglines ■ The Emotional Connection ■ Wherever You Go,
There You Are ■ Brand Conversion ■ The Elevator Pitch ■
Brands Don’t Want Just Satisfaction ■ Great Brands Create
Loyalty ■ Loyalty Starts Inside
Chapter SIX Brand Relativity 120
Does Your Brand Relate to Others? ■ Alignment ■ The Misfit
■ Visibility and Credibility—See and Be Seen ■ The Truth
Stands behind the Brand ■ What Will You Do for Your Brand?
■ Size Matters ■ If the Shoe Fits ■ The Brand Plays On ■
Advertising versus Publicity
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Contents vii
Chapter SEVEN Planning for Your Brand 146
Remember Your Story ■ Learn to Tell It ■ Outline Your Future
■ Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall ■ Envision Your Best Brand
Moments
Chapter EIGHT Getting Results from Your Brand 160
The Map ■ How Does Your Brand Travel? ■ Labels and
Map Markers ■ Brand Boxes ■ The Journey and the Search ■
Focus ■ Maneuver ■ Imagine ■ The “-est” Brand ■ The
Most Successful Brand ■ Brand Bling-Bling
Chapter NINE Sustaining the Results You Get from
Your Brand 182
Distinguishing Characteristics ■ Nip/Tuck ■ Price versus
Cost (What Price Will You Pay?) ■ Being Special Isn’t Special
Enough ■ Protecting the Prize ■ The Name Game
Chapter TEN Conclusion—Back to You 196
Your Brand and Your Competitive Edge? ■ You’ll Find Your
Brand as Much as It Finds You ■ Brand Maturity ■ Share Your
Story ■ What Do You Know for Sure? ■ The Language of Your
Brand ■ Testing Your Brand for Effectiveness ■ Change the
World ■ Hope ■ Be Yourself and You Will Be the Best Brand
Notes 211
Index 217
About the Author 222
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Foreword
Imay still be discovering who I am as each new day passes, but this
much I know for sure: I’m not normal. I never did blend in and
never wanted to. But I knew I wanted to be a speaker and story-
teller. So I left college to continue to be the person I knew I was. I
wouldn’t settle for becoming something I wasn’t, even if it would
have been easier.
As Chris Hilicki’s book illustrates, we all have important stories
that make us memorable and allow us to relate to each other. What a
privilege it has been for me to tell stories. I have been blessed to au-
thor more than 10 books, including a New York Times bestseller, The
Traveler’s Gift, which has been translated into almost 20 languages. I
was honored to have spoken at the request of four different presi-
dents of the United States, CEOs, celebrities, dignitaries, U.S. troops
fighting for our freedom, and millions of other individuals through-
out the world.
Throughout my career I’ve done things differently. Instead of
following the crowd or going along with what various managers and
agents had done for others, I held on to the values and decisions that
I believed would be best for me. Why? Because the experiences I’d had
throughout my life developed beliefs and subsequent business strate-
gies that were unique to me. Somehow I knew what worked for others
wouldn’t be best for me. It might get me into business and create
ix