Telling your story or sharing someone else’s messaging and story? Is it true for you? Or are you putting out the content, messaging and story that you think others want to hear?
Sharing another’s story and trying to make it yours is anything but authentic.
Are you telling your story and are you sure?
In a time where many seem to shift the story to make it fit for whoever is in front of them. In many cases and for many people, it is backfiring on the foundation and the authenticity of a brand or the person representing it.
Then ad AI and the prompts and who knows what they story really is or who the author is.
You can not be all things to everyone. And, in this time where too many try to be, it turns off and turns away potential connections, conversions and customers.
Is your brand messaging telling a story or is it telling your story?
“Is your brand messaging telling a story or is it telling your story?”
People are getting smarter online and reading through the false and the fake more than ever.
This is why it is not the time to be skimping on the honest communication and messaging. This is also why it is the time to layout a clear foundation of your brand discovery to brand development that showcases the true you and the true story.
Someone else’s messaging and story will not resonate with true authority in the end.
Even if you can spin the ads, the bio, the tag lines, the Ai Prompts and what ever else, your story will not be your story if it isn’t your true story. With all the fake out there, it is beginning to make people both recognize it and stay away from it. At the same time, those that have been taken or have felt foolish for believing are looking that much harder for the cracks in the story or the truth.
Adding to that, if your story, all of your personal branding communication and brand messaging strategy is rooted in the truth of you, your story and honesty, then your message will penetrate that much better.
Stay true to yourself, to your story and your beliefs.
Hone in the authenticity to achieve the view of authority in your story. it will help to make you stand out in a way you can be proud of. At the same time, help others to engage you and feel honesty from you, right from the start.
“Is marketing the only message your audience is receiving? Consider becoming the author and publisher of your story, over just another person trying to sell a book with the same old ads, hype pr and spam style ads that are used by so many.”
Telling your story in segments and pieces can draw more interest and allow people to connect the pieces themselves.
Please Take the high road. Organize the messaging with the truth to have a foundation to share all things that are you and all things that are true. This approach also helps to avoid the brand force trauma that too many use to force a messaging or story down peoples throats.
Library of Congress. The psychology and perceptions of a brand misread (on my part). A Brand Communications and and Optics Blog from Loren Weisman.
A Library of Congress Visit
So in the middle of this whole stay at home order, I was looking through some old photos and found a picture of my book, The Artists Guide to Success in the Music Business from the Library of Congress.
(One, I think I was not even supposed to take.)
It reminded me of that day at the LC and the psychology and perceptions of a brand misread having to do with what I thought I would see.
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash and what I was expecting…
The Artists Guide to Success in the Music Business Movie Poster.
This is the blah blah blah stuff…
Table of Contents Section: Publisher’s Cataloging-In-Publication Data
(Prepared by The Donohue Group, Inc.)
Weisman, Loren.
The artist’s guide to success in the music business : the “who, what, when, where, why & how” of the steps that musicians & bands have to take to succeed in music / Loren Weisman.—2nd ed., 1st Greenleaf Books ed.
p. ; cm.
Issued also as an ebook.
ISBN: 978-1-60832-578-8
1608325784
1. Music trade—Vocational guidance. 2. Sound recording industry — Vocational guidance. 3. Musicians. I. Title. II. Title:
TAG
LC Control Number
2013936454
LC Classification
ML3795 .W45 2013
Other system no.
(OCoLC)840438396
Dewey Class Number
780/.23
eBook ISBN: 9781608325795
Where to Request in LC:
Performing Arts Reading Room (Madison, LM113)
But at the bottom of all; the blah blah blah…
it read…
Where to Request in Library of Congress:
Performing Arts Reading Room (Madison, LM113)
Hope got lifted.
I imagined walking in asking for the book and watching some one retrieve it from one of the beautiful shelves in one of the cavernous areas… just like the movie.
Reality…Not so much like that.
Walking across the street from the larger and much more beautiful building that is the Thomas Jefferson Building in Washington DC…
Where I had to get an ID made and explain to three different people I wanted to see a book.
After getting the ID, I walked down the hall toward the Performing Arts Reading Room (Madison, LM113).
Two doors were there. One with this modern glass that was shaded…
(Still hopeful at this point)
Then a second door that lead me in to basically a 70’s looking high school classroom.
I was asked to fill out the authors name and the book title for two women at a desk.
One was very nice and saw that my ID matched the request. She kindly exclaimed with some excitement…
“Your book!”
Which felt nice.
The second one who went to retrieve it, said,
“This copy belongs to the government, you cant have it.”
She might have been a little low on coffee… and well, kindness that day.
It was delivered 15 minutes later.
And they wouldn’t hand it to me.
I had to sit down at a high school style table and the woman took it out of this plastic envelop. She went on to explain the book is two floors down and stored in a basement. I snuck a picture of it… as it is the only nicely leather bound edition, scrolled through it and then had to report that I was done viewing it so it could be returned and I could leave.
A strange experience and a little disappointing that it was not in that beautiful building, but still cool that the book is there.
I was told the Music Business for Dummies Book that I wrote is also in the Library now.
I am taking their word for it and will not be heading back any time soon to see that one.
I reiterate this quote as the close. It is not a knock on me or my book. But as you look to me, my book or for that matter any author and any book, take the time to dig a little deeper to see if the depth, the experience, the intelligence and the authority is there that makes it worth the read and the time for you.
“Publishing a book does not make you and authority or an expert. Authorship does not equal authority.”
“Publishing a book does not make you and authority or an expert. Authorship does not equal authority.”
Shop local shaming and small business messaging missteps is the topic and touch point for s8. E6. n129. of the Wait What Really OK brand communications and optics podcast.
Shop local shaming and small business messaging missteps.
If you are telling me how terrible I am for shopping somewhere else and how I need to shop local or shop at your place, where does that create a desire to do so?
Using guilt, shaming and passive aggressive behavior and tactics to try to attract customers tends to deliver the opposite results.
When we take a step back and look at the situation as well as the perceptions of others, it can allow for a more engaging messaging in the advertising that can invite and market that many more people to local shopping.
The Full Episode of this podcast can be found here on Castbox as well as on most sites, stations and apps where you may like to listen to podcasts.
Shop local shaming and small business messaging missteps.
On the other side of it, focusing only shop local shaming style campaigns and using a yell, tell, sell and insulting vibe is not drawing people in, it is pushing them away.
Moving the methodology and strategy of small business messaging to a place of authenticity, humility and respectful engagement can bring greater results.
Aggressive and fear messaging tends to keep other people’s walls up and ears closed. So many of the campaigns tend to trash the corporate stores and big business, while making an obligation statement about what you need to do, what you have to do and why you have to help, by shopping local.
You can get your point across without being rude. At the same time, being honorable and do not be selfish.
And… Telling me I don’t care about my community because I didn’t buy a product locally can be taken as very offensive, very assuming as well as very judgmental.
“Invite by explaining about you and your store. Market by educating about what you have. Message by sharing why it can be an advantage to buy from you… And consider staying in an authentic, sympathetic and relatable tone.”
It might not be true for everyone.
And, even in all of it, there is truth, but it is not going to be true for everyone. It is contradicting where someone having a hard time with their local business is telling others they are supposed to shop with them.
Yet, they give no consideration that those people might not be able to afford the costs required or for that matter, the ease of shopping.
By flipping the switch and considering a different way to explain with small business messaging that honors everyone, the chances of opening up that many more minds can happen.
Moving from shop local shaming with aggressive and fear messaging to a place of love and engagement can do worlds of good.
“Invite by explaining about you and your store, market by educating about what you have, message by sharing why it can be an advantage to buy from you and stay in an authentic, sympathetic and relatable tone.”
Consider taking a more honorable, understanding and respectful approach to draw in customers over using tactics that tend to insult, shame and push people away.
Shop local shaming and small business messaging missteps…
is the topic and touch point for s8. E6. n129. of the Wait What Really OK brand communications and optics podcast.
This brand communications and optics podcast is available here on Podbean as well as on most sites, stations and apps where you may like to listen to podcasts.
Is your messaging clear when others are sharing it or promoting it? A podcast blog supplement for Brand Communications and Optics Strategist Loren Weisman’s Wait What Really Ok Podcast.
Is your messaging clear?
When others represent or present you, is your messaging clear and still coming through the way you want it to? Some of the best intentions can still lead your message, your brand and your reputation in a bad direction.
Consider taking the time to brand, clarify and align your message with how it should be shared, what should be said as well as what shouldn’t be said.
You might be able to be crystal clear with the presentation, but from your marketing to others you have representing you, they have to hold that same clarity for maximum rech.
It’s not about ignoring ideas and it is not about every one having the same speech, it’s about being on the same page and planning in advance.
Social Media is not toxic. Social media sites are not toxic. It might just be that you’ve allowed the toxic people you follow on social media to make it toxic for you.
The way you want?
When others are representing you, they can do so differently than you, but they still need to be aligned with you and your message.
While someone might have a more assertive approach, listen to it and make sure it fits you. It doesn’t have to be your voice or delivery, but it does need to be your brand for continuity.
It goes beyond how you communicate your brand on social media. The same concepts of personal brand communication, should also be set in place for your personnel.
Is your message still coming through?
From how money is raised to how content is shared to the approaches and direction of promotion, marketing, and advertising, keep it uniform and keep it the way you want it. The stronger the brand messaging that considers more than just you as the messenger, the farther it will reach.
Take the time to ensure your message is coming through from the intention to the perception and from your delivery to anyone else delivering it for you.
This means, not just writing a bio, a one sheet, a marketing pitch or sales materials. This is about a full deep dive in to the discovery of your brand and the strategy to make it clear from customers and media as well as others you want to have representing that brand.
Work on honing that message and not just buying into the sales templates to sell. Focus on the message that can be used by numerous people to engage for greater results in the long term.
For media professionals, public relations, and content creators, producers, journalists, publicists, editors, on air talent, bloggers, reporters, podcasters, influencers, and researchers looking for an individual for an interview, commentary, opinion or differing views.
This includes but is not limited to TV, Radio, Print, Podcasts, Blogs and other earned and no fee media placement opportunities.
This Interview Information Sheet includes:
Introduction
Short Bio / Interview Views
Core Links for Loren Weisman
Topics for Interview and Commentary
10 Top Tier Topics
10 Second Tier Topics
10 Tertiary Tier Topics
Technical Interview Information Bullet points
Contacting Loren
Short Bio
Loren Weisman is a Brand Communications and Optics Strategist who specializes in illuminating authoritative intelligence and amplifying authentic experts. With a keen eye, ear and nose for detail as well as a passion for transparency, Loren is able to help authentic and authoritative businesses and individuals build robust brand and communication foundations that resonate in truth, transparency and professionalism.
Loren Weisman is a Messaging and Optics Strategist for the Fish Stewarding Group (FSG). Weisman keeps a focus on the communication, connotations, engagement, compliance and stability of each brand, persona or product.
Loren Weisman‘s speaking and talks focus on authentic and authoritative messaging strategies, marketing perceptions, audience optics and humble personalized engagement methods. Weisman is able to help authentically sound people seed their visions in good soil.
In interviews, Loren shares authentic, humble subjective and insult free viewpoints mixed with his authority and experience, in order to cover an array of topics in an inviting and engaging style that is media friendly.
Loren is happy to comment and discuss other topics as well, but will only accept interviews where he is sure that he can lend authenticity and authority to a conversation. Loren will also happily recommend others that might suit a topic request that he is not completely clear on.
Below are the top tier, secondary tier and tertiary tier topics that Loren Weisman engages on with the most strength from substantiated opinions to educating to explaining to commentary.
True and False Messaging Methods in Arts, Entertainment, books, TV and Media.
Negative, Penalizing and Claim Messaging in Sales.
The New Prompting Culture and the Al/plagiarism problems.
Comparison, Competition, Compliance and Connotations in Messaging.
Narrative, Brand and Storytelling Foundations.
Intention vs Perception in Messaging and Advertising.
Optics and Compliance of Subjective and Objective messaging.
Internet Messaging and differentiating popularity from authority.
The stability, security and oversaturation of words in publicity and promotion.
Pre-packaged, Prompted, Templated andFalse brands causing problems.
10 Second Tier Topics: Interview Information Sheet
Understanding messaging and how many are missing the mark.
How thinking politically in communication can help your business messaging.
Online compliance, the changes coming our way and what to do now.
Intention vs perception communication with customers and clients.
Humble Opinion vs Forced Claim Communication in your messaging and marketing.
Why it’s more expensive to promote when a brand doesn’t have correct messaging.
How messaging and marketing works for some and does not work for others.
Understanding the oversaturated and under accountable messaging in media today.
The problem with listening to the life coach and motivational types.
Building a transparent authority foundation instead of the expert/guru ego proclamations.
10 Tertiary Tier Topics: Interview Information Sheet
Differentiating steps and actions to separate those with authority from those with none.
How endurance content communication can create authentic engagement.
How do you execute a three-audience concept messaging style.
How the 25% to 75% missing story hype can harm your business.
How humility can beat hype, AI prompts, claims and reach farther today.
Learning to audit, revise and reset your messaging to individually suit you.
Identifying the expired experts, self professed experts and the one-time success coaches.
Basic and foundational formats and formulas of online messaging.
Building a sound and secure foundation for a brand, its story and its authority
Online reputation management and preventative maintenance actions for 2025.
Technical Interview Information Bullet Points
Loren has over 25 years of experience in the media and has an understanding of how interviews work.
Simply put, he knows the cues to stop, understands you do not wear green and knows that the focus is always on the story and the host, not him.
Loren frames all answers with subjectivity, not use any bad language or raise his voice. Loren does not interrupt hosts or other guests.
Loren will clearly differentiate subjective opinions from objective and proven facts.
He is there to help add authority and expertise, and not use an interview for self-promotion.
For video, he is available in full suit and tie, down to relaxed casual.
(Please request the look you are looking for in advance of the interview.)
For home video interviews, Loren has access to a green screen, quiet room and lights.
Loren never self-promotes during interviews and stays on topic and discussion.
Unless asked to share, Loren does not take pictures or film himself being interviewed or exploit and share any interviewing situation in any way, shape or form.
Loren will follow the promotional guidelines or standards requested of an interview and not discuss the interview topic, interviewer or media outlet unless asked to do so.
He has an understanding about holding on to a story and making sure it’s not shared till the chosen news cycle.
For higher echelon and larger interviews and media opportunities, Loren is happy to discuss and agree to exclusivity with a given source as well as a fair wait time to appear or be interviewed by a competitive media group.(These are on a case by case basis.)
Loren retains the right to share or not share interviews after they have aired on his website and social media if he chooses.
