Why Being a Geek is the best Way to Influence People

Hello my Digital Crusaders,

This article is about being geeky, and why this is the best way to promote your business and ideas. After this experience, you will have all the requirements to become a successful geek yourself.

Let’s start this session with a guy,…

The wine guy

I don’t like wine. I don’t like the look and the way it tastes. I think it’s disgusting. But you know what ? I watch a Yankee talk (scream?) about it every other week, because I’m amazed by his passion and they way he shows it. You know I’m talking about Gary V. This guy has build a kick-ass personal brand around his digital whine show. A lot of his fans (like me) couldn’t care less about the smelly liquid, but he’s sooo captivating, that you WANT to know more. Gary V. is a geek.

Why geeks are successful

True geeks gain a massive following in their niche – they captivate the audience with their knowledge and shiny passion. They know everything about their subject, because they live and breath it day and night. They are fanatics, but in a good way. Their obsession is so strong, that it will heavily influence you. A master geek has the power to turn YOU into a geek. And when that happens, everything is possible.

Let me show you two digital geeks who dominate their topic:

Everett Bogue is obsessed with minimalism. He finds that passion in everything he does, be it business, cooking or lifestyle design. When you enter his minimalist world, you want to become a part of it.

Not only is he living and breathing that part, but he’s also owning the keyword. Type minimalist in Google and see what I mean.

Chris C. Ducker. He owns an outsourcing company in the Philippines. Now this guy is luving the virtual assistant idea. He blogs, makes videos and even Ustream sessions about it – with an infectious smile on his face. You know how he calls his ebook ? VA – saving the day the virtual way !

(Hint: What defines a successful geek: He makes you feel shameful if you don’t share the same obsession )

I’m telling you – by the end of this year I will have a VA myself. And I’ll blame Chris for that.

Both of them are rocking their business the geeky way.

Upgrade your inner geek in 3 quick steps:

Level 01 – Find your fire, and specialize

This is super-easy. Everything that gives you that sunny-in-your-tummy feeling has geek potential. Ideally, you want to make it your job. If you are into charity, turn that into geek magic and become specific. What do you like especially about it ? The giving, the community feeling, the idea of making a difference, helping people in need ? Whatever it is, pick the strongest one and own that keyword. Become Sherry, the go-giver-girl.

Level 02 – breath it like the mint-flavored air

You got your topic, now become a master. Learn everything about it. The pros, the cons, the alpha and the omega. Fully immerse yourself in it. Treat your topic like an ocean, and dive deeply into it. Never surface again. Put in your 10,000 hours and became a genius. Don’t do it all day (you need variety), but do it everyday, for the rest of your freaking life !

Level 03 – Unleash it

Promotion time. If you think you have a topic that doesn’t interest people, then you are right.  Because that’s the kind of impression you will give people. No one will care if you don’t care.

So, let’s say you are a vegetable geek, and you have a blog which you want to turn into a business. You now could blog about it, and say why eating healthy is cool and useful, or you could become geeky and specific about it:

• make videos on how you cook and eat your veggie-meals (along with all the screw ups)
• have a web design that’s green and equals vegetables
• Nominate your favorite easy-to-cook veggie-meal of the week
• Call your readers Veggers
• post a veggie photo-series, and make funny faces
• tell me what eating veggies should be considered a religion

You know what I mean. Geek all the way.

I know this is over-the-top, but that’s what will make the biggest impact. The biggest and most successful influencers are geeks themselves.

How far can you take this ? Ultra-far. If you think you have reached a limit, then you aren’t geeky enough.

Geeks rule the world. It’s not a belief, it’s a fact.

You will only make your customers and clients geeky about your products/services if you are geeky about them yourself. So when you talk and write about your passion, blow the world away with your knowledge and fire. Choose the keyword that people must associate with you, and own it. Find a cool word that harmonizes with your name. Your name is Wayne, and you luv those vegetables ? Become Veggie-Wayne !

The world is all yours.

What’s your object of geekiness ? And how do you show it ?

And please retweet and Facebook-share this message !

PS: A strange thing has happened: I have started drinking whine now. You know who’s fault that is.

Tagged as: Branding, geek, Influence, online business, online marketing, personal brand