Sean "Puffy/ Puff Daddy/ Diddy/ Brother Love" Combs is a great marketing strategist. He has remained relevant and dominant to hip-hop music, culture, fashion, business and entertainment over the past 20 years.
It may seem like Diddy is all over the place – with his varied interests in companies like Ciroc, Revolt, Sean John, Aquahydrate, and his role as an actor, presenter, rapper and music producer. However, last year he was recognised as one of the Forbes 100 Greatest Living Minds and he is usually in the top three of five of the wealthiest hip-hop artists of the Forbes list - this year ranking at number two.
So how does he keep all eyes on him? And more importantly, how can we all do it? I'll share five tips and tricks I have seen over the years, as a diehard Diddy fan!
1. Say Your Name
Whenever you get some airtime with a magazine, radio or TV station and they want to profile you it can be very exciting. You will often feel lucky to have been chosen for the segment, that you may forget they are also receiving the benefit of having your content and time! If you have ever seen an interview with Diddy on Ellen, Jimmy Kimmel or The Breakfast Club, he always has a bottle of Ciroc or Aquahydrate in the background.
He will not go on an interview for the sake of it - he is promoting his drinks, shows, music or movies. In the same way, you can place your products or services strategically into an interview – be sure to guide the conversation in a way that allows you to talk about your income-generating activities, to 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, Total, 112, and more recently, French Montana and Nipsey Hustle.
Whenever a record of theirs plays, it will at some point announce "Bad Boy". Diddy shaped, promoted and grew the careers of the musicians he worked with, which also extended his marketing reach. Zig Ziglar said, "You can have everything in life you want, if you just help other people get what they want." When you help other people achieve their goals, you 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 responded to Black Lives Matter with getting involved in building a charter school in East Harlem, the neighbourhood he grew up in.
Diddy makes marketing and dominance look like a breeze, and if you can consistently apply these five tips and tricks there will be a spot on the Forbes list with your name on it.
4. Know Your Target
Diddy is an outlier. He was born to a single mother, lost his father to gun violence at the age of two, and he is also a university dropout. He beat the odds of poverty and is inching towards becoming a billionaire. His audience is people who are looking to excel despite their circumstances and aren't interested in excuses. He appeals to people who want the finer things in life, proudly black, hardworking and also socially conscious. Do you know who you are trying to reach and how to reach them?
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!
Diddy makes marketing and dominance look like a breeze, and if you can consistently apply these five tips and tricks, there will be a spot on the Forbes list with your name on it. As Diddy would say: "Let's go!"