What Carrie Bradshaw Taught Me About Marketing

This week I had an epiphany. I realized that I learned quite a bit of my marketing knowledge from Carrie Bradshaw. Carrie, the lead character from Sex in the City, was one of the most popular TV characters back in the 90’s. She was as smart as she was interesting. And while I didn’t know it at the time, Carrie knew marketing. Carrie also knew branding and blogging and design. Had she been a real character in this decade, she would have been a natural expert in the world of internet marketing.

Carrie Believed in Branding

Carrie knew personal branding was important. Everything she did supported her branding efforts and she was really good at it. From her hip Manhattan apartment to her flamboyant outfits and curly hair, Carrie had a solid brand that all of us single girls loved. She set fashion trends and validated the fact that women could be single and happy. She gave new meaning to the word single, but that was not as important as the fact that she was happy and fabulous.

Competing in today’s online world is a multifaceted event. You can’t just pick one thing and focus on it. You have to create a brand to be successful. Your online persona is a huge part of your brand. As Google moves closer to a true author rank, this will only become more and more important.

Carrie Was an Excellent Blogger

Carrie was an amazing storyteller. Her column was an offline blog and she used it to speak to other single women throughout New York City. She didn’t just write, she told a story and she used her personal experiences to make a point or illustrate her message. She connected with her readers in the TV show and in real life she connected with women throughout America.

I started blogging when blogging wasn’t cool. Back then I was an early adopter and people though I was a nerd. I believed blogging and Web 2.0 were the future so I learned as much as I could about both. While I tried to figure out what type of writer I wanted to be, I stumbled a bit. But then I realized I liked Carrie Bradshaw’s style of story telling and I wanted to write in a similar manner so I adjusted by technology based blog posts into something Carrie would approve of. This form of story telling has served me well over the years. I’ve used blogging to drive successful online marketing campaigns and launch a startup.

I’m told I write like I talk, which many say is a good quality. I can thank Carrie Bradshaw for this because she taught me everything I know about writing a blog someone will actually want to read.

Carrie Knew Design Was an Important Part of the Overall Package

Carrie knew her newpaper column couldn’t stand on it’s own. While her column was powerful, it was text and in black and white. She needed some bling and style to bring it up a notch. In the online world, we call this design. Specifically blog or web design.

I wish I had Carrie’s since of style when it comes to clothing but I don’t. I do know having a professional design for your blog or website is critical. I may not know much about clothing, but I do know website design. Carrie taught me this is important.

If you are trying to standout on the internet, you need to think of the whole package. You can have an amazing product or web content, but you need to make sure you present it in the best possible light to your visitors. Whether you’re buying a premium WordPress theme for your blog or having your company website professionally designed, know that it does matter. And it helps differentiate you and it sets you apart from your competition.

Carrie Knew Big Was Worth Decoding

Throughout the show Carrie attempted to decode Mr. Big. She knew understanding his objectives and learning what made him tick would be beneficial to their relationship. She knew it was worth working at and she continued to cultivate it over time. For us viewers it seemed like she was chasing Big for an eternity. But Big was worth the challenge and she knew it.

Google is my Mr. Big. Similar to Big, I find Google complex and a bit confusing. Also like Big, I find Google worthy of my time to decode and worthy of a long-term relationship. I have pursued Google and tried to make it happy for years. I’ve invested in our long-term relationship.

If you’re embarking into online marketing, know there is a lot of competition. You will need to decode the search engines and you will need to build a long-term relationship with them. Success will take time, patience, and dedication.

Who is Your Carrie Bradshaw and What Can They Teach You?

This week when I realized the influence this show had on me, I laughed. If I had my way, I would have had someone real or a bit more tangible in nature be my influence. I can’t remember what made me connect Carrie Bradshaw and my marketing strategy a decade later, but something did and I had to quietly thank the creators of Sex in the City for not just entertaining me years ago, but for helping me piece together the marketer I wanted to be many years later.

Marketing inspiration can come from anywhere. The important thing to remember is that you need to figure out your style and you to take the time to fine your own voice. When you do your marketing strategy will begin to form and the marketer within you will shine.