Truth in Advertising, or a Lesson in Vulnerability

Posted on July 10th, 2009 by Keith Ferrazzi
Sy Sperling, Hair Club for Men

Sy Sperling, Hair Club for Men

“I’m not just the president of the Hair Club for Men, I’m also a member.”

That’s got to be one of history’s most famous – and successful – slogans. OK, also one of its most mocked slogans, but mocked or not, it’s sold a lot of hair.

So why is it so effective?

Clearly, using your own product is the strongest endorsement you can give it. But I think it’s more than that. It’s a winning slogan because it’s also a brave act of vulnerability. It’s Sy saying, “I’m here and I’m bald!”

Here are three specific benefits of vulnerability that you can see at work in the Hair Club slogan:

1.    Safety: By showing your cards, you create trust. Trust means safety, and safety is a place where you’ll get the best from others – their best ideas, their best (ie most honest) feedback, their fullest expression of themselves.

2.    Empowerment: When you put it all out there, you’ve got the power of having nothing to hide.

3.    Commonality: People see that you’ve walked the walk – and your willingness to share confidently also shows them that you’ve faced challenges and won.

So remember: Vulnerability isn’t a weakness. It’s the most profound kind of courage there is: The courage to be who you are.

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2 Responses so far | Have Your Say!

  1. Another great post, Keith!

    If I may share an example from my business (social networking coaching)-- my "product" is the understanding of the Purpose and Nuances of How To use a 15-minute checklist for LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter for effective business networking and marketing.

    I always tell my prospective clients (and current clients) that it's the exact same list I use in my daily networking. In fact, when I'm doing my daily online social networking I go to the 15-minute checklist slides, which are publicly accessible within this slideshow: http://tr.im/socialslides

    And as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter changes their service, I also update those slides and continue using them.

    I guess my motto would be:
    "I'm not just the creator of the 15-minute checklist for LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. I'm also its most devoted user!"

  2. Love this, Keith... this speaks to belief in the product to solve a problem and being okay with admitting that I have a problem!

    I think the mocking/ridicule is because most people do not know how to deal with someone actually admiting that they don't have it all together and need help.

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