I first encountered Sally at Social Media Marketing World 2013 where I saw her enthralling keynote speech. She had the entire audience take an online personality test. It wasn’t a test to figure out our personal strengths though, but a test that uncovers what makes us fascinating and unique to other people. So interesting
One awesome thing about her speech that sticks in my head is that she had a volunteer from the audience take a shot of Jaegermeister, a drink I personally feel is gross (come on, let’s all agree on this one thing: It’s gross and tastes like motor oil, right?). The volunteer clearly didn’t like the drink either, but the great thing was that Sally tied the whole experiment into an incredible lesson about branding, and how Jaegermeister is one of the top selling liquors in the world. It’s a brand that has developed a powerful following, despite its “yuck factor.”
Since then, I’ve read both of her books (Fascinate and her earlier book, How the World Sees You), and I’ve been quietly following her since. She’s an amazing and engaging speaker, and that translates well into her books.
What I love about Fascinate (Amazon link) in particular is how Sally breaks the large concepts down into simple and understandable ideas. She tackles complex concepts like charisma and helps the reader, through several examples, understand how we can become more charismatic to others. In other words, how to become more fascinating, which is something that we can all learn. It’s not just something that we are born with. We have to learn it. [Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, I receive compensation if you purchase through this link.]
This is extremely important in the online business world, and even more so when you’re building a personal brand. In order to succeed, you need to stand out and be fascinating to others, because if you’re not, people are going to latch onto others for advice, mentorship, and solutions.
She also breaks down seven different advantages that one could have over others, and as you read the book you begin to determine which ones align with you, and which ones don’t. I also like that she gets into the science of it, but without getting too “sciency” to a point where I can’t understand anymore.
One part of the book that really stood out for me was the section on power. Building a brand is a powerful thing, so your brand becomes a powerful tool that continues to grow, adapt, and stand out for what makes you and your brand unique. It makes you think!
Overall, Fascinate is a really wonderful take on the “how to learn marketing” thing we’re all dealing with in this space, and I highly respect Sally for writing it. Her honest approach to business and storytelling is inspiring. Okay, one last thing I’ll mention about the book before I go. There’s a story in the book where Sally recalls how much she hated her last name (Hogshead) early in her life. She was made fun all the time, and thought about changing the name. But she worked through it and later, when she grew up, embraced and owned it fully, which was a key part of establishing her brand and building her credibility in the business world.
If you’re curious about learning more about Sally’s story, you can check out her website.
Buy the Book on Amazon