If Innovation In the Marketing and Sales Space Intimidates You Don’t Read This

The Top Down Paradigm Is Due for a Change | Here It Is

The Prominent Person of Impact (PPI) is an entirely new concept that came about while I was writing my book (about to be released) “Learn How to Build A Brand for Smart People In Under 2 Hours.” My answer to the “books for dummies series.” My way of looking at it is if you find my book in the first place you are among the “smart” set and not the “dummies” set, besides why start off any entrepreneurial journey with a negative connotation in the back of your mind like “dummies?” (Please maintain your sense of humor here people).

So, the PPI, what was my inspiration to go to the point of developing a completely new and innovative role for the marketing and sales space? The inspiration was this, as I did my research for my book, (just passed final edits!!!), I was searching solopreneurs and entrepreneurs that were killing-it online and what I discovered was nothing short of amazing!

I came across these wildly successful content creators that had found the secret sauce for what the consumer was craving from a brand. They all shared this seemingly innate understanding of what their customers were needing from them in order to sign on to their brand and purchase products from them.

They figured out that their customers were craving authenticity and a sense of connection with the brand, a part of a community centered around the company. Other commonalities among these solopreneurs were that they all seemed to genuinely want to provide valuable content for their customers and provide it at no cost, a sincere effort to try and help their customers educate themselves concerning whatever pain-point they had identified.

Along with providing content they shared the practice of providing feedback loops for their customers to engage with them and so the customer could know without a doubt they were being heard. Many of them actually adopted suggestions they received as feedback from customers.

As a result, these entrepreneurs were enjoying large followings and many of them were pulling down six and seven figures. In a side by side comparison to a big company and adjusted proportionately for size, they were outperforming many of them. Yes, a single person armed with a cell phone, a couple cheap box-lights, a tripod and an idea were “spanking” corporate America, and still are.

Once it sunk in and I realized that these content creators had figured out what the shift to digital marketing and sales meant and that they had intuitively crafted a framework that not only served the customer in a superior way but actually produced a more loyal customer base that advocated for the brand without having to be asked, then I had to ask my self the obvious question, “How could a company, with staff and overhead, emulate the success of these entrepreneurs who were for the most part operating out of either their bedroom or garage?”

Enter the PPI

My answer to this question was why not create a position, a role that would act as the brand’s ambassador and engage with the customers much like a solopreneur or entrepreneur would? The more I toyed with the idea the more I felt compelled to go all-in and map out what this role would look like from concept to implementation.

The following lays out what I think is the most innovative and game changing role introduced to the marketing and sales space in fifty years, and when plugged into my Collaborative Business Ecosystem (see the article 1/8/25 on my LinkedIn), it is an unstoppable force.

It is the perfect answer as to how large companies can participate in the digital economy and garner the same type of brand loyalty and brand advocacy that comes with an online community that solopreneurs are able to develop.

If the challenge of the digital economy to top-down traditional companies was a werewolf, then the Prominent Person of Impact (PPI) is the Silver Bullet! I would print this article and put it in a file next to the January 8th article on CBE because between the two of them which at this point are free, you could literally transform your marketing and sales program and ignite your team’s productivity.

The Prominent Person of Impact | Vision for the Role

Overview of the role:

• The PPI becomes the face of the brand and must represent the company’s mission, values and vision at all times when interacting with the public. (I can already hear gasps coming for the CEOs, just take a deep breath and keep reading, you will see the upside to this new role, but you have to check the ego).

• The PPI spearheads all content-driven marketing efforts for the brand, embracing and aligning all team members according to the Collaborative Consumer Engagement (CCE) framework.

• While a pivotal and highly esteemed position, central to the company strategy, the role is transferable and should evolve with the company’s needs. That being said there is a need for balance here. For the role to become effective the leadership must support the role with a view to patiently developing an individual overtime. A high turnover rate in this position would render it ineffective, however a company should never feel like it is being held hostage by any single PPI.

Core Responsibilities:

• Brand Advocacy: The PPI must represent the company in an authentic and sincere manner in public forums, videos, and podcasts. This would also include workshops, webinars and on social media.

• The PPI must work to humanize the company, overcoming any corporate stigma as to instill a sense of community among its customers. This can be done by sharing real, relatable stories, experiences and insights that resonate with the targeted demographic.

• Content Creation and Presence: serve as the primary spokesperson for collaborative content and any educational content made available.

• Be the driving force for engagement initiatives like public interviews, video series, blog posts and thought leadership pieces that demonstrate innovation of thought and can move listeners.

• Community Engagement: Foster two-way communications, including established feedback loops, with customers, strategic partners, and anyone with a vested interest in an initiative or marketing campaign.

• Be responsive in the comments section when appropriate, to consumer inquiries, and feedback with a view to building trust and authenticity.

• Collaborative Leadership: Work closely with teams across the company to establish a consistent and unified message for the brand.

• Mentor junior team members in how to become brand ambassadors and establish a collaborative mindset as part of the company culture.

Strategic Alignment with the Collaborative Business Ecosystem (CBE) Framework:

• Replacing Traditional Roles: The PPI role consolidates and evolves the traditional marketing and sales positions into a single, holistic, impact-driven role. (All you lean folks should love this).

• The focus shifts from selling to building relationships and creating value.

• Consumer-Centric Approach: As a vital part of the CCE Track, the PPI ensures the company’s marketing efforts are focused on consumer collaboration and education, moving away from top-down transactional tactics.

• Adaptability for the Future: Should the PPI transition out of the role the company’s collaborative culture ensures a seamless transition with successors ready to continue the legacy of collaboration and consumer engagement.

What Are the Characteristic of an Effective PPI?

• Authentic: Must genuinely embody the brand’s values and connect with audiences on a personal level.

• Storytelling Ability: A knack for creating a compelling narrative that can educate, entertain, and move to action (inspire).

• Thought Leadership: Capable of positioning the brand as a leader in its industry through innovative ideas and insights.

• Adaptability: Open to always learning and adapting when the market and the customer base is requiring change. Able to perceive a shift in consumer expectations.

• Collaborative Spirit: Willing to collaborate with both internal and external teams to ensure the greatest possible impact of collaborative initiatives. Always looking for and trying to facilitate the win.

How to Train and Develop for the PPI Role:

• Provide media training for effective communications on multiple platforms.

• Offer coaching in emotional intelligence and self-awareness to enhance relatability and leadership skills.

• Develop expertise in content creation and strategy, consumer psychology, and collaborative marketing practices.

How to Measure the Success of the PPI:

• Engagement Metrics: Track audience interactions across various platforms (likes, comments, shares, etc.).

• Brand Perception: Use surveys and live Q&As to gauge sentiment, trust, and connection with the PPI.

• Collaborative Outcomes: Measure how well the PPI fosters partnerships and collaboration between internal and external teams as well as co-creation opportunities.

• Team Development: Assess how well the PPI instills and mentors others on brand ambassadorship.

Future Vision for the PPI Role:

• As the CBE program becomes widely adopted the PPI role will be a game-changer and will redefine how consumers and businesses come together.

• Over time organizations will develop PPI succession plans to ensure a long-term continuity of their Collaborative Consumer Engagement strategies.

PPI | We’re Just Getting Started

The contrast to traditional marketing and sales hierarchies is dramatic and demonstrates the inefficiencies of how its always been done with an adaptable, innovative and very engaged role that fosters brand advocacy and loyalty beyond anything possible with the segmented and specialized, and ineffective traditional model.

The PPI role is what the market is telling us it not only needs but demands from brands. As a leader you really only have two choices, you can ignore the “billboards” telling you this role is needed or you can begin to develop this role now and begin your transformation from transactional to a Collaborative Business Ecosystem, the most innovative and sustainable marketing and sales framework for the digital economy. Own the entire system and start training your team-get the book-it has just been released on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXF5RCFM

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Joe