Creating an undeniable brand and inspiring an audience like Alex Cooper from Call Her Daddy.
We’ve all heard of Call Her Daddy. The podcast, hosted by Alexandra Cooper, became a household listen when controversy hit when her now ex co-host and her went their separate ways, caught up in a difficult legal battle.
Despite the press coverage, the worldwide stories and the way the story gripped a ton of women, Cooper has successfully created an enviable brand since the split. She has grown, nurtured and gripped a nation of women and men. She has people on the edge of their seats every week before releasing new episodes. She has grown to be the number one podcast in the world. She has adoring, loyal and active fans that live and breathe the Call Her Daddy brand. She’s recognisable, charismatic and does everything for the community she’s fostered; the ’daddy gang’.
How has she done it?
Connection is a core trait of our humanity and we want to know we belong to something. No matter what it is, we want to have something to look forward to, someone that hears us, knows us and speaks to us in a way that we feel seen. The OG Call Her Daddy episodes spoke about sex. Bad sex was good content and the two women knew how to sell it. They did what no one else had done. They went all in and people responded to that. Some good, some bad, but overall, they united a community of women that felt connected to them.
Despite the controversy and the negative press that surrounded the brand for a bit, why did people stay? Why did her audience stay loyal? Why were they waiting for her on the other side?
With a strong brand, duh.
Despite the controversy that catapulted Call Her Daddy, Cooper has built a brand that defies the traditional model. From a podcast, to a personal brand, to a global brand, she’s grown a mass following all with some very simple, repeatable techniques, lots of hard work and some serious publicity. Even as a small business owner, you can take these and apply them to your own brand.
You need to get clear.
Get clear on what you stand for. Get clear on your values. Be crystal clear on your purpose. Knowing exactly who you are and why you exist is the first step. Without these foundations, you have nothing for your dream audience to resonate with, to connect to. These all play into your messaging and your messaging influences your audience to take action, to be inspired, to be attracted to and connected to your brand on a powerful, emotional level.
As a small business, you know what you do and how you do it, but do you know the reason why you do it? Understanding this and having a clear purpose will attract that elusive dream audience, allowing you to achieve those goals you’ve without a doubt got.
Ask yourself these questions
If money wasn’t a problem, what would you?
Why do you get up in the morning?
What do you excel at? Where do your strengths lie?
How are you solving a problem?
You need to show up.
Gone are the days are perfectly curated online businesses. There’s no need to be so static, so crisp, so clean. It’s the messy, the unfiltered that people connect with. We’re not suggesting you jump on TikTok and complain about every little thing a client does that annoys you. We’re saying it’s okay to show up as you, however that looks or feels.
Alex Cooper has continued to show us her personal brand, her personality and has revealed parts of her life that invites connection and emotional responses. We saw her go through a public friendship break up, battle with her IP, get engaged, move states, travel and so much more. Again, an extreme example, but it’s okay to be a little more open and inviting.
Relatability means relevancy in today’s world, so take advantage of it!
Just show the fuck up. Don’t be afraid. Just do it.
Keep your audience in mind.
Using CHD brand as an example, this puts in perspective the importance on doing everything for your audience. You need to know what they want, what they think, how they think. You need to tap into the deep psychographics of your people and understand what makes them tick, what are their deep desires, what are their triggers and how can you, for lack of a better word, exploit these, to the point where your brand becomes the only brand for them.
CHD is a cult status level brand and there’s no sign of it slowing down. She also knows what she does well and sticks to it. She doesn’t expand her offering too much. She keeps it small and she keeps it relevant. She has creative control. She has ownership. And she keeps showing up as her whole self.
Be undeniable.
Be strong, be important, be assertive and confident. Have opinions, be vocal about the things you’re passionate about. Consumers are different now. They’re not buying based on pure material needs. They’re buying based on emotional needs. They want to know you stand for the same things as they do, be aligned in your values and approach. Your dream audience needs to hear these things from you. They need to hear your opinion because they want to agree with you. They know there’s a person behind the brand and you need to give them a glimpse into something real and tangible, not just some wishy washy faceless brand like the millions of others out there.
We all want to belong to something. It’s a core human need. So, make your audience know and feel like they belong to something. Create an undeniable brand that takes cult status to the next level.