Marketing Tips from Charles Manson

This is the second post in a series of unlikely sources for marketing and business tips. You can read the first one – Marketing Tips from Adolf Hitler – by clicking here. Charles Manson is a sick man – but he was also a smart man. With his four years of schooling and an average I.Q. of 109 (later tested at 121), I would say that he was definitely a smart man. But as the saying goes, theres a very thin line between genius and insanity and I believe that Charles Manson crossed that line.

However, in this article, we’re going to look over the things Charles Manson did and pick out some of the points that will help you in your marketing, and business in general. I hope you enjoy the article, and please, feel free to leave comments at the end of the article to let me know your thoughts.

1. Confidence in yourself – When you hear Charles Manson talk, you see that he believes highly in himself. He has a set viewpoint on what he is and how he does things, and he operates under that at all times. In interviews or writings he has done, you can tell that he built up a reality around himself and there are a lot of people out there now who believe his reality – they believe in him because he belives in himself. When you speak with potential clients, make sure you exude that confidence. They’ll take notice if you do – and if you don’t.
2. Loyal Followers – Charles Manson had a lot of women around him who would do (and did do) anything he told them to. Not because he was a hard ass, but because they loved him and wanted to please him. With that loyal following, he had everything he wanted in the palm of his hands. Even while in prison, he has a flock of women who write him & swear that they love the man.
3. Learn where to align yourself – Having the term “Helter Skelter” associated with him, which was a Beatles song, aligned Charles Manson with music & subsequently, with pop culture. This has made him a legend and one that pop culture, to this very day, still talk about. He recorded songs before the murders, and after his arrest, the songs were released commercially – with bands such as Guns N Roses & Marilyn Manson covering the music. How can you align yourself in your particular industry? Are you a lone wolf or can people recognize you because of something you’re aligned with?
4. Have a game plan & stick to it – Charles knew that he had “The Family” under his control and he knew that anything he said to them can, and would be carried out. When he mentions Helter Skelter around a campfire, he explained that he would release an album of music that would give subtle messages to the world and a race war would start. The remaining humans out of that race war would then be under The Family’s power. He had a clear game plan and he stuck to it. What is your game plan? Do you have points of attack on your target market? If not, why?
5. Make a lasting impression – I know in the points above I mention how Charles Manson has cemented himself in pop culture, but I think that it needs to be mentioned again. Charles Manson has definitely made a lasting impression – one that transends from movies, to music and operas. Wrong or not, Charles Manson will go down in history and his name will be forever known. What are you doing that will make your life memorable? If you’re not doing anything worthwhile, what are you really doing?

Disclaimer

No, I do not like Charles Manson. No, I do not approve of the things he did. No, I am not a psychopath. So, before the hate filled comments start flooding in, please read this over again. This post is the second in a series of unlikely sources that we can learn marketing tips from. I hope you enjoyed the article. You can read the Marketing Tips from Adolf Hitler article by clicking here.