How To Sell Yourself Like Conor McGregor
Marketing tips from ‘Mystic Mac’.
In the history of the UFC, there has never been a fighter like Conor McGregor.
Throughout McGregor’s career, he’s held UFC titles at multiple weights, been arrested, fought in a boxing match for a bazillion dollars against Floyd Mayweather, and started a whiskey company that’s netted him hundreds of millions of dollars.
‘Mystic Mac’ doesn’t even hold a UFC belt anymore, but he’s still the most-followed-fighter in the sport by millions. Of the top 10 most bought PPV shows in UFC history, Conor McGregor’s name is listed in 6 of them.
Outside the cage, he’s built his personal brand from obscurity to a household name in just a few years. His story is an incredible case study on how to build a personal brand from literally nothing.
Whether it’s blogging, YouTube, or entrepreneurship, we can all learn something from the richest man to ever step foot inside the Octagon.
Skills are good, persistence is better
Anyone who closely watches mixed martial arts (MMA) will tell you, Conor McGregor is far from the best fighter on the planet. He’s been tapped out several times now and was knocked out in his last fight.
People who don’t follow MMA might know McGregor’s name or about his whiskey company, but they probably don’t know that he’s currently on a 2 fight losing streak.
McGregor uses these failures to help build his brand. A classic example of this is when McGregor was submitted by Nate Diaz in 2016. This loss didn’t break McGregor or ruin his career. Instead of wallowing or going into hiding, he took a rematch fight and hyped it up as his chance at redemption.
Then, he put in the work and won the fight. This propelled his stardom to a new form entirely. It was inspiring to witness a relentless comeback like that.
Okay, I know what you’re thinking, how the hell does this relate to me?
Let’s look at the writing world. As of 2019, there were 30,000 writers on Medium (there’s likely many more now). Also in 2019, there were 57 million people doing freelance work in the US alone. There are a ton of writers, but most of us don’t stand out. It’s not entirely because of a lack of skill, either.
Being a “good writer” is not enough to stand out in the writing world anymore. There are literally thousands of people who are “good writers”. What separates them is partially their branding but more importantly, their persistence.
This doesn’t mean skill is irrelevant — it’s crucial. However, if you’re going to build a brand, you need more than just linguistic prowess. To succeed in a seemingly saturated market, you need an everlasting determination to persist despite the possibility of failure.
Don’t hold back
“And I’d just like to say from the bottom of my heart, I’d like to take this chance to apologize — to absolutely nobody! The double champ does what the f — he wants!” — Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor’s quotes are absolutely ridiculous. This one is a bit mild.
They’re the kind of quotes that you read once and then read again to make sure that you’re eyes aren’t deceiving you. What makes these quotes stand out is the fact that McGregor had the audacity to say them out loud. They’re not just memorable, they’re unforgettable.
You can do the same thing with your content.
You can have the audacity to share a unique perspective that will turn heads and perk your reader's ears up. The audacity to be vulnerable, opinionated, flawed, and honest. My favorite writers roped me into their blogs and books due to their authenticity and audacity. The courage to be yourself can go a long way.
As a consumer, I’m looking for content I can relate to, and I can’t relate to perfection.
Conor McGregor is also known for making bold predictions before his fights. This blatant marketing tactic has also earned him the nickname “Mystic Mac” (yes, there are T-shirts). When viewers hear him on the night before a fight say, “I predict a knockout in the second round”, they’re drawn in and watching to see if his prediction is accurate. They have an emotional investment in his story.
In content creation, we do the same thing. No, you don’t have to predict your own viral posts or how many readers you’re going to get, but if you post about something you’re “going to do”, viewers won’t be able to help themselves… They will be curious to see if you succeed.
By telling stories that are personal and relatable, you draw interest. That’s how you’ll get fans, haters, and before you know it, a “personal brand”. You build this brand by being unapologetically yourself, for better or for worse.
Document everything
It’s a lesser-known fact that before Conor McGregor was the poster boy for the UFC, he was on welfare in Ireland. He also went through a period in his early 20s where he was working 12 hour days as a plumber’s apprentice.
Now, McGregor is reportedly worth well over $100 million. He has an incredible “rags to riches” story, and the best part is that he documented his entire journey to the top of the UFC mountain.
Released in 2017, McGregor’s documentary, Conor McGregor: Notorious is an amazing concept film that documents his journey over several years from unknown cage fighter to UFC megastar. It’s a relatable and inspirational story for anyone who’s on a quest but isn’t quite at their destination.
As a writer, you’re essentially creating your own written documentary by blogging online. Your blog is a reflection of your current experiences and ideas.
Throughout your career, these ideas will change and you will grow. Your writing will become better. The stories will change, characters will come and go, and you will evolve into a new character. At the beginning of Conor McGregor: Notorious McGregor is on welfare. In the end, he’s driving sports cars. The journey is what people want to see.
By blogging (or creating YouTube videos or any other documentation), you’re creating your own hero’s journey story that is told through your online content library. As the content grows, so does your story. Your life is a content gold mine, all you have to do is take the time to dig.
Talk the talk AND walk the walk
I’ve already said quite a bit about how you can sell your work based solely on what you say. Now let’s talk about quality:
Despite recent losses, Conor McGregor has earned all of his titles and accolades. In 2015, he knocked out Jose Aldo in just 13 seconds to make UFC history. He also beat Nate Diaz in the rematch, and then beat Eddie Alvarez to win his second title in 2016.
Despite all his marketing tactics, the biggest reason he made so much money was that he had an incredible amount of skill to back it up. You can say whatever you want, but if you don’t back your words up, people will eventually lose interest.
Clickbait might help you early on, but you can’t get to the top on BS alone.
Selling your ideas is a lot about what you say, but it’s also about how well you say it. A long-winded, unedited piece of content will not improve your career the way that a shorter, finer piece will. A masterpiece does not have to be a novel.
In sum, keep fighting
Building a successful brand or fight career isn’t about wins and losses, it’s about lessons and persistence.
In content creation, we often try things that just don’t work. That’s life. In fights, even the best fighters in the world get knocked out and lose. The difference comes down to who’s able to take their shots and bounce back.
“Life’s a rollercoaster. You’re up one minute; You’re down one minute. But who doesn’t like rollercoasters?” — Conor McGregor
Throughout Conor McGregor’s career, he’s been beaten up, choked out, and publically embarrassed. He’s still pushing and still selling. Failure sucks, but it’s not enough to break him.
If you love the game, why stop fighting (or writing)?