How Famous Entrepreneurs Used the Public Marketing Strategy to Win Big

Why the Public Principle Creates Momentum

In marketing, visibility is everything. People are wired to notice what others are doing and to follow the crowd. Jonah Berger’s STEPPS framework calls this the Public principle—the idea that when behaviors are made visible, they spread faster.

We’ve all experienced this. When you walk by a busy restaurant with a line out the door, you assume the food must be good. When you see dozens of people using a certain software, you trust it’s reliable. And when your peers rave about a new product online, you feel the pull of FOMO—fear of missing out.

The Public strategy isn’t just theory. The world’s most famous entrepreneurs have built empires on it. Howard Schultz made Starbucks a lifestyle brand by making every cup a walking advertisement. Elon Musk leverages Tesla owners as advocates who proudly showcase their cars. Oprah Winfrey’s endorsement power comes from her ability to put her authentic experience on public display.

For today’s leaders in management and business, the lesson is clear: if you want your brand to spread, don’t hide it. Make it public. Put your product in people’s hands, let them showcase it, and build systems of visibility that reinforce your credibility.

This isn’t just a marketing tactic—it’s a leadership principle. Leaders shine a light not only on themselves, but on others who carry the vision forward.

Why Human Nature Follows the Public

At the core of the Public principle is human psychology. People gravitate to what others are doing because it signals safety, credibility, and relevance. If it worked for them, it might work for me.

Social proof taps into a deep survival instinct: following the crowd reduces risk. That’s why management and business leaders who leverage public strategies are often able to accelerate adoption. They lower barriers by showing, not just telling.

Apple mastered this by making its iconic white headphones hyper-visible, turning every customer into a brand ambassador. Nike built its empire by putting athletes front and center, showing real performance that others aspired to follow. These are textbook applications of the Public principle.

Action Task 1: Display Real People with Your Brand

The first step in creating a public marketing strategy is to highlight real people engaging with your product or service. This is more than stock photos or staged campaigns—it’s authenticity in action.

When Starbucks shares photos of actual customers enjoying drinks, or when gyms highlight members achieving results, it tells a powerful story: real people trust us, and you can too.

👉 Practical step: Entrepreneurs should actively capture and showcase their customers. Whether through photos, short video clips, or case studies, highlighting real users is the foundation of making your product visible.

Action Task 2: Influencer Marketing That Builds Trust

The second way to implement the Public strategy is through influencer marketing. When trusted figures with high engagement display your brand, visibility multiplies.

But here’s the nuance: in today’s economy, influencers don’t have to be celebrities. In fact, famous entrepreneurs and micro-influencers often outperform celebrities because they feel more authentic. A collaboration with a local fitness coach, niche podcaster, or respected community leader can sometimes drive more powerful results than a Hollywood endorsement.

👉 Practical step: Identify influencers who align with your values and audience. Collaborate authentically—sponsored posts work best when they feel like natural endorsements, not forced advertisements.

Action Task 3: Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC)

The third action task is to encourage user-generated content. UGC allows customers themselves to share their experiences publicly, turning them into advocates for your brand.

Think of Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign, which encouraged millions to post bottles with their names. Or GoPro, which built its reputation by letting users share incredible footage shot on their cameras.

For entrepreneurs in management and business, UGC is free, scalable, and authentic. When your audience posts about your brand on their own platforms, it multiplies reach and reinforces trust.

👉 Practical step: Create hashtags, contests, or simple prompts that encourage customers to share their stories. Then reshare their content to amplify it.

Action Task 4: Showcase Testimonials and Social Proof

The final action task in building a public marketing strategy is amplifying testimonials. Nothing is more powerful than real voices sharing their satisfaction.

From Amazon reviews to video testimonials on YouTube, customer voices validate your product in ways that no ad ever could. Leadership principles remind us that humility and transparency build trust—showing what others say about you is more credible than self-promotion.

👉 Practical step: Actively collect reviews and testimonials at every stage—post-purchase surveys, satisfaction kiosks, or short feedback forms. Then integrate those voices into your marketing channels to build ongoing credibility.

Bringing It All Together: Public Strategy as a Growth Lever

The Public principle is about making the invisible visible. Every time you put your product in public view—whether through real people, influencers, user-generated content, or testimonials—you multiply its reach and adoption.

This strategy aligns perfectly with how famous entrepreneurs built their empires. Richard Branson was never shy about turning Virgin into a public spectacle. Steve Jobs knew that sleek product design doubled as social advertising every time someone pulled out an iPhone in public.

For entrepreneurs, the challenge is simple but profound: are you hiding your product, or are you putting it into the spotlight where it belongs?

Conclusion: Shine Your Light Through Public Marketing Strategy

At its core, the public marketing strategy is more than tactics—it’s about visibility as leadership. As Matthew 5:16 reminds us: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Great leaders don’t hide. They shine their light. They amplify others. They understand that management and business success doesn’t come from secrecy but from visibility, credibility, and public trust.

So here’s the challenge: commit to making your brand public. Display real customers. Partner with influencers who align with your mission. Encourage user-generated content. Amplify testimonials. Do these consistently, and you’ll find that growth accelerates—not because you shouted louder, but because your customers carried the message for you.

That’s how famous entrepreneurs lead. That’s how you gain market share. And that’s how you build a business that not only thrives but inspires.

References

Baines, P., Fill, C. and Page, K. (2013) Essentials of Marketing. 2nd edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Berger, J. (2013) Contagious: Why Things Catch On. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Grant, R.M. (2019) Contemporary Strategy Analysis. 10th edn. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Johnson, G., Scholes, K. and Whittington, R. (2020) Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases. 12th edn. Harlow: Pearson Education.

Kotler, P. and Keller, K.L. (2016) Marketing Management. 15th edn. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.

Pulizzi, J. (2014) Epic Content Marketing. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.