Many people think branding is the domain of big business. The concept of branding has however evolved vertically. Brands now extend upward to countries and downward to individuals.
Branding is about creating a brand personality that people immediately associate with and creating a brand identity with which people form strong emotional connections, because it promises benefits of some kind or another.
Brands actually have no personality and no real reason to cause an emotional reaction in people. But they do, because it’s all about the power of perception: the perception that you are better off choosing one brand over another.
Everything people see, hear and feel about a brand matters. People do not differentiate between their experience of a brand in a company’s foyer or through media advertising. What they care about most is whether a brand affirms or misrepresents its promise to them during those interactions
The same branding principles apply to personal brands. Everyday your personal brand represents you in a number of ways, either working for or against you. Everything you say, do and portray leaves imprints on the people you interact with.
This means if you don’t take control of your personal brand, it will take control of you.
You need to find that strong and unique identity that is immediately recognisable as you, that creates the perception that an employer or client is better off buying you than someone else.
Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson and Nelson Mandela have mastered their personal brands by defining what they stand for, what makes them unique and desirable and living their lives accordingly.
Although each of us already has our own personal brand, very few of us have actually sat down to think about what it is. We need to take stock of who you are; of what's clever and special about you, and what you offer as a person.Ask yourself:
Who am I and what do I stand for?
What makes me unique?
What is immediately recognisable about me?
The success of any brand depends on how people feel about themselves when they interact with a brand. People brands are no different. It is what people say about you that ultimately determines whether they see you as someone who adds or erodes
value, no brand statement is more powerful than making the people around you feel comfortable about themselves when they interact with you.In ascertaining whether you add value or not ask yourself a number of challenging questions:
How do people perceive me?
Have I asked them?
Is that how I want to be perceived?
If not, can I change it?
If I decide to change it, what will I change it to?
Will I be able to live up to my new brand?
Be honest, because once you define your brand, everything about you needs to reflect this
In creating your personal brand, the 6 Ps of branding will assist you in defining your brand.
Purpose
Building a strong brand is about more than just making money. It is about serving a purpose; something you really believe in.
Action: Define your purpose. Remind yourself of your purpose – write it down, pin it up and talk about it as often as possible.
Passion
Great brands are fuelled by passionate people.
Action: Get excited. Capture people’s hearts and minds. Keep yourself energised, as your energy will be transferred to others.
Planning
Great brands don’t just happen; they are built over time according to a plan.
Action: Decide what you want your brand to be known for, consider what it will take to get there and then put a coherent plan in place to take you from where you are now to where you want to be. Be specific and deliberate in putting your plan together.
People
Great brands are built by teams of people who come together and feed off each other’s energy, play to each other’s strengths and work synergistically to make things happen.
Action: Work hard on fostering powerful relationships. Connect with those who want what you have. This does not mean sucking up, it just means that you, like any other brand, need brand advocates – people in positions of influence who appreciate your brand so much that they will advertise you.
Play
Great brands are built when people have fun.
Action: See the process of developing a brand as fun, engaging and energising. Life is short; play more.
Perseverance
Truly great brands are built through resilience and a willingness to solve a problem when things go wrong.
Quoting Robbie Brozin, the Founder and CEO of Nando’s: “There is a very, very, very fine line between success and failure…. It is about being constantly hammered and coming back from the hard times and low moments.”
Action: Personal branding is as much about distinguishing yourself as it is about taking yourself to new heights. Believe in yourself.
1 comment:
What a great post. Just loved what you said here ... Amazing !
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