Invent and Brand Yourself

Proust said that the real journey of discovery is not to see new
lands but to see with new eyes. This week we look at some things that
you can do over this festive period to enhance your personal brand.

To make a great brands there are a few simple principles that can
guide us

The brand represents the promise behind the
brand.

For personal branding you have to ask yourself what you promise? What
are the things that you are willing to personally guarantee? What will
you go the extra mile for in being know for that.

To define this brand promise it is important to ask some important
questions:

a) What are your goals for the next year?

When looking at your goals for a branding purpose you have to look
outside of yourself and start looking at how you want to influence
others including your family, community, customers, employees, your
organisation and the world at large. By contextualising your goals you
start defining a direction in which to channel your energy. Energy that
remains locked up inside of you turns into frustration – so start
exploring where you want to put it.

b) What message do you want to deliver in your environment to advance
your goals ?

Whatever your goals – there is a message that needs to be delivered
to communicate them to those around you. If you see that you need to
study to get a new job or a promotion – you need to be practical and
look at how you present yourself in the workplace. Do you come across as
a go-getter that will take things to the next level or are you
communicating a message of despair and not being taken seriously. The
worst way to get funding for a course that you want to do is to look
incompetent – it is better to show enthusiasm and start working towards
positioning a brand message that says – I want to be better at what I am
doing (I am already good) but you will have more value from me if I
understand this aspect better.

Making a list of characteristics or values that you want to be known
for may help. Do research and find the values or characteristics that
really matter for you. This will help you create a strong brand that you
really believe in.

Write it down in a format such as “I want to be know for (being
innovative) so that I (can work on more exciting and challenging
projects)” or “I want to be known (as a hard worker) so that I (can
ensure that my family is secure at all times)”. You can also define
things you want “I want to be know as an MBA graduate so that I can
effectively run large organisations”. These statements represent what
you are thinking and become affirmations. It is also a powerful reminder
of why you are doing something. Ask yourself as well if the
characteristic will lead to the result. Does hard work translate into
security? If you can think through it – you may see that there are other
ways as well. When you are finished a few statements should define the
key messages that you want to communicate.

The experience of the brand exceeds the expectation created
by the brand promise.

Just having some statements that defines what you want is important
but the brand promise must communicate the potential of the brand and
deliver more than expected.

If you buy a product and later you find that it is not exactly what
was promised – it undermines your confidence in the brand. If you do
find a product that exceeds your expectations you start telling other
people. This is important as it represents the brand promise.

How do you get closer to being the brand that you want to project? It
is going to take work to create that wow factor. Ask yourself in a
situation what others expect and deliver more. It is not just about hot
air and saying that you will do something – but taking on stretch goals
that put your closer to your goals.

If you said that it is important to study, then enrol. If you want to
make millions in trading the stock market then start by saving some
money and finding out how to open a brokerage account. Acting in the
direction of your brand allows you to start creating value. It may also
point to things that you need to stop doing – don’t waste time getting
into fights about things that are not important to you – but rather
direct that energy into things that are.

The brand remains consistent and relevant.

Brands must look at optimising the experience around emotional and
functional contact points to ensure that the brand message is
communicated and experienced in the desired way.

By being consistent and relevant the brand message re-enforces
itself. If you consistently produce good results you get associated with
good results. When people talk about you – you must highlight the good
results that were produced. When people talk about bad results that you
achieved – you must take note, if possible communicate clearly what you
will do to turn the situation around and achieve good results. Never
fight – because then you get associated with fighting and remember that
your objective was to get associated with good results to start
with.

A brand creates and advantage that optimises the positioning
of the product or service in relationship to other products or
services.

This applies as much to you personal brand. You need to ensure that
it remains consistent and true to whom you are.

To be consistent means that people can predict what to expect of
you.

When this happens you start to be seen in a particular way and this
creates visibility. When you become visible you start to be seen and
this tends to promote you further. If you always stick to deadlines,
then people start saying that that person sticks to deadlines, this
changes to this person always gets things done and when looking at
promotions the boss compares two potential candidates and when asking
around it becomes clear that this person is very particular about
deadlines. By taking a small behaviour it created advancement. This
works in reverse as well – if you are always absent, people know you as
someone who is not there when it promotion time comes – they rather take
the person that has a better brand. This positioning differentiates you
from others.

The brand leverages all applicable marketing tools and
media.

Remember that brands get built in all settings. From the point where
you walk into your house, your car, your Facebook page, your Tweets and
your blog. What you say informally and formally – each of these elements
make up your brand. The association with other brands also shape your
brand statement. We all know if you hang out with dodgy people, you
become dodgy yourself – so attach yourself to people you want to be like
and build your company in the areas you are interested in.

In a digital age it is important to manage your brand identity online
very carefully as well. The same principles apply – what do you want to
say, what do you want to be known for and how are you using all the
services out there to deliver a consistent message of who you are. You
cannot be all things to all people and your Facebook friends will find
you on Linked-in as well. You need to manage your identity and your
brand message on these channels as much as anywhere else. It is also no
use not being on these services – as you have better control by being
active, rather than shying away.

Brands protect the equity value of organisations over
time.

It is much easier to turn around and say – I am this or I am not that
when you are known to be something. This is the objective of building a
brand. It allows your message to spread without you being there. It
makes you stand out in a crowd and be the real you, because you decided
that is who you are. As with all things it is important to be the
authentic self so that you can get the most out of being yourself.

Conclusion

Personal branding is as much about the tie that you wear and the
company that you keep, as it is about who you are inside of you. It is
no use just keeping it inside of you and finding ways to express your
true identity is important in building a strong and consistent brand
that over time will enhance your personal worth.

You can be anything you want to be – as long as you are yourself.