Building your brand is a personal task.
You cannot, nor should you, give someone else the responsibility for doing it. They are not you. You may end up with the equivalent of a manager or agent who takes an actor, musician or athlete and creates the brand they perceive will have commercial success or be desirable. Brands of some entertainers have been the equivalent of a roman candle – noise, smoke, a bright flame rising high, and then plummeting back to earth into the darkness.
An authentic brand can only be shaped and maintained by you.
Yes, you can have others assist and advise you – their insight and perspective may be of great value especially if they know you well and have the courage to remind you that you are better then you think or even reveal your blind spots. Be mindful to help keep your feet on solid ground and not get too full of yourself. There is a fine line between credible self-promotion and bragging.
Brand Builders:
1. Self-awareness and honesty required.
- Don’t deceive yourself into thinking you’re something you’re not. (No Narcissists please)
- On the other hand, being too modest is not good either. (If you’ve done it – OWN IT! Read a previous blog on this topic.)
2. Be memorable.
- A boring brand captures no interest or attention.
- Does yours need a make-over or update?
3. Get a tag line.
- A simple and interesting tag or hook that captures people attention and makes you memorable can be powerful. (Remember Nike’s – Just Do It!)
- Try to have your tag line reflect your “Why”
4. Periodic Updating Required
- Stale Bread is thrown out just like outdated brands are ignored.
- Ensure your social media and LinkedIn profile is current –e.g. have a quality photo of yourself and not your dog or a fish you caught.
5. Be Appealing
- Why would someone give you a second look? You have less than 5 seconds to capture and maintain interest. Are you worth a second look?
- Copy the best in class. Scan other people’s personal profiles to get ideas of how they are differentiating and promoting themselves.
If you can’t describe yourself in a compelling and appealing way how will others?
A great exercise to get you started with Building your Brand is my “Elevator Pitch” outline.
