Create Your Personal Brand
Just as
surely as building a powerful brand is the key to differentiating a product in
the marketplace and thus building a successful business, so creating a strong
personal brand is the key to differentiating yourself from your competitors,
thereby ensuring your own success as well as that of your business. Your
personal brand determines how people respond to you, whether they listen to
you, buy from you, how much they buy, what they are willing to pay, and so on.
Promises You Make
Your
personal brand makes a promise: “If you buy from me, you will receive a
specific value in return.” This promised value will be born from the values,
virtues, qualities, and attributes by which you become known. For example, you
may want to create a personal image—a brand—of a person who always operates at
a high level of integrity, consistently walks the talk, is an exemplary leader,
and goes the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction. Who is your ideal
customer? What values, virtues, qualities, and attributes will he be looking
for in a supplier of your product? Do you match this profile? If not, do you
have a burning desire to be this kind of person? These are the key questions
you must ask yourself when beginning to build your personal brand.
"The Power of
Branding"
Your
company's brand or even your own personal brand is what separates you from your
competition. And it's what will get your customers to buy from you over and
over again.
Get
more sales, be promoted quickly and earn MORE money than ever before when you
spread the word about the best brand in town—YOURS!
Promises You Keep
Unmet
expectations are the arch enemy of any relationship. This is no less true in
the relationship between you and your customers. Your brand as a person is
determined in large part by whether you consistently deliver on your promises.
Do you keep your word? Do you follow up? Do your words and actions match with
the image you want to create—that is, with the values, virtues, qualities, and
attributes you claim as your own? Constantly examine your behavior. When you
slip, resolve to get back on track. To build and sustain a powerful personal
brand, your message must be an accurate reflection on you, the messenger.
The Whole Package
Pay
close attention to your entire image. Of course, your character is of paramount
importance. But you make an impact on people in other ways as well. Your
appearance—the clothes you wear, your personal grooming, your posture—has an
enormous emotional impact on how other people see you, think about you, and
relate to you. Your attitude is vital. If you are genuinely pleasant and
cheerful in your interaction with others, they will enjoy being with you. They
will be more inclined to trust you and do business with you.
Overall Behavior
Your
overall behavior strongly influences the impressions others have on you. Be
punctual for meetings and appointments. Be absolutely reliable, always keeping
your word and your commitments. Should you fail in this area, communicate with
the other person as quickly as possible, offering your apology, explanation,
and assurance that it will not happen again. Pay close attention to the quality
of your work. In the long run, there is nothing that will so determine your
success in building and sustaining a powerful personal brand as turning out
high-quality work, over and over again, and over a long period of time.
Action Exercise
What
words do people use when describing you? What words do you want people to use
when describing you?
