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What does it mean to
consider yourself a brand? When Ralph Lifshitz wanted to become a
famous fashion designer, he didn’t start by working 24 hours a day
designing clothes. The first thing he did was to change his name to
Ralph Lauren. Branding seeks to create a better perception. Not a
better product. So your role is to make the changes necessary to
create a better perception. The principles for creating a “Personal
Brand” are spelled out in great detail in “The Brand Called You.” In
this book, you will understand, too, that it’s not enough “to
understand the principles.” What you will need further is the
flexibility of mind to actually adopt and use these principles.
What is Personal
Branding?
Personal Branding is the process that takes your skills, personality
and unique characteristics and packages them into a powerful identity
that lifts you above the sea of anonymous faces and competitors. Your
personal brand is the powerful and clear idea that comes to mind
whenever they think of you. It therefore should be positive and should
represent what you stand for – the values, abilities and actions that
others associate with you. A Personal Brand is an alter ego designed
for the purpose of influencing how others perceive you and turning
that perception into opportunity. It does this by telling your
audience three things: 1) Who you are; 2) What you do; and, 3) What
makes you different or how you create value for your target market.
Personal Branding Rule No. 1
You must tell and ultimately show business prospects why they should
choose you over someone else. From this point on, follow Personal
Branding Rule No 1: “Always assume the world is utterly indifferent to
your business, no matter how good you are. Your task is to grab
customers by the hand and make them care.”
Who Needs Personal Brand?
Any business built around the ideas, skills, passions and leadership
of an individual can benefit from a Personal Brand, which is
custom-crafted for that person. It does not necessarily have to be a
one-person business, just one in which the identity of a single person
is synonymous with the company. Three categories of business need
Personal Branding:
1.
Independent Service Professionals: actors,
agents, artists, architects, authors, caterers, CPA’s, dentists,
travel agents, speakers, trainers, etc.
2.
Personal Service Businesses: owners of
gyms, tanning salons, bakeries, computer repair shops, child care,
tailors, cleaners, etc.
3.
Value-Adding Product Sellers: bookstores,
record stores, specialty retail, gourmet shops, etc.
What a Personal Brand Does?
A Personal Brand is all about influence. It influences how people in
your target market perceive you. To be effective, your Personal Brand
must evoke three basic perceptions in the minds of your target market:
1.
You are different.
Differentiation, or the ability to be seen as new and original, is the
most important aspect of Personal Branding.
2.
You are superior.
Your brand must encourage the belief that you are among the best at
what you do in some way - faster, providing better service, having the
latest technology, and so on. Being seen as a leader in your field is
critical to gaining the confidence of people who don’t know you
personally.
3.
You are authentic.
Great Personal Brands are “spin-free zones.” Your brand must be built
on the truth of who you are, what your strength is, and what you love
about your work – and it must communicate this to your market.
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