Tips and Tools for Achieving Your Brand!
Ever thought about increasing your net-worth?
5-Step Personal Brand Development Process
Oprah photo credit: Getty/Paul Redmond
When you hear the word brand what do you think? For many people the idea of a brand is something other than themselves, it’s something inanimate, tangible, a product of sorts. It is not uncommon that when asked what a brand is, many people say Nike, Apple, Samsung, etc. because that is what most have come to associate with the word ‘brand’.
But what if I tell you a dirty, little secret? You are a brand! Yes, you are! The only difference between you and Nike is that there was a team of strategic minds that carefully constructed the brand name, brand identity, brand imaging, brand messaging and brand positioning. I know you are thinking, but they are a business, they are a team, that’s their job! And I will agree with you 100%, then I would ask you to look in the mirror and ask yourself, then whose job is it to develop your brand? [By the way your parents already gave you a name, it is now your job to make it a profitable entity.]
Now let’s think about Oprah and Richard Branson. Both are multi-billion moguls who have built empires that have global reach in diversified industries. Oprah's net worth is 3.5 billion and Richard Branson's 4.8 billion. Their net-worth is extensive because they carefully crafted a personal brand ‘big’ enough to allow them to capitalize on opportunities that reflect their life’s mission and vision of a success. Building strong brand equity is the precursor to increasing your net-worth.
Right now you may have a job. You may be happy at said job, and when people ask you what are your long term goals, you answer in terms of a career role. However, I want to challenge you to realize that if this is your answer, you are solely viewing your worth in regards to a job/corporation not in terms of your brand equity and market value. So how do you remedy that situation and start to build your brand? By rewiring your thinking with my proven 5-step personal brand process.
The 5-Step Personal Brand Development Process
Step 1: Develop a mission
Not a James Bond mission, but a defined mission like you would if you were launching a business. The key here is to introspect and create a statement that reflects your life purpose. For example, mine is ‘to inspire and empower individuals to develop their full potential!’ When I developed my mission, I thought about it in regards to what I want my legacy to be at the end of the road. Key here is to remember that your brand’s mission is not tied to a specific job, title, or corporation – that is way too narrow.
Step 2: Develop your vision/goals
Now how are you going to execute your mission? It is critical to imagine the possibilities for your life based on your strengths, talents and passions. How are you going to strategically position yourself to leave an indelible mark that improves your family, reference groups, community, and the broader society? What roles are you going to assume to become the nucleus of influence of a strong network? So one role can be a specific career role, another a family role, another an entrepreneur, and another can be in your friend sphere. For each role you should be specific, for example, "to develop a non-profit that will help young girls develop healthy body image and self-esteem". When you decide on your key roles, write them down on a piece of paper or email them to yourself for frequent reference.
Step 3: Identify your Core Values
To be a successful and strong brand you have to know what you stand for. However, I challenge you just to select 3 core values, basically, the three things that you want to become synonymous with your brand name. Practically, what you want people to say about you when asked to describe who you are. Since you can only choose three values, you have to deeply introspect and meditate about what values are non-negotiable to you regardless of the situation. For example, your 3 core values could be: integrity, respect, and hard work. This exercise should not be easy, and it should not be something you decide on a whim.
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Step 4: Craft your Brand Image
Now that you have your brand mission, vision, and core values you have to craft your public face. Your brand identity comprises both your private and public self, and while people often view themselves as having great qualities to add value to any situation or opportunity, they often undervalue the importance of their appearance. Valuing your appearance is not about vanity, but more so strategy. Therefore, your public face becomes your brand packaging. Think about the brand Tiffany & Co, you are paying a premium for jewelry for yourself or your significant other, and rightfully so, the packaging matches your financial investment. Similarly think about how you present yourself, would someone want to pay a premium for your added value? This not only impacts your career, but also your personal life in regards to attracting friends and mates - people are most often drawn to individuals who carry themselves as if they are worth it!
The following are 4 considerations when crafting your brand image:
- a) What types of clothing are most complimentary to your body type?
- b) What colors are the most complimentary to your complexion?
(think about the colors you are wearing when you get the most compliments, those are your ‘power colors’) - c) What hairstyle gives you the most ‘attractive’ and polished look consistent with your brand vision/goals?
- d) What accessories easily communicate your brand uniqueness?
(watch, shoes, purse, necklaces, scarf, earrings, ties, cufflinks, etc.)
Step 5: Brand Messaging/Elevator Pitch
The last stage is to construct a 30sec, succinct, sales pitch about ‘your’ brand’s value proposition. In general, this is usually what you say when asked, ‘Tell me about yourself?’ or ‘What do you do?’ The key here is to write down your key selling points and refine your pitch until it sounds natural and authentic to who you are, your mission and goals.
An example of an elevator pitch is:
I believe my life mission is to inspire and empower individuals to achieve their full potential. I value integrity, respect, and working hard to accomplish my goals. After years of working in sales, I am interested in opportunities where I can have the biggest impact on the self-esteem of young adults, as I believe they are our future game changers and represent the strength of our society.
This 5-Step Personal Brand Development Process may seem simple, but is rather comprehensive when taken seriously. It is not something you can accomplish overnight and you may definitely need to solicit the help of brand and image consultants. However whatever you do, begin this process now and with intentionality, as the strength of your brand is the currency you use to position yourself, dominate the competition and determine your market value.
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Dr. Raedene Copeland is a professor, speaker, coach, and brand consultant to individuals and businesses locally and globally!
Copyright 2016.
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