How do you think your employees, associates or customers feel about you? The answer you get may define your personal brand. John Jantsch gave the most descriptive definition of the personal brand. He defined Branding as “The art of becoming likeable, trustable and knowable.” That is what we feel about Disney, Apple or Adidas. If we don’t learn to manage our personal brand perfectly as these companies are managing, there are chances that people may assign us a default brand. In the era where social media plays an important role in maintaining the reputation of the brand, it is essential to manage what others talk and feel about you. Here are some of the tips that will help you in managing your personal brand so you can have a better control of your business.
- Increase your awareness of your identity: What makes you different from the crowd? Are you giving any service that is special? For example, what is your trademark? Is your service taking an initiative to leave no stone unturned to exceed the customer’s expectations? Is it an alacritous service? Be clear about whatever makes you different, so you can express it and do it with full perseverance.
Do not ask yourself “Who am I and where I stand” rather, ask “Who am I not and where do I wish to see myself 10 years down the line” Experts agree by a quote written by the Peters States in his seminal book, ” The Brand You 50″. It says, ” Brand is as much about what a product ‘is not’ as about what ‘it is’.”
- Do not negotiate on the quality: Do people immediately connect your name with the quality you are providing? It doesn’t matter whether you prepare a presentation to deliver to 100 people or for people you invited for dinner, whether you deal with an important client or a small one, just be stunning. Don’t compromise on the quality of your deliverables. Remember, quality is the watermark for trust.
- Keep your promise: Every client you meet, every person you serve, at every point, deliver exactly what your brand promises. If you do so, you will be the first person to create positive stories that people will be speaking about your brand. Your logo, your tagline tells a lot about your brand. If you cannot prove it, do not take it at the first place.
- Drop the mercenary approach: If you are known as a person working just for money or may be some reward, you are slowly putting a question mark on your brand. Everyone wants to work with people who likes to bring change and improve their side of the world. Involve yourself in a worthy cause, Do something for someone for nothing. Share your knowledge. More than anything create a reputation for generosity of heart and mind.
- Hire a Brand Strategist: There is nothing better than getting advice from an expert. Hire a Brand Strategist or a consultant, (S)he can help you in knowing who you are and what you can be, what makes you different and how you can use this knowledge to achieve great heights in your business.
Personal branding is nothing more than continuously accelerating and elevating the leadership talent that will help you in aligning with the market. If they are not aligned, you have a lot of work to do.