Today people are looking for more control over their lives. Creating a truly unique asset that can be branded and traded becomes essential. What we are here to discuss and decode is how this ability is unlocked. It’s through a process called personal branding, first defined by Tom Peters in his 1997 article “The Brand Called You.” We’ll unravel some of that mystery in the next article. Remember, this is a framework and a starting point, each individual is different. There is no magic wand that allows duplication. As you read, keep in mind that what each individual takes away from this article is unique to them. If this is something that piques your interest, please join us on the journey as we define what personal branding means and then lay out the initial steps to start the process.
The definition of personal brand
Personal branding can be defined in many different ways. The reason for this is that, even among experts, there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all definition. So looking at the definition requires more than just looking up the word. Googling personal brand will take you to the definition on Wikipedia. According to him and those who edit it, personal branding is defined as “the process by which people and their careers are branded as brands.”improvementthe concept of personal branding suggests instead that success comes from self-packaging.” Yet another way that people have defined personal branding is to think of it as an extension of the social media craze, making it technology-based and treating it like internet marketing. However, both definitions have shortcomings based on the fact that that they ignore aspects of the process that are key to personal branding. First, they ignore the fact that personal branding is more than “self-packaging,” and they dismiss the “self-improvement” part. Second, personal branding It didn’t start with the advent of the internet There’s a strong history of personal branding where the likes of JC Penny, Sears and Roebuck or Deloitte and Touché used personal branding to launch huge empires So I offer my definition of personal branding as follows:
“The creation of an asset that belongs to a particular person or individual; this includes, but is not limited to, the body, clothing, appearance, and knowledge it contains, making an indelible impression that is uniquely distinguishable.”
This definition allows each individual the opportunity to become and create their own personal brand, without believing that only the packaging or presentation makes the brand. Of course, defining personal branding is only a starting point, as once the term has been defined, steps must be taken to start the process.
Steps to start your personal brand
Step 1: Know yourself.
This step is the foundation of everything. As many have said, if one “is not sure of himself, how can he be sure of anything?” Trying to start a personal brand before you are sure who they are is practically impossible. Therefore, a careful examination of the wishes and dreams of the individual is tantamount to launching a successful personal brand. There is a key reason for this. The person who marks herself must decide what she loves. By getting to know themselves, they become aware of what subject, hobby or area they like the most. This directly impacts the next step.
Step 2: Become an expert in what you love.
Does this mean that there is only one expert in that topic or area? Most likely not. That really makes one work harder to improve. This also means research and a deeper understanding of this topic or area. It will mean keeping up with the changes, so a continuing education in this topic or area as well. This is where one must focus on changing behaviors and modifying how they act to adapt to this new part of life. Remember that keeping the brand fresh is an important key to making the brand desirable. That can only be done if the brand continually publishes new information and a desirable message.
Step 3: Find out who benefits the most from this brand.
This is not an easy step, and the real fact is that some of the biggest and most well-known brands have made horrible mistakes in this area (see example 1 below). Knowing the brand’s market base allows the brand to craft a strong message that specifically targets that market. When working with businesses, marketing firms typically invest thousands and sometimes millions of dollars in research to find a market. However, with each of the personal brands mentioned above, they started with a simple message, because there was only one person to create, shape, and execute the message. However, this step should not be taken lightly, as inconsistency with messaging can cost credibility with a new brand and set an established brand back significantly.
Step 4 – Find the best way to get the message across.
This is the area that people confuse with internet marketing. It’s the most misunderstood area of personal branding. Placing information everywhere is not an effective way to convey a message. That will cost the brand control over the message and make it more difficult to improve and maximize it. Realize that rules exist in all areas and they are there for a reason. Lots of people will tell you how to bend the rules, change the rules, and even in some cases break the rules, but unfortunately, as with everything, when the rules are broken, the effect can be devastating. When observing this step, it is imperative that a plan be established and a schedule followed that allows one person to have complete control of their message. The last thing any brand wants is for someone else to control what others see with their brand. (See Example 2).
Step 5: Make the message consistent at all times.
As I finished the last step, I start with the most real example of why execution is so vital. The brand message must be consistent. This means that the management of the brand’s message must become something habitual and constant. It’s not enough to take the first four steps and offer something to establish a personal brand and then forget about it. There are plenty of people doing exactly that and they’re not establishing a personal brand, they’re just posting information. Establishing a personal brand means that one is looking at not only what is being posted, but also what people are looking at and observing when it comes to that brand. There are free tools available to help achieve exactly that and when building the brand, researching which tools will be most effective for that brand is part of the plan and program that needs to be designed.
As you can see, establishing a personal brand is not something that is done in a few minutes of computer time while connected to the Internet. In fact, of the five steps above, only one has to do with the Internet, and that’s not the case if you choose to use traditional media as the best way to spread your message.
By following these steps and keeping in mind the definition above, any individual can begin the process of creating a personal brand. The fact that it’s not as easy as it might seem shouldn’t be a barrier for someone if this is what they really want to do. In fact, the point that it’s harder than it sounds should make everyone a little more convinced that it’s worth doing. Remember that the only barrier to effective personal branding around anyone is the limitations they place on their own individuality. So take pride in your individuality, find out what makes you unique, and start your journey to a personal brand.
Example 1: The New Coca-Cola Incident
“In April 1985, the management of The Coca-Cola Company announced its decision to change the flavor of the company’s flagship brand. This decision was made based on the fact that Pepsi’s consumer research discovered in tests of flavor blindly that most consumers preferred the Pepsi flavor to Coca-Cola.The “Pepsi Challenge” campaign made this public knowledge and Coca-Cola executives moved quickly to change the parent brand from United States The new Coca-Cola came in a new can, with updated red and silver graphics replacing the traditional red and white look, although taste tests of New Coke had shown that the majority of those tested preferred the new product, these tests could not measure the emotional appeal of “old” Coca-Cola.In other words, consumers want their cake and eat it too.It was produced during the 79 days that the old Coca-Co the was no longer on the shelves. Coca-Cola quickly reintroduced the “old” Coke when they realized that market share was falling and christened it Classic Coke.”
This article is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Coke
Example 2: The Michael Phelps Incident
This example played out in public with a well-known public figure who could have had someone working with him if necessary to prevent something like this from happening. In early 2009, a story broke in Britain and was published in the News of the World. They had in their possession an image showing the new American hero Michael Phelps using a bong. This according to the Wikipedia article and the News of the World websites, linked at the bottom of the example. An occurrence like this is an example of what can happen when someone else is controlling a personal brand message. Michael Phelps and his winning attitude and homey personality have made him an incredible spokesperson for numerous products. All of this was supported by his internet sites and the fan sites that were all over the internet. However, all it took was one image to provide a major setback, ultimately leading to suspensions from US Swimming for 3 months and Kellogg’s not renewing their endorsement deals.
Reference sources: http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/.
