Think Bold, Think Brand
“If you are not a brand, you are a commodity.” Robert Kiyosaki
Developing a personal or business brand requires a need to be bold. That’s because brand development involves putting yourself out there to rise above the competition. It also involves demonstrating strong leadership and determination to be accountable and responsible for defining and owning your brand. It also involves being brave enough to realise that if you don’t spend time developing your brand, others will.
It’s not unusual if you think of big business, well-known celebrities, and spending copious amounts of money when you think about the concept of a brand. Though it’s not about pretending to be big or spending big bucks.
If you are interested in developing your brand for your career or business, you can start small.
Developing your brand starts with clarity on what you stand for, how you are different to your competitors or colleagues, and the value you provide. Others can get a sense of what you stand for and represent even through simple things like how you dress and present, how you answer the phone, and the look and feel of the outputs or deliverables you produce.
One common factor across your brand development is how you communicate. The key to powerful communication is being consistent in your messaging. This includes consistency across your work or business, social media, and how you are in person with regard to content, language used and behaviours.
Another key is being determined in your approach. Staying top of mind through regular interaction, connection and networking is important in getting your brand out there.
For those in business, the Personal Brand v Business Brand is a common conundrum. Though the one to focus on should be based on preference and what you want to be promoting. Do you want people to remember and connect with you or your product. Those who do work independently and have businesses in their own name might choose personal over business, especially if they are an author or speaker for example. For those with a product, it might make sense to be more focused on the business brand. Overall, it will depend on your strategy, vision and why you are doing what you are doing.
For those in employment, don’t forget your personal brand is still important even though you may be part of a bigger brand, being that of your employer. If you want to further your career and rise to the top, brand development is a wise career move.
What bold steps are you going to take to develop your brand?
