Number 19: The Brand in You.
May 07, 2012
We are all
branded. The clothes we wear, the books we read, the way we walk and talk all
affect how we are perceived. Even the most anti-brand people have a brand of
being anti. Just as if we were a product, we manage our brand by how we
communicate. I will leave the appearance and body language components of brands
to the experts, but suffice it to say how you look speaks volumes.
I haven’t
exactly followed convention when it comes to my own wardrobe choices, but I do
maintain some decorum while managing to express my individuality. Usually this
involves my hair, currently a red stripe down the side, but not such a weird
‘do that it would distract while I am conducting workshops or presenting. I
don’t think it would, anyhow. It is actually part of my brand. I was out with a
group of businesswomen one night when someone mentioned she read an article
that said we tend not to change our hairstyles much after we turn 30. Someone
else said, “But what about Della? She always has something different going on
in that big head of hair.” My colleague replied, “Yeah, but that is her brand —
constant change.” Well, how about that? I had never thought of it that way.
I consistently work also on the more esoteric elements of my brand. I want to be known for being strategic, current, caring and fun, all qualities I value, so I work on manifesting them in all parts of my life. Creating your brand is different than talking about your brand. Showing people who you are versus telling them is the secret to good branding.
“Show, don’t
tell” is a mantra you will hear from writers, actors and brand experts. This is
why some products sell better than others. They connect with us on the level that
says something subliminally — that this brand and our own brand fit together.
Apple or PC, Nike or Blackspot, bottled or tap, bicycle or Hummer, cotton or
silk.
It is easy to
recognize the “telling” part. Here are the characteristic ways people tell us
who they are:
That’s not
like me.
I never do
that.
I always do
that.
I am really
good at that.
I am a certain
type of person.
Showing comes
through action as well as words.
My niece and nephew are so adorable. We
had a traditional “fingy” dinner last night where they can ask for anything and
eat it with their hands. Of course, they asked for spaghetti and meatballs for
the main, then apple pie for dessert. You should have seen them by the end,
covered from head to waist with tomato sauce and apples. The pictures are on
their way.
What kind of
auntie do you think I am? I “showed” you I was a fun auntie versus telling you.
Your brand has
to be authentic but at the same time you can turn the parts of your brand you
don’t like around. If people see you as mousy and you don’t want that
reputation, there are small, incremental steps you can start to take that turn
that around. Having an opinion could be a good start. If you never state what
you are thinking, people tend to assume you don’t have anything to say.
Newspapers,
books, blogs, magazines and current events TV shows are great fodder for
conversation. You don’t have to be an expert but know at least enough that you
can ask good questions. Think of yourself as a product and about how you would
like to be positioned. What is your unique selling point? Why should I want to
know you or be with you for any length of time? How will knowing you help me?
The law of attraction only comes into play when there is something to be
attracted to.
A man I know,
Jesse (Jessedee is his handle on slideshare.net) produces some excellent
PowerPoint presentations. He has created an amazing brand that has enabled him
to land plum jobs and travel the world. Currently he manages social media
marketing for Australia. I was attracted to him by virtue of his perspectives
on current events and how he presented them online. He did this insightful show
on the 10 ways to be a marketing genius like Lady Gaga. You can go have
a look.
The 10 ways he
describes include the following – think of how you can create your own brand
using some or all of these techniques:
- Have an opinion.
- Leverage social media.
- Be different.
- Don’t be afraid to make lots of money.
- Give your fans something to connect to.
- Love your little monsters.
- Don’t be afraid to piss people off.
- Have the right people on your side.
- Produce killer stuff.
- Have a purpose.
No need to
want your picture on the cover of Rolling Stone to work on your brand. Just
have a little introspection and a plan to push forward the image you want for
yourself. A conscious effort.
How would you
show people your brand in a paragraph or two? Take the challenge, here is my
attempt to “show” my brand.
I just gave a
copy of Tina Fey’s book Bossypants to my 87-year-old mentor and she loves the
humour. I think you would like it too. As she says in her intro, If you are a woman and you bought this book
for practical tips on how to make it in a male-dominated workplace, here they
are. No pigtails, no tube tops. Cry sparingly. (Some people say “Never let them
see you cry.” I say, if you’re so mad you could just cry, then cry. It
terrifies everyone. She goes on to say,
Maybe you bought this book because you love Sarah Palin and you want to find
reasons to hate me. We’ve got that! I use all kinds of elitist words like
“impervious” and “torpor” and I think gay people are just as good at watching
their kids play hockey as straight people. This book should give you a
welcome reprieve from your hectic life. Enjoy. BTW, I had to look up the word
“torpor.” It is a noun meaning a state of physical or mental inactivity. Give
your brain a break and have a little mini mind vacation. You deserve it.
Next week’s
post: DEFENDING YOUR RIGHT OF WAY.
Posts
3 comments
The best brands are the authentic brands! Great insights Della - important to be intentional about your brand.
ReplyDeleteAgree about authenticity and will refer an artist friend of mine to this great post! When I think of Gaga and others like her who have so successfully branded themselves, one of my thoughts (to add to Jesse's terrific list) is be yourself "to the extreme." Madonna, Richard Branson, Oprah and other indelible celebrity brands have simply leveraged their core characteristics like sexuality, adventure and generosity to really stand out and stand for something that attracts others.
ReplyDeleteThis post seemed to resonate with lots of people based on emails and f2f comments. Thanks for the additions Catherine and Julie.
ReplyDelete