What is your brand?

Branding

In the vast world of business and, in particular, marketing, the clothes are always talking about 'brand'. The need to create a well-respected, well-known brand (reputation, Profile, public opinion) to our product, service or organization. If you have the best product in the world, but no one knows, or nobody knows what is good, then you're going nowhere fast. Many great ideas, products and concepts have died a slow (or fast) death because 1) they had the mark, or 2) have the wrong brand.

The expert alleged

As a fitness expert media commentator, speaker and business (supposedly), I have my own brand - how people see me. Likewise, my company has its own brand in the fitness industry in Australia. One of the reasons I started doing things because of the media has helped to increase the 'brand awareness' (and hopefully credible) not only my company as a player in the fitness market in this country, but also me personally, as an industry expert, speaker, educator and commentator. Yes, all this sounds a bit 'strategic and it is. Of course. A company or a career without a strategic plan is a ship without a rudder and condemned to failure or at best, mediocrity.

I recently spoke at a conference with a guy who (I was told) is paid more than $ 15,000 for his 45 minute presentation. It was good? Yep. It was mind blowingly amazing? Nope. It was fifteen times better than the $ 1000 loudspeaker? Nope. So why did the company pay so much for its services? Why were the purchase of a brand that is why. A name. A reputation.

I got a deal for you ....

What do you think would have happened if I had said the organizer of the conference, which I could have provided a speaker $ 1,000 (unknown brand) to deliver the message exactly the same (same info, same style, same passion, same quality) to one-fifteenth of the coast ? More than likely he or she would have said "thanks but no thanks." Why:

1. They want the brand.

2. At some level that does not really believe that the speaker be able to send $ 1000 like the guy $ 15,000 and

3. Even when it comes to corporate coffers, we are buyers of labels!

This is the genius of the great brand, but often has nothing to do with reality (what you're actually buying) and everything to do with the perception (what do you think you're buying). It is making people feel and think in a certain way about something (a product, person, program, society, system).

It's not you it's what you are thinking of you

Because companies now pay me five times as much (to do the same thing - to say) what he did a few years ago? That's five times better? Nope. I get five times better results? Nope. There is a lack of cheaper speakers that could do a great job? Nope. They pay me more because my brand is bigger and better these days. Simple. Sometimes it's not me (in the strict sense), it is their perception of me.

Your brand at this time?

Whether or not you know, like it or like it, you have your own brand name, as other people perceive. Now, of course you do not want to be obsessed with, or unsure of what people think of you (which is absolutely not what I'm suggesting consciously developing its own brand), but at the same time, it is important that we all realize that our brand personal (as we are perceived) will have a major impact on almost all areas of our lives. If people perceive you as an individual unreliable and unprofessional, then you do not want to do business with you or have you on their team. If your brand stinks of arrogance and egos that do not respect or want to listen to you. If you wear labels needy, insecure and high maintenance then you I avoid like the plague.

However, if the brand is synonymous with quality, integrity, reliability, honesty, generosity and kindness then (and your skills, products, services) will be in demand.

Everything you do (and do) says something about your brand - who you are, your communication style, your habits, values, how you present yourself, that you are in shape physically, how to deal with different situations and challenges, as manage relationships, how to resolve conflicts, how to interact with staff / co-workers, your ability to get things done and do not produce results.

Questions you might want to ask to go on are the following:

1. What kind of branding at the moment and I

2. How can I improve the value of my brand?