Think of Yourself as a Brand
Recently I’ve been reading a lot of stuff about branding. What exactly does “branding” mean? Sounds like something that only relates to huge companies with big-time advertising agencies and humungous ad budgets.
But how the heck does that relate to you, the direct-selling professional? Is there a lesson in there for you and your business? It might just relate to you in a much bigger way than you might imagine. Let’s do a little investigation…
What is branding? For a company, it starts with a cool logo, graphic look and advertising campaign. But it’s much more than that. A brand is actually the differentiator of what they offer over their competition.
So, is branding linked to the products you sell? Is it that you offer the lowest price? Or the tremendous business opportunity you can provide? Sure, you need to sell products. You need to offer value. And to grow your business, you need to recruit others. Those are the ultimate goals.
But it’s HOW you go about it that makes the difference. And that’s where personal branding comes into play. Personal branding is best described as your promise to deliver quality, performance and consistency to your customers. You provide something that they can count on. As a business person, that’s worth all the tea in China.
Corporate Branding vs. Personal Branding
We can all learn from the marketplace. Successfully companies work very hard to establish themselves in their spheres of influence. Bizillions of dollars are expended every year to promote products and services. At the end of the day, they want you to walk away with a good feeling about them and what they have to offer. Simply put, they desperately crave your brand loyalty.
Certain organizations stand out as true branding winners. Apple, BMW and Nike come to mind. So what is it that they’ve done that differentiates them from their competition? Sure, they make terrific products that answer a market need. But they also do something else that’s relatively unique in the world of commerce: They establish relationships with their customers.
That can be your greatest asset. Think of yourself as a brand. What do people think of you and what you offer them. It’s not just the products you represent, it’s what YOU bring to the table. If folks believe in you and trust in what you signify, you’ve established a powerful personal brand.
So every business effort you pursue should enforce and embrace that goal. There are some basic fundamentals that you should consider when going about your business:
Personality
YOU are your brand. Make your personality something that your customers want to migrate to. If they’re comfortable with you, they’re more likely to stay with you and trust your input. Nurture and build relationships. Sales will follow.
Culture
Immerse yourself in the lifestyle and culture of your target audience. For example, if you’re representing wellness products, establish yourself as an expert. That doesn’t mean you become a know-it-all—that annoying guy at the cocktail party. Expert status is akin to respect. It comes slowly and develops through consistent action.
Be part of the conversation. Offer helpful tips and advice that leave people with the idea that you might have solutions for them. Don’t force products down their throats. Once they have confidence in your contribution to the discussion, they’ll be more open to what you have to offer them.
Stay in touch
There’s a huge difference between staying in touch and being a nuisance. Only you can determine that fine balance. You want to let prospects know that you’re there, but you don’t want to bug the heck out of them. Use subtle ways of staying in touch. Remember their birthday or anniversary. Or just say hello. Done appropriately, those little things can really make an impression.
Keep prospects and customers informed… casually!
When you do have a special offer or event, let them know. Just don’t overdo it. They’re very sensitive to a sales pitch. There’s a big difference between providing information and being that annoying mosquito that people just want to bat away. If you’ve established yourself as an expert in a particular field, they will want to hear from you.
If you make an effort to position yourself properly with your prospects and customers, you’ll find that they’ll be much more receptive. And that means more business for you in the long run.
I welcome your comments and observations.