The Power of “Outcome Branding”

When it comes to Branding–whether for an individual, an organization, a product or a service–are you asking the right questions?

I’m constantly asked about the “what” of Branding–what an individual’s or organization’s Brand is, what it stands for, what it really means. Then, invariably, come the how, the where, the who and the when questions. All very important, and all critical to the Branding process.

However, the question that organizations and individuals need to ask themselves before any of this gets started–yes, to some extent, even before deciding what your Brand is–is the answer to the WHY question.

Why are you Branding yourself at all?

What’s your desired Outcome?

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In the News: Brand Promise Breakdowns

Recently, we’ve had several highly-public Brand Promise Breakdowns, which frankly, were both avoidable and… well… not very bright. If you follow professional golf or the world of publishing, you can name what those Breakdowns were, but our purpose here is not to dwell on the missteps themselves, as much as to understand why those missteps are so damaging.

It all comes down to Brand Promise.

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Brand Quiz: What’s Your Brand Attitude?

Think your Personal Brand is ready for action? Take this Quiz and see…

1. Before every important interaction with others, I make sure I “look” the part of whatever it is I’m trying to sell or accomplish. I try to ensure that my clothing and appearance help sell me to my audience.

a) Always

b) Most of the time, unless I’m too crunched for time

c) Occasionally

d) I don’t believe in manipulating my audiences, so no

e) I am not selling anything when I talk or interact with others (more…)

Seven Steps to Practical Branding

Posted September 21, 2009 at 2:55 pm
In category: authors | blog | entrepreneurs tags: Brand Awareness | linkedin | Personal Branding 1 Comment

In talking to my friends, associates and random strangers, I’ve noticed that while many seem intrigued by the concept of Personal Branding, the most popular reaction after hearing about it is an intense need to lay down and take a nap. Branding seems so…overwhelming. So comprehensive and involved and faintly worrisome. After all, what if I choose the wrong brand? What if I can’t keep it going? What if I choose a brand that dooms me to immortal mediocrity??

Fortunately, I’ve got an answer for that. (more…)

Creating Your Own Name Brand

What’s in a logo? In the world of branding, everything. A logo is the identifying symbol for a company that serves as a snapshot for what that company “stands for” or represents.

Typically, a logo is comprised of stylized, colored text and, in many cases, an accompanying image. The combination of the Nike® name and the “swish” logo, for example, conveys movement, speed and spirit. The MasterCard® logo expresses global usability in warm, inviting colors. The bright red and white Coca-Cola® logo symbolizes smooth, free-flowing refreshment in a classic palette. Marketing nirvana is attained when a brand becomes so easily recognizable and generates so much resonance with its target audience that it positively influences purchase activity for any product to which it is attached. Nike, for instance, started out as a running shoe company. Today, the Nike brand extends across every fitness category imaginable. (more…)

Brand Marketing Made Easy

Posted September 21, 2009 at 2:37 pm
In category: authors | blog tags: Brand Marketing | Writing Brand 4 Comments

At a recent RWA conference, I listened to several conversations and sessions about “author Branding”, which I was surprised to find almost exclusively centered on “all the stuff you create to promote yourself and your writing.”

If you’ve read my work or taken one of my classes (or simply stood next to me for too long), you know that, for me, comprehensive author Branding goes well beyond websites and postcards, although those are certainly part of the picture. In fact, focusing so much on promoting your books can be exhausting, and lead many authors to think they’ll never be able to afford to Brand themselves well. (more…)

Putting Your Brand to Work for You

Part of a series of brief articles on the Power of Personal Branding.

Whether you’ve gone through a Personal Branding exercise or not at this point, it’s relevant to discuss what you’re now going to “DO” with your Brand. How can having a Personal Brand really impact your efforts as a writer, entrepreneur, or business professional, and what are some techniques for “showing off” your Brand?

You can manifest your Personal Brand in an almost endless variety of ways, from subtle to dramatically obvious, and how people experience your Brand is via its key Elements. (more…)

But I could write that, too! The perils and promise of changing your Writing Brand

Posted September 3, 2009 at 9:55 am
In category: authors | blog tags: Writing Brand 0 Comments

For writers, the grass can often seem greener on the other side of the genre fence. Maybe you’ve been toiling away at your Regencies… but you hear that Paranormal Romance is hot, and you think, “Hey, I’ve got a great idea for a paranormal!” Or, perhaps you’ve been making good sales on your contemporaries, but you long to sink your teeth into a sweeping historical.

Making the jump to writing a new type of book, however, requires more than just firing up your word processor and playing different music on your iPod. You have your audience to consider – an audience that can include your readers, your agent, your editor and your publicist. (more…)

Getting Your Brand Ready for Conferences

Posted September 3, 2009 at 9:42 am
In category: authors | blog tags: Conferences | Industry Brand | Writing Brand 0 Comments

As we develop our Personal Brand as authors, we do so generally with some far-off goal in mind: positioning ourselves to our future readers, or giving an interview about our New York Times Bestselling status. But if we’re wise, our Writing and Industry Brands can receive a workout in the far more immediate future: this year’s Conference season.

As a brief review, I define Writing and Industry Brands as follows:

Your Writing Brand is the brand you communicate solely through your books or promotional efforts. As a result, you’ll probably find that a description that can double as a slogan will work best for your Writing Brand.

Your Industry Brand is the brand you present as an author—to your industry contacts, to your dedicated readership, and to anyone you meet as you pursue your writing career.

Both your Writing Brand and your Industry Brand can make the difference as you interact with your peers and industry professionals at conference, so take a few minutes to focus on yours! (more…)

Pitch Perfect: Instant Branding for Authors

Posted September 1, 2009 at 10:01 am
In category: authors | blog tags: pitching | query 0 Comments

If you’ve been at a writers’ conference recently, or any major book convention, you’ve probably seen them: slightly harried but always inquisitive publishing professionals, whose eyes and ears are wide open even when they’re at their most exhausted, looking for the Next Big Thing. Or the Current Big Thing who’s thinking about a career change. Or the Maybe Big Thing who just needs a push in the right direction. Some of these professionals are agents at the beginning of their careers, or editors who just got that all-important “go” to acquire. But some are also industry giants, who know that today’s newcomer will be tomorrow’s superstar. All of them are on the lookout for talent. And they never know when it might be standing in the elevator next to them. (more…)

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