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…)

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…)

Measuring Brand Awareness

In talking to authors and business professionals, one of the most frequent concerns I hear about conducting marketing activities is “I just don’t have time” followed almost immediately by “I have no idea what to do.”

These are valid issues. If you’re an author already on deadline, time is of the essence. Even unpublished writers seeking to break into the business generally have very little time to devote to marketing activities, whether those activities are “soft” (networking in person or online, buzz-building for your work) or “hard” (offering a contest giveaway, conducting a booksigning, or running an ad to drive traffic to your website). Business professionals and entrepreneurs have many of the same time constraints.

In addition, the “what to do” concern is often both a function of time and money. Certain marketing activities are very time intensive—but may not cost a lot in actual dollars spent. Most online ventures fall into this category, such as blogging or conducting an interactive contest. Book-signings can also serve as a low-cost venture (unless you feel compelled to bring bookmarks or giveaways!), but can take your entire day if you’re not careful. On the other hand, purchasing expensive giveaways to give out to all comers or buying ad space in trade publications or local media outlets can all be accomplished fairly quickly, but can become prohibitively expensive – and it’s difficult to track the long-term impact of those activities. What’s a time- and resource-starved marketer to do? (more…)

Blogging and Your Personal Brand

When you first launch a blog, it can be a dizzying prospect. There is so much you can say, so much you can express, and it can be uploaded so quickly! But just as with all of your business correspondence and promotional materials, blogs should be handled with extreme care. Here’s a few tips to make sure yours effectively reflects your Personal Brand. (more…)

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