A brand is what people say about you when you aren’t in the room
– Jeff Bezos, CEO Amazon
The above quote is one I think about frequently. Though, I never worry about the disadvantage of not being around to hear what is said. Instead, I think about the power I have to frame the words that are uttered. In the past, the room was a lot smaller and the thoughts and words of others less under our control.
However, in the flat world of the present gifted by the digital age, Jeff Bezos’ words take on an even greater meaning. Just think, Nike is able to charge premium for sneakers whose cost to produce resemble footwear sold at Payless Shoes. Keep in mind, the material, make and origin of these shoes rarely differ. So why do they command higher prices? That reason is simple, that distinctive tick means something.
Nike has poured years of creative thinking, strategic planning and significant sums of money into ensuring that we know its brand and what it stand for. It has captured the collective sneaker consciousness and come out on top, expanding into other products lines, but never straying from its message and its core audience. That message is speed, athleticism and being the best. Their tagline beckons you to “Do it”, take on the world. They create a mental space where we think their shoes will help us run faster, jump higher and keep us comfortable while doing “it”, whatever that ‘it’ may be. It is seen as an icon of any real athlete and anyone committed to taking the world for a spin.
I believe we all have the potential to be Nikes’ in our own respective niches. We can create powerful brands that convey our value to the world. The best part is, starting from scratch today is much easier than when Nike began its ascension. We have been gifted with a trump card and one that escalates the branding process by leaps and bounds.
Social media gives each and every one of us the ability to control what the people in that room say. It is the most powerful and most cost effective brand framing tool ever! Many persons are unaware that 1) They are a brand, and 2) This brand can be leveraged to achieve their personal and professional goals. Here are 9 reasons why brand building is one of the best investment anyone can make.
1. A steady stream of your ideal clients
Build it and they will come. A powerful brand attracts the masses, some will come seeking advice, others just to be assisted with a valuable person, and others will be paying customers who will come to you with a pain that they think you can solve. Best even, your brand can appeal to specific customer, your ideal. Over time as your name or brand expands you will earn the title ‘go to guy or gal’ in your area. This can yield numerous benefits such as mutually beneficial contracts, contacts and partnerships.
2. Rewarding partnerships
Here is a secret. Success people seek out other successful people. This is how success is both grown and maintained. You are an average of the 5 persons you associate with. This makes a brand that attracts the best human capital valuable. Not only will lucrative business partnerships with massive earning potential come your way, but you may meet a co-founder with the skills to help you launch a new business idea or introduce you to new clients and opportunities with the potential to build your brand even further. No one is an island and some of the greatest products and services were only realized through collaboration. Let your brand open doors for you and banish the dreaded cold email forever.
3. Promotions and raises
Even employees need a brand. Brand building does not only apply to entrepreneurs, freelancers or consultants. Even if you are gainfully employed in a full-time job and plan to remain so for the foreseeable future, a powerful personal brand will make you an asset to your company and gives you the ability to negotiate promotions, and salary increases and more. This is because when you shine, so does your employer. Your contacts also have the potential to be theirs. In a sales position, a well built brand can yield tremendous dividends, because clients will come to you and your employer will be fearful of losing one of their best producers.
4. Get any job in your niche
The interview now begins before you send in an application. There is not an agency in the that would deny Seth Godin a marketing position if he were to ever apply. Why? Because he is the Beyonce of the Marketing world, albeit a bit less ‘fierce’. Imagine if you were to publish frequently on a topic, create other forms of content around the same which added value and solved problems in your niche. Employers reviewing your social profiles would see this and this would give you a competitive edge.
5. Leadership opportunities – Interviews, conferences
Once your name gets out there, people will want to hear what you have to say. Gary Vaynerchuk says, “we are all one piece of content away from changing our lives“, and this is true. One great article, and you get an interview, that interview leads to others, which leads to a conference presentation, then TED invites you to ‘talk’, pretty soon you get a book deal, then a movie deal and before you know if you are starring next to Leonardo DiCaprio in a soon to be nominated, rarely celebrated Oscar film. Ok maybe that was an exaggeration, but you get the point. If any issues under your brands purview arise, you will be the person that gets called in to analyze and offer recommendations. There are worst jobs than being a Consultant, believe me.
6. Greater mindshare
Thought leadership yields tangible success. Mindshare is essentially the frequency to which your brand is attached to a particular theme or industry in the minds of the masses. If someone asks you to name a great motivational speaker, Les Brown, Tony Robbins and Zig Ziglar are some that may come to mind. When I think about social media, Kim Garst and Gary Vaynerchuck; Sales training and techniques, Brian Tracy and Grant Cordon; Spirituality, Deepak Chopra; Finance, Warren Buffet and Robert Kiyosaki. Significant mindshare allows you to rally the masses to your events, to sell your books and publications with ease, to influence thoughts and industry trends and to craft an air of superhuman insight and intellect that makes you seem larger than life.
7. Prestige
This speaks for itself. A highly regarded brand is a valuable brand and can open the doors to numerous opportunities, even outside of your niche. If i’m one of the top marketers and you are on of the top neuroscientist, while distinct fields, at the very least we can talk about our experiences and journey to the top and have mutual respect for the achieved mastery of our respective fields.
8. Greater credibility & access to new networks
Your network = your net worth. A powerful brand attracts like minds and other influencers who you can learn from and also add value to. Credibility is trust and people do business with people they trust. Remember this.
9. The ability to charge premium for your services
Your brand allows you to put your skills on sale to the highest bidder.You no longer become a price taker, but a price maker. People pay extra for products and services they deem to be valuable. And a powerful brand increases your perceived value. Perception yield reality, but ensure you are being authentic and actually deliver value for money. There is a reason why Les Brown gets paid $200,000 per hour and many other speakers have to negotiate $5,000 speaking fees. He is globally known, with an explosive brand built through history and grit. The thing is, you can build the same with a bit of ingenuity, creativity, dedication and the will to learn.
Branding building is powerful. Just do it!