Branding yourself

Just doesn’t make any sense, it makes money!:

Nishan Wimalachandra Corporate Trainer and Lecturer

Brand recognition is no more a commodity based concept any more. It has overgrown from its product and service based concept to more personal in nature.

Branding oneself is not an easy task to an amateur as it requires possessing many skills, talents and knowledge which are not readily available in the market.

Branding comes as a developed talent, not as a God given gift. Personal branding is a fashion statement, a shameless statement of who you are or who you really want to project to the outside world.

Branding yourself is an attitude and this attitude could be seen through your behaviour. This may depend from how you dress, what amount of make-up you wear, the cellular phones you use, and up to the car you drive. So you become your own branding, and you make people remember you mostly.

Let’s say you have an out-dated mobile phone, how would you brand yourself? Now I know things sounds crazy, because people tend to think that the more expensive phones you use, the more recognized you are. This is a silly concept. So if you have an outdated mobile phone you will have to make a personal statement as to why you use it, something like “This was a gift from a beloved person”, or my personal favourite “Well As long as I could send sms’s and call someone, my needs of a phone are met” by doing that you may sound very much down to earth character.

So people who hear you may remember you as “the guy who use the old phone” its very simple, if you are a fat person, and you met someone at a cocktail and you have to call that person, you could tell that person that you are the FAT person he met at the cocktail. You don’t actually need to be highly qualified to brand yourself.

Using our present resources are more than enough. Another person I know calls himself as Father -in Law, because he studies law being a priest. And people remember him for his jovial character even if they met him once.

I knew a guy who used to wear his college tie to all occasions he ever went. Whether its a wedding, funeral, or even if it is a cool cocktail he wore his college tie. And he is quite popular among the crowd, because people talk about him, and his attire. So if you are popular, and if people recognize you, 80 percent of your job is done, 80 percent of that interview you went is done, the approval required for a project proposal is ensured. After all branding yourself makes money.

The following simple steps will ensure that you get the most of your jobs done with ease, grace and speed. People remember images, and funny things, that is because we psychologically want to withdraw from painful things in life. So the secret is to brand yourself with familiar and comfortable way for people to remember.

Step 1

Talk less than required. Most people who come on podiums to give speeches, bore the entire audience, and after all no one knows what was said. Neither the speaker. So make sure when you finish your speech, your audience to feel that you could have spoken some more, this keeps you wanted, rather than boring. After all no one gives much attention to long speeches anyway. So in serious discussions, if keeping your mouth shut seems to draw more attention, do that. If you must talk wait till the opportunity is presented to you.

Step 2

Keep in touch with people when you need nothing from them. This is a powerful branding technique. The opposite is very creepy. I have a friend who lives overseas who is always out of touch, never calls, never emails, not even a text. But if he calls or sends an email, I know in a weeks time, he’s about to ask a favour. And when this happens people want to walk away from you. So be in touch with people all the time, because this will keep you connected. And you are branded as a person in touch. So when the time comes to ask a favour, the favour you ask becomes an opportunity to the person who favours you.

Step 3

Pay attention to detail - this is a giant step in branding. If you meet someone try to remember what they were wearing, what they spoke, the colours and with whom they were.

Next time you meet them or if they call you to ask for something, remind them that you remember, show that you care, and show that they were special and that’s why you remember them.

Branding is a recognition of your personality and attributes among others’ minds. The smarter you appear, the more you are admired.

Step 4

Act like a king to be treated like one - even if you are very qualified, experienced, or talented, the way you act it out could destroy your branding efforts. If you need adoration, you must seem to deserve it. How you talk to people, how you listen and respond will have a greater effect on your endeavour to be recognized as an object of desire. There is no point in discussing about French Revolution, if you are a fan of Tom and Jerry. So if you want to be treated as a King, the secret is to act like one.

Step 5

Use words carefully - The wrong word at the wrong time will always create a bad reputation. Never use jokes which have double meanings even if people laugh about it. Remember there is a thin line between a joke and an insult. And most people say the wrong word and ruin all opportunities. Reputation must be guarded with life, because most of your recognition depends on your reputation, and what you talk is what you are. So use your vocabulary carefully, many have fallen by using a wrong word at a wrong time.

Step 6

Think like you want, but behave like others. Most people are very uncomfortable with those who seem weird, or too pushy or too attractive or even popular. So if you want yourself to be recognized, you must behave in the fashion of those around you, adaptability is the key. Do what the Romans do when you are in Rome. You may be an intellectual, or an actor, but if you cannot relate to other people in anyway, what’s the point try branding yourself. Branding is not what you think; it’s what others interpret of your own behaviour among them. So be adaptable to peoples’ cultures, attitudes, and beliefs.

Step 7

Be the most wanted - Make your presence an opportunity for those around you. If you are a person who could be easily replaceable anywhere, you have established nothing. Use all your efforts, talents and skills in making lasting impressions on peoples hearts and minds. Make people want to get to know you, make people miss you in your absence. This will create a positive dependence of having you around for most things. And when people depend on you, you have created a strong branding image of you.

Remember the words of geniuses in brand management “You will never get a second chance to make a first impression”. This is very true as today’s business or personal success definitely depends on how good you could brand yourself. Especially Sri Lankans do very little personal branding as most of them are too tied with other things which may or may not be very much important to be successful. Today obtaining employment at an interview, obtaining a loan from a financial institution to get your next promotion lies in your Self Branding.

Simply if you don’t talk about your skills and talents no one will. So its more of a personal statement you make when dealing with the public, and keep one thing in mind, “When in public, you are being watched”.

Take every action carefully, speak each word gracefully, and show kindness and honesty in all your interactions with others. The more people person you become, the more recognized you are, more opportunities you get. Branding doesn’t make much sense, it makes lot of money.