Think As Inc

EVERYONE NEEDS A BRAND

October 25, 2009 on 7:02 pm | In life coaching | No Comments

Be yourself is about the worst advice you can give to some people. – J.B. Priestley

Maybe you think you don’t need a “brand” because you can just “be yourself”.  Maybe you think branding is superficial or manipulative.  When it comes to branding, Priestley’s right in that “be yourself” is the worst advice.  While your brand should be a reflection of who you are, it is not an excuse for anything goes.  Being ourselves means good and bad.  We all have our moods, our off-days and our blind spots.  We don’t need to share those with the world just to be authentic; we can do that with our friends and family.  We need a brand to always put our best foot forward.

Research has shown that people weigh negative information more heavily than positive when it comes to first impressions.  This suggests that it is harder to overcome a negative first impression than a positive one.  By managing your brand you manage that first impression.

By managing your brand you are proactive about your strong points.  You can still be yourself, but you lead with your strong self.  Your brand may be reflected in your wit, your fashion sense, your knowledge of pop culture.  Your brand is still authentically you, but focused on the traits that you consciously wish to share.

Think of people with strong brands (e.g., Donald Trump, Michael Jordan), and you’ll think of confident and alluring people.  You may not agree with 100% of who they are, but their message is clear and therefore exudes confidence.  When you go for that job, that raise, that next life step, you want to exude confidence.  Send a clear message:  manage your brand.