YOU- The Brand

I recently came across an article in Fast Company from August 1997 on branding. It had a huge impact on me when I read it three years ago, and even as I glanced over it again today, the article resonates with the services I provide entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Here is a link to the Fast Company article, The Brand Called You.

Whether you are an entrepreneur, small business owner, or work for a large corporation, you are your own brand. There is no real "company man" these days; those workers who join a company out of college, spend their entire career working for same company, then retiring at age 65 with a full benefits package and the gratitude of the corporation. Doesn't exist.

These days, you have to market yourself and your skills no matter what you do or where you work. You have to make yourself stand out and provide value to your employer and clients. You have to brand yourself- You, Inc.

The first step to branding yourself is to ask, "What makes my product or service different from the rest?"

Take the time to really think about what makes you stand out. Is it your personality? Your experience? Your passion? Your history? Whatever it is, it must not only make you light up, but must inspire and arouse potential clients.

When branding yourself or your business, everything you do reflects and relays the message of your brand. How you answer your phone, how you respond to emails, how you conduct meetings, how you dress, every method of contact with potential clients communicates the value and character of the brand.

Take time today to evaluate the brand called YOU and see how you are being perceived. In a world where everything we wear, drink, eat, drive, own and want is a brand, how can you strengthen your brand and gain the attention you deserve?