In order for your personal brand to have real staying power, you must integrate the eight essential characteristics below. Having only one or two just will not cut it. Clarity without an emotional connection is flat. In other words, if you lack even one of these essentials, you risk the stability and longevity of your brand. Worse, you may alienate your target audiences and inadvertently drive business elsewhere. Below are the eight essentials:
1. Clarity
You must be clear about who you are, what you stand for and what you offer to clients. WHY do you doEight-Essential-Characteristics-to-a-Solid-Personal-Brand what you do? You must communicate this verbally and visually in a clear, easy-to-understand manner
2. Authenticity
How aligned are you with the real YOU? In our hyped, cluttered world, people can smell a fake from miles They are yearning for transparency and authenticity. When your brand message is clear and aligned with your values, AND you walk your talk, you will attract a following of the people with which you are meant to work.
3. Remarkability
What is the tone and intention of your brand? How are you presenting your brand differently than others?
4. Energy
Everything is energy, and your brand represents yours. With every interaction, your clients notice subtle energy If you are not passionate about what you are doing, your lifeless brand will sputter along, wheezing and gasping for air. On the other hand, if you infuse your brand with passion and energy, your brand will be irresistible.
5. Emotional Connection
Emotions make the brain sit up and pay In order to have a powerful personal brand, you must understand how you make your audience FEEL. The late, great Dr. Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you say and will forget what you may do, but they will absolutely remember how you made them feel”. This is the core of an influential personal brand. In order to resonate strongly with your target audience, you must make an emotional connection. The most powerful question to ask yourself is, “How do I want people to FEEL when they experience my brand”?
6. Consistency
I see it all the time, lawyers putting the cart before the horse, marketing to everyone and anyone, before developing a solid brand In order to be consistent with your brand, you first must create your brand platform. Take the time to identify your brand attributes and target market, develop your compelling message and create your unique offerings . Once you have a clear foundation, then you are ready to implement across all of your marketing channels — from your website and blog, to podcasts, speaking engagements and social media platforms.
7. Distinctive Design
People make a decision about you and your brand within a few seconds of initial contact, so first impressions count, big time! We process through our eyes, so design has a keen emotional and memorable impact on the brain. The design will speak for you when you aren’t present. Make sure that your visual branding elements are not only consistent across all media (business card, website, advertising, collateral materials, social media platforms etc.), but they are conveying the message AND the feeling you want your brand to evoke.
8. Social Engagement
Is your brand sparking conversations? If not, then you have not found your Purple Cow. A powerful, authentic brand is an act of social engagement. YOU are making the conversation happen. You are participating, connecting and collaborating.
Follow these actionable steps above to see your relationships, reputation and contact management efforts begin to take a life of their own, in the best way possible. When implemented together, these steps will help you to get seen and be known, deepen your business relationships, and get and stay connected to your contacts, which is the winning combination of a prosperous business.
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