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Tag: branding

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Branding Entrepreneurship Growth Marketing Skills Uncategorized

WATCH:  Tips on How to Start And Grow a Personal Brand in 2023

 

Introduction:

In today’s digital age, creating a personal brand is more important than ever. People are no longer just buying products or services; they are buying into the people behind those products or services. This is why having a strong personal brand is crucial to success, whether you are an entrepreneur, executive, or employee.

 

What is a Personal Brand?

A personal brand is the perception that people have of you, based on the image you present to the world. It is how you are perceived by others, including your peers, clients, and competitors. Your personal brand is not just about what you do; it is also about who you are and how you communicate your values and beliefs.

 

Why is a Personal Brand Important?

Having a strong personal brand can help you stand out in a crowded market. It can also help you attract more clients, build trust and credibility, and increase your influence. A strong personal brand can also help you create more opportunities for yourself, whether it is getting a promotion, speaking engagements, or media coverage.

 

How to Build a Personal Brand

Building a personal brand takes time and effort, but the rewards are worth it. Here are some steps you can take to build a strong personal brand:

  1. Define Your Brand

The first step in building a personal brand is to define who you are and what you stand for. This includes identifying your values, strengths, and unique selling points. You should also think about your target audience and what they are looking for.

  1. Develop Your Story

Once you have defined your brand, it is time to develop your story. This is the narrative that you will use to communicate your brand to the world. Your story should be authentic, compelling, and memorable. It should also be tailored to your target audience.

  1. Build Your Online Presence

In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial to building a personal brand. This includes creating a website, blog, and social media profiles. You should also be active on relevant online communities and forums.

  1. Create Valuable Content

Creating valuable content is a key part of building a personal brand. This includes writing blog posts, creating videos, and sharing your expertise on social media. Your content should be informative, engaging, and relevant to your target audience.

  1. Engage with Your Audience

Engaging with your audience is crucial to building a strong personal brand. This includes responding to comments on your blog or social media posts, participating in online discussions, and attending events and conferences.

 

Conclusion

Building a strong personal brand takes time and effort, but the rewards are worth it. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can create a personal brand that stands out in a crowded market. Remember to stay true to yourself, be authentic, and communicate your values and beliefs. With persistence and dedication, you can build a personal brand that helps you achieve your goals and creates more opportunities for yourself.

 

WATCH:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uTY6TaZC2g

For more information visit tylerhayzlett.com

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Marketing Personal Development Sales

Payless Demonstrates the Amazing Power of Branding

Kudos to Payless for scoring a PR coup with its’ “Palessi” hoax.  The chain fabricated a fake designer (Bruno Palessi) and staged a “grand opening” of the line’s expensive shoes in a former Armani store. Sure enough, unsuspecting shoeaholics shelled out $3000 for the drastically overpriced footwear during the two-night scam.

Confirmation that some people just make too much money? Yeah, sure.  But proof that consumers are gullible sheep who will do anything marketers tell them?  Maybe not.

To read more, please visit my Forbes column!

 

Categories
Entrepreneurship Management Marketing Personal Development

The Sudden Death of Products and Services

Texas Sunset

Your customer has spoken: products and services are dead.

Consumed by new marketing strategies, all products and services have been replaced.

The next next thing in marketing and branding?

“Experiences”.

Marketing and Branding with Chris WestfallCalling something a product or service just doesn’t make any sense in the new economy. The description is out of date. Those words don’t apply to today’s consumers or companies.

Marketing professionals and sales people need to understand:
Products and services are dead.

Every leader has to understand: every company, everywhere, is selling experiences.

 

Think about it: The things that we buy and consume, either as individuals or as a corporate entity, are not products. These things are not services.

We buy, acquire, endure and enjoy experiences.

Related: Four Ways to Overcome Your Blind Spot on Entrepreneur.com

Today, commerce trades on the experience you have, and the experience you provide.

Consider these experiential products:

  • A vacation in Hawai’i
  • Purchasing a new Porsche Panamera
  • Transitioning your organization to SAP CRM
  • Changing vendors for your outsourced call center

Which of these are products, and which are services? Answer: None, and all. The old words don’t work anymore; we need to choose new ones if we want to tell a story that’s authentic and complete. And all customers – all consumers – crave authenticity.

Marketing Products and Services in a VaccuumYou see, no product exists in a vaccuum.

Even a vaccuum cleaner.

No service stands alone without products. These things are really events, or experiences, made up of a series of products, services and interactions.

And so many things are outside the scope of either products or services. For example: what if you donate to a non-profit? What about that last iPhone app, or a new piece of software – what is it exactly, product or service?

What we want, what we pay for and what we get can all be summed up in one way: experiences.

Today’s customer (whether a corporation or a person, and by the way they are NOT the same) wants an experience. Perhaps an experience that is fantastic (like visiting the most beautiful place on the planet, Hawai’i) or excruciating (transitioning to SAP CRM, for example, because your CFO chose the low-bidder on the job).

Even a traditional product purchase, like buying a new car, requires a series of events that create an experience that circumvents the “product” (whatever the hell that is, anyway). For example, when you buy a car, unless you have $108,433.00 cash (that’s a nice car! welcome to the C-Suite), you are going to need financing.

Maybe you will lease the vehicle. Maybe you will talk to the finance manager, or the sales manager, about your options. You go through a series of events and choices; this is all part of the experience of ownership. The most traditional “product” in America (the automobile) gives you an experience. The experience of the purchase, the experience of the service, and the experience of the brand. How does your car make you feel about yourself? Are you comfortable, and do you feel powerful behind the wheel? Those feelings are as real as the tires and the spark plugs – a very real experience, indeed.

Marketing Matters

“Product” and “service” are incomplete definitions. Consider the experience you want to have, as a consumer or a corporation. And, if you want to reach new customers in new ways, think long and hard about the total customer experience. Services and products alone just aren’t cutting it anymore.

 

Bullet Proof Branding by Chris WestfallMore Information and Additional Resources: 

Check out Bullet Proof Branding.  Find out how Cisco, Cargill, the Huffington Post and other organizations are creating impact in the digital age.

With a foreword by Ted Rubin, this book takes a look at how the conversation is changing for companies and individuals, in the age of social media.

About the Author: Chris Westfall is the publisher of seven books, including BulletProof Branding. His latest book is called Leadership Language, coming from Wiley in the fall of 2018. A business coach to entrepreneurial leaders on four continents, Chris Westfall has reshaped brands around the globe – creating multi-million dollar results in the process. His clients have appeared on Shark Tank, Dragons’ Den in Canada and Shark Tank – Australia. Find out more on his website and follow him on twitter.

Photo credits: Texas Sunset by the author. Girl with laptop and vacuum cleaner: creative commons via flickr.

Categories
Best Practices Growth Management News and Politics Personal Development

Politics, Obstruction and REAL Leadership

Doesn’t it seem like our political leaders specialize in obstruction, when that might just be the last thing anyone really needs?

Street SceneNo matter which side of the aisle you’re on, it seems that stopping things is the main focus of our representatives in Washington these days. Look, I’m not a political guy, but when it comes to leadership, shutting down the dialogue is the last thing you need. Seems to me that there’s a real misunderstanding going on.

Changing the conversation is about helping people to get to “yes”, not the opposite. Obstructing others from getting what they want might classify as political leadership – but, in business, those kinds of politics can kill your career.

Look for openings, not obstruction, if you want to create new results.

As Sam Shepard said to his friend, rockstar Patti Smith:

“When you hit a wall, kick it down.” – Sam Shepard, Author, Playwright and Actor

What would happen if you helped people to find doors, instead of blocking them with walls?

As you go through the week, take time to consider the folks that matter most to you: your stakeholders, your team and your customers.

What would change for you if you started to look at everyone around you … as your client?

What happens if the people around you became your clients as well? In my new book, Leadership Language, I talk about the value in seeing the people around you as clients – seeing that the service you provide is the key to the impact you create. It’s easy to see that your customers are those you serve – after all, that’s why they call it ‘customer service’.

I talked about how to create greater influence for your internal clients, in my latest article on Forbes – check it out right here: “How to Get Buy-In for Your Ideas”.

Common Ground, Uncommon Results

The idea of internal customers (or clients) is nothing new. But focusing on how you can help people to get where they want to go – instead of shutting them down – can be a powerful place for your attention.

If you find yourself being frustrated by other people, and other agendas, here are some useful questions that can make a difference:

  • What would have to change, outside of the people involved, for this situation to improve?
  • What assumptions are you making, about the people and processes involved, that are leading to your frustration?

When it’s time for a difficult conversation, ask yourself: what is the focus that’s going to be most useful? Is obstruction really the answer?

Then, get out of the “he said-she said” mode. Focus your team (and your client) on that thing that matters most.

Leadership Language Cover Mock-up
Coming from Wiley – Fall 2018

I’m not suggesting that you turn into Santa Claus, or start granting wishes. Sometimes what people want and what can realistically be delivered are two different things. That’s when you’ve got to ask yourself, “What’s this conversation really about?”

And, as a follow up: What does this conversation need to be about? Maybe the dialogue needs to be shut down. Incorrect initiatives must be stopped. A new beginning often starts with a fresh ending.

But understand where that decision is really coming from.

Is obstruction the kind of impact that you want to create?

Obstructing the Possibilities

Block the shot. Or take the shot. The choice is yours. (Decisions like that are why you’re in the C-Suite).  But why you choose your shot is what matters.

Can you influence your team and the clients that matter most to you, by obstruction? What good comes from the absence of dialogue? What’s the real impact of shutting down the conversation?

There’s no need for a vote; new solutions don’t come from obstruction. Open up the conversation, if you want to discover new results.

Look in the direction of ‘yes’ – and guide your clients to the solution that fits, for everyone involved. Take time to look at your assumptions. In my experience, you will discover what changes when those assumptions aren’t written in stone. Because trying to block someone isn’t the best way to lead them to a new solution.

About the Author

Chris Westfall is the publisher of seven books, recognized as the US NATIONAL ELEVATOR PITCH CHAMPION. A keynote speaker to Fortune 100 companies and high-growth businesses across multiple sectors, he provides performance coaching for leaders and their teams. He’s appeared on CNN, ABC NEWS, NBC TV, and in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Fortune and many other media publications. Find out more on his website and follow him on twitter.