What's Your Brand?

June 17, 2019 by Tom

What is the common thread between Apple and Starbucks?

Outstanding and unmistakable brand and image in their markets/industries. All products, services, and companies in the world have a brand and image in the market...that brand and image can either lead to massive success or be the anchor that sinks it. The same principle applies to each one of us individually. We each have our own brand and image in the eyes of our friends, family, colleagues, bosses, clients, customers, etc. Just like products, services and companies, our brand and image will either help us to be massively successful or will hold us back from what we want to achieve in life.

So, the question is: what’s your personal brand and image in the eyes of those who have the biggest impact on your life and business (our friends, family, colleagues, bosses, clients, customers, etc.)? What do you think your personal brand and image is, or what do you want it to be? Are those two perspectives in alignment? What do you think other people would say your brand is and what it represents?

Before you answer that, check this out:

• Go to your social media pages and look at all of your photos and the things you have posted. Is that in alignment with what you believe to be your brand and image? Whether it is or isn’t, that is your brand and image to the hundreds or thousands of followers you have on Facebook, Instagram, etc., like it or not. That is your online image. Is that brand or image going to help you or hurt you when it comes to getting what you want in life?
• How do you dress? I know you may think no one really cares if you wear flip flops & shorts and go unshaven to work, but just be aware that it does impact your personal brand and image. Is that brand and image going to hurt \ you or help you become more successful?
• Are you healthy and do you take care of yourself? How you take care of yourself says a lot about how you will take care of others.
• What are you like at social and work functions? Are you the life of the party throwing back brews? It impacts your personal brand and image, good or bad.
• Are you on time to appointments and meetings, both personally and professionally or, better yet, a bit early? Or do you constantly show up 5, 10 or 15 minutes late? Does your time management help you or hurt you? It impacts your personal brand and image, good or bad.
• What does your desk, the inside of your car and your other personal spaces look like? Does it look organized and give the impression that you are someone who pays attention to the details and is in control, or does it look like a bomb just went off and you are out of control? It impacts your brand and image, good or bad.
• Are you someone who always makes excuses about why it can’t be done, or are you the one who says, “Let’s do it!” It impacts your brand and image, good or bad.
• Are you someone who replies to all emails, calls and texts in a timely manner or do you just blow them off... sometimes for days or weeks on end? It impacts your brand and image, good or bad.
• Do you smile? Are you fired up and do you have positive energy or are you an energy suck to everyone around you...really? It impacts your brand and image, good or bad.
• Are you respectful and polite or are you loud and obnoxious? Think about it and be honest. It impacts your brand and image, good or bad.

This is just the tip of the iceberg but do you get it? Your brand is not your business card or your logo or some cool ad. Your brand is YOU and everything YOU do in life impacts your personal brand and image, good or bad...and like a business it can help us to be massively successful or, well...the opposite of massively successful...yikes!!!

Now answer that question: what is your personal brand and image? Is it going to help you get what you want out of life? The world is watching us, every moment of everyday, like it or not.