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3 Essential Points for Building a Healthy Brand Reputation
Branding, in the corporate world, has multiple definitions that
range from the generalto the industry specific. But branding can be
summed up in a simple but profoundpoint: Everyone has a brand.
Your brand may be identified by your name, company, website,
social media page,Twitter profile, blog etc. All of these mediums
or identity assets reflect who you areand say a lot about you.
Your name is not just about what people perceive about you, it
is also the platformupon which you create a space. A common
misconception among the youngergeneration (myself included) is that
a brand is a post-college project rather than alifelong, public,
bank account. If its going to be healthy, you have to invest in it
andencourage others to make deposits that will positively
contribute to future endeavors.This can also mean properly
calibrating relationships that are unwise.
Your brand is also about legitimacy. What I call false branding
is a lie that is difficultto sustain for long periods and
politicians are often associated with this method. Itattempts to
control public perceptions with the understanding that the actions
tosupport the legitimacy of their brands perception will follow
rather than lead theirbranding efforts. e.g. Vote now, Ill follow
through later.
Consider the power of a legitimate individual brand.
If I asked you to think of someone you know who is dependable,
the person whocomes to mind has done a skillful job of branding
themselves as such even if they
havent done so intentionally. They may not have a Web presence
and their expertiseprobably has nothing to do with being
dependable. However, they have conductedthemselves in such a way as
to gain your trust and build faith in that character trait.
Think of how much more powerful and healthy that brand can
becomerooted inmeaningful character traitsover one that is solely
based on a graphic, logo, or thepromise of future actions.
Remember these essential points:
1. If your brand does not reflect your values, it wont be as
valuable.
A brand that fails to represent or misrepresents an individuals
or businesss values isharder to trust and harder still to
sustain.
2. If your brand is not based upon your strengths, it wont be as
strong.For example, if you arent a skillful speaker, building your
brand around yourspeaking abilities will inhibit your brand from
from reaching its full potential.
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3. If your brand does not reflect your motivations, others wont
be motivated by it.How can you engage others to become passionate
about a cause if that causedoesnt keep you up at night?
This is all a part of your DNA and it is the key starting point
for any brand decisions.
Is the brand you are trying to build reflecting your values,
strengths and motivations? Ifso, how does it impact your actions,
words and decisions on a daily basis?
