Are you a Brand?

Image is everything

In an enterprising and competitive world like ours, your success or failure depends on your ability to clearly distinguish yourself from others. When you understand and distinguish yourself as a brand, with time, your lifestyle becomes a standard. Most successful businesses that are leaders in their sectors are now standards in their industries. They set the pace for others to follow, and this is achieved mostly through branding.

Branding is a concept in business that is as important to a business as it is to anyone who wants to be successful and remain that way in life. It is simply the use of any name, term, symbol, sign, design or a combination of these to identify yourself or help others associate you with something. It is actually a representation of what you do, believe or associate yourself with. It is a summary of what you want people to know you for.

In life, successful people distinguish themselves in something and than establish in it. When they get established in something worthwhile, they become associated with that. For instance, if you think of safety in a car, you talk of Volvo, if you think of fuel economy and availability of spare parts, you think of Toyota. These Cars have been branded using distinctive features, and you associate with them based on what you are looking for.

As an individual, what distinguishing feature do you have? You can never standout if it is difficult to separate you from the lot. You need to brand yourself if people must identify you from the crowd.  Unfortunately, most people are yet to understand who they really are and what they can do. I consider such people as having a ‘GENERIC PERSONALITY.’ They are just like every other average person that has got nothing unique to offer. It is dangerous being with such people, just like fake products, they can easily drag your high earned reputation into the mud. They have no brand and no brand name. They have nothing at stake, and so can afford to live life anyhow. You can’t afford to be like every other person; you need to brand yourself. No good product goes into the market unbranded, and no brand can succeed without a good brand name, so also every quality life. This is because being a brand speaks more for you than you can speak for yourself; it identifies you from the crowd, gives you a high sense of responsibility and improved self worth, it is your reputation.

Another side to it is that people can brand you. This is the most dangerous aspect of branding. Nobody can tell your story exactly the way you want it told, and better like you will do. Low quality and fake products are not bordered about image and esteem, so also those who have nothing to offer, but branded products do. You need to brand yourself with the exact features that truly represent you.

Let people know you for something good and worthwhile such as keeping to your promises, craving for excellence in your duties, being trustworthy, effective and efficient, diligent, caring, positive etc. whatever you choose to brand yourself with, let it be one that truly represent you, and will positively influence people around to say something good about you.