How to Uncover and Market Your Personal Brand

Posted: December 27th, 2009 | Filed under: Business and Entrepreneurship, Marketing | Tags: , |

Here’s an exercise I use with my clients to help them get clear on their Personal Brand.

It started with building websites, logos, business cards, and graphically-based business pieces. I noticed that the more I got to know my clients – how they spoke, what they wore, how they interacted with others, and more deeply, what their greatest wishes, dreams and fears were (usually these deep emotions and fears are not shared explicitly, but I see them underlying my clients’ common “everyday” actions or in a flippantly made comment) – the better I was able to convey a unique and highly PERSONALIZED Brand through imagery and design. Over time, I honed this skill to help my clients write taglines and copy, such as Rock Racing’s “Here to Stay” and Rock the Cure Foundation’s “Make a Difference. Lead by Example. Rock the Cure.”

The exercise below is a great way to get started crafting your Personal Brand – uncovering what you REALLY want, what THEMES and VALUES tie together your Personal Brand, and how you can continue to explore all of your dreams under the umbrella of your Personal Brand.

Keep these themes and values in mind as you grow your business. It’s your Personality and your DNA that sets you apart from everyone else. It’s what makes you unique, and allows you to always be at the creation front, not the competitive front. It’s at the creative front that innovation happens.

STEP 1
Choose your three favorite memories, as related to the topic of your business or website.

STEP 2
Select one of these three memories, and brainstorm WHY it stands out in your mind. What sights were there, what objects? What were the sounds, the smells, the textures, the temperature? How did it FEEL for you?

STEP 3
Next, write down how this memory is key to your business, or like your business. Get creative!

STEP 4
Finally, pull out the key words and themes for branding purposes.

STEP 5
Repeat Steps 2 through 4 for the remaining two memories.

STEP 6
Now that we have a list to draw from, choose imagery to support these themes and ideas. You don’t have to use all of them – use what you feel matches best, for the purpose of your website or business.

When you’re done brainstorming, use a resource such as iStockPhoto (http://www.istockphoto.com) to find imagery for your site. Type your key words into this imagery search engine, and see what comes up!

Here’s an example:
STEP 1
Memory: Closing my first contract as a freelancer.

STEP 2
Describe: I remember the formal corporate offices, and a fresh-faced and eager me. It was cold in the office, but I felt like I was on fire. Excitement and electricity were shooting through me.

STEP 3
How This Is Like My Business: I create fresh new ways for entrepreneurs to see their businesses. Even in a cold market, you will feel alive, vibrant, and unstoppable after working with me! I’m like the electricity that helps to fuel your results!

STEP 4
Key Words and Themes: Fresh, Vibrant, Electricity/Energy.

With these key words and themes, I can search for photos that are green, have bright colors, feel fresh and energetic.

Have fun with this process! Let your mind wander to what makes you happy, and what you love to do.

NOTE: If you are an innovative and creative entrepreneur wanting to blend the best of your talents with your passions to create the kind of rockin’ business and lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of, I recommend checking to see if a Vision Day or Coaching and Training Program is right for you. Click here for more info.