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Branding Your Product ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Companies establish brands to present images of how they want customers to perceive their products. Images position products to marketing targets (market segments or potential customers). Brands are intended to communicate:
- What the brand stands for.
- The value associated with the brand.
- What makes the brand unique (how it stands above its competition).
Examples of images or positions that brands communicate include:
- Coca-Cola: The Real Thing.
- Bounty: The Quicker Picker Upper.
- Ivory: 99 & 44/100% Pure Soap.
Famous people are branded.
- Joe DiMaggio: The Yankee Clipper.
- Ronald Reagan: The Great Communicator.
- Roberto Clemente: The Great One, 21.
And, there's the Barack Obama brand communication:
- Yes, We Can.
- Change We Can Believe In.
What is your personal brand?
- What do you stand for? (What do you want people to think when they see you or hear your name?)
- What is your value? (What can you provide to purchasers of your skills and qualifications, your current or potential employer?)
- What makes you unique? (How do you stand above your competition, others who are vying for the promotion or job that you want?)
Branding positions you to market and sell You, Inc. It helps you:
- Focus your message about the value you can provide.
- Set standards for your performance. (Businesses refer to standards as the brand promise.)
- Focus on what you have to do to stand above your competition.
Tips for developing your personal brand include:
- Know your strengths and capabilities. (Don't be shy about taking assessments and acting on what you discover.)
- Establish how you want to present yourself. (your appearance, the way you communicate, etc.)
- Know your market. (who you want to purchase your brand, hire or promote you.)
- Know and be able to articulate the value that you can provide. (concise statement)
Concise statement of your value is your elevator speech. It is your answer to What do you do? It is called an elevator speech because it should encourage someone to follow you down the hall after you leave the elevator to learn more about you. The elevator speech is very effective for use during job interviews for internal positions or when you are seeking a position with another company. Which sounds more effective in capturing the essence of an individual?
- I am a financial manager who is expert in performing useful analysis.
- I identify business value.
Which statement would draw the listener to the edge of his/her chair?
The buying process (hiring or promotion) begins when the customer (employer or potential employer) understands what you are selling (what you stand for, what you offer, what makes you unique).
Linwood Bailey
Principal
Fields of Success |
| About From the Field
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fields of Success issues From the Field semi-monthly. From the Field provides suggestions, ideas and tips focused on helping corporate professionals increase their effectiveness and manage their careers. |
