“The tech was late. We didn’t receive any communication from the office that he was running behind. To top it off, he was rude. And if that wasn’t enough aggravation, we had to call the company back because he couldn’t fix it.”
It doesn’t matter how great you think your people and company are or how you try to defend these actions. This customer’s viewpoint is her perception. It’s how she sees your company. In her mind’s eye, this sour experience is what your brand means to her.
You know it’s not an isolated incident; you’ve heard similar reviews.
Let’s step back and pause for a moment. You’ve been a business owner for over twelve years. You’re a member of ACCA and meet weekly with a business coach. With a passion for marketing, you know that this is a branding issue.
This last review by Mrs. Jones was the final straw. It’s time to make correcting this a priority with your business coach! However, you know what you need to do: put your company values front and center. First, make sure you’re following them yourself. Then, navigate and weave them in and out of every available company opportunity. At the very least, you should single out a recent experience of a coworker demonstrating a core value in their work. Do it at every company meeting and celebrate it with your team.
Like company culture, branding is what “they” say it is. The only way to change it is to behave your way to the desired result. The job of orchestrating this behavior is up to the company leader.
Curveball
You’re in the major leagues when it comes to contracting. Most baseball players know that if you want to make it in the big leagues, you’ve got to hit a curveball.
Here comes the curveball.
You are a brand. Yes you! We all are our own brand. As the company leader, however, you have added layers of responsibility to ensure your brand provides positive outcomes.
Like the example with Mrs. Jones, if you behave poorly and unprofessionally with your coworkers, you create a negative brand influence. If you do this frequently, you build an undesirable brand—and no one will want to work at your company.
Hit it and they will come
In the same way that you orchestrate favorable branding to draw customers into your company orbit, you can make your own brand magnetic. Consider the following action points:
Be authentic: Authenticity is a core pillar of your leadership and brand foundation.
Be consistent: Wherever you might be, be consistent with your actions, appearance, and behavior. When you strive for character, you become trustworthy.
Show up: People depend on you. When you don’t show up, they might look for another leader to rely on.
Be professional: Don’t slide. Leaders are held to higher standards. Always stay on point.
Network: Networking is a chance to exercise your character and values. Be curious, a good listener, and help others when networking. Be respectful and always follow up.
Work on your story: This could be a brief story about your professional journey or your values and beliefs.
Engage with positivity: The return on this cost-free behavior is incalculable.
Be responsive: Stand out from the crowd and express urgency in responding to people.
Connect with emotion: Positive emotion is a gravitational force. People will find it hard to resist you.
Be flexible: Keep an open mind and adapt when you must.
Communicate with clarity: If you want people to buy into what you’re selling, they must understand you.
Be reputable: Your reputation is everything. Grow, nurture, and develop it.
Be mindful of your appearance: Leave a memorable impression of yourself with others.
Are you on LinkedIn?
I often hear, “I own the business, I’m not looking for a job.”
Guess what? Other people are looking for jobs, and they’re looking at the LinkedIn profiles of business owners. How do you want potential applicants to see you? As a competent professional trying to make a positive difference in the world, or as someone who is not in touch with the business realities of today? You’ll show up as an example of this last statement if you’re not updating your profile or worse yet, if you don’t have one.
Because Tom Peters says so
I’ve been a student of building one’s own brand since business legend Tom Peters, co-author of In Search of Excellence, wrote a Fast Company article titled “Brand You” in 1997. Referred to as “Personal Branding,” it started out as a solid and viable strategy for personal care and promotion. But ego-driven authors and want-to-be gurus drove the strategy and tactics into the mud. It’s made a favorable comeback over the last few years. On Brand by Aliza Licht is an excellent book for additional research.
Are you authentically behaving your way to how you want others to perceive you?
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