5 Steps To Re-Build Your Personal Brand

This article is based on my Access4Success conversation with Gary Green – Host & Star of “CASINO INSIDER” TV show, author,  marketing guru, past casino executive. If you prefer to watch the video – click here

Haydee – Why should we put any effort into building our personal brand right now when there are so many other things that we could be busy with?

Gary  

Competition is fierce in the job world right now! 30 million people have applied for unemployment. One of the top Vegas headhunters said that of the jobs he was representing before the quarantine, he believes that half of them won’t exist when the quarantine is lifted. There are 473 casinos, 160 slot machine companies in the USA today.

I grew up in a time where we were told that if you work hard, you’ll get ahead, I found out that’s not exactly true. I believe it’s about who knows you not necessarily who you know. It’s about your “Brand Recognition” – and that’s why building your personal brand is important. People need to know who you are.

Haydee 

To increase your level of influence and impact in this new norm, you need to re-look and re-build your personal brand. It’s also essential for you to re-focus on your brand because without being aware of it you could be diminishing trust and credibility in your brand. This in turn makes you miss out on valuable opportunities.

What steps can we take to re-build our personal brand right now?

Gary  

This requires 5 carefully executed steps:
The first is – target who you want to reach with your brand. It’s not going to appeal to the universe. If you are looking for a job right now – who’s radar do you need to be on? An HR manager may be hiring but they are typically not the ultimate decision-makers. Determine the decision-maker for your level and get noticed by them. Do your research.

Haydee

 It’s about doing your due diligence. You have the number one research analyst in the world working for you for free and you’re not using it. It’s called Google. Find out who the decision-makers are that you want to make an impact on and be memorable for (depending on your situation right now this can be a person in charge of the next step of your career, an investor, a client). Put Google alerts on their names. This way when their name is mentioned in an article, on a post – you’ll know. Use this information when introducing yourself for the first time via email or sending them a LinkedIn invitation.

On LinkedIn go to that decision-makers activity on their LinkedIn page and find out what they’ve been posting, commenting on. To be on their radar – comment, share, and like their posts and articles you genuinely like (ensure you read them). Research shows that a “like” on social media produces dopamine (the pleasure chemical) in the person who you’ve “liked”. After they see your name coming up a few times, they are likely to visit your profile. If your profile shows up as professional and resonates with them – you have a high chance of them wanting to accept your connection request. Always make sure you send them a customized invitation.

What is the second step to re-build your brand?

Gary  

Establish Your Differentiator.

What do people know you for? What do you do that is REALLY different? Why choose your brand over another? Determine what makes you different and share it with your “audience”. In Haydee’s book – Chapter 2 – there are a series of exercises to help define what your brand is and find your differentiator.

* To download chapter 1-3 of “Packaged For Success” click here

Haydee

Yes, finding your unique point of difference is key. UNIQUE stands for unlike any other. Before you can brand yourself it’s important to understand yourself. Companies worldwide spend millions of dollars on research and development. When last did you do R&D on your brand? How you are being perceived and received right now is essential to know.

We live in a “review” world, we select restaurants, hotels based on their Yelp or TripAdvisor reviews. Give yourself a review of how well you have defined, positioned, and marketed your brand. On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate yourself? How would others rate you?

Haydee – What is the third step, Gary?

Gary 

Research Your Competition. What is their value propositions? Who is talking about them? What makes them stand out? Now think of what it is you bring in value to your target market/decision-makers that you’ve identified. Is it the same or better than your competitors? And again Haydee’s book has some great activities to help you understand your brand value better.

The fourth step is – Identify Your Brand “Voice” to communicate to your audience in.

Haydee

Your brand’s voice is representative of your brand’s personality. Is it casual or formal? hip and happening or more conservative? Follow the footsteps of someone you admire inside or outside of your industry. Note the traits you love about how these individuals present themselves online and offline and borrow what resonates with you. Make sure you add your own flavor.

What is the last step, Gary?

Gary 

Integrate Your Brand Voice in all you do. If you’re going “to be” the Bellagio don’t also try to be the Cosmopolitan. Sending mixed messages will confuse your target audience. Making your brand message believable through consistency is essential.

Haydee

I often hear the words “personal brand” used with little or no understanding of its meaning. So what is a personal brand? It’s your promise of the experience you guarantee others will have when they interact with you. Every action, message, and word you put out into the world demonstrates your personal brand promise each and every time.

One of the best compliments you can receive is when someone wants to share the experience of YOU with others.

People experience your brand through these three senses.
1.  How they see you (appearance/ body language)
2. How they hear you ( your communication style, tone, volume)
3. How they “feel” you – the energy you bring when you enter a room or are in someone’s presence. It’s about your “likeability factor” – how you make others feel about themselves when they are with you. Use these senses to create brand memorability.

To watch this conversation on video – click here

Pablo Picasso said, “Action is the foundation key of all success.” Think of the one action step you want to apply to elevate your brand after reading the above. Now ensure you put it in place.

If you’re looking for you and your team to succeed in this new norm, connect with me here. In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy!