Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook.
According to Forbes, these are the 5 most valuable brands in the world. I’m guessing that you can probably describe the logo for each of them, right?
Creating a consistent and recognizable brand takes work. And while none of us have the resources of, say, Apple or Amazon, we can learn from their stellar examples as we seek to build our own brands.
We are in a 5-part blog series covering the 5 C’s of creating your personal brand: clarity, content, connection, creativity, and community. We covered clarity on Wednesday. Check it out here if you missed it. Today, we’ll be moving on to the content of your brand.
What is it that you have that the world needs?
This important question helps you identify what your content is. Author and theologian Frederick Buechner says, “vocation is where our greatest passion meets the world’s greatest need.” Your content may or may not be related to your vocation, but it is at the intersection of where your passion relates to something the world needs.
Now, keep in mind, content can take several forms. It may be a product that you want to take to market. It could also be a skillset that you have to teach. Or it might be an idea in the form of presentations or books that you need to brand.
Whatever it is, you need to figure out what your content is, and then work to elevate the quality of your content. Launching a product or an idea that is not ready can do damage to your personal brand. You’ve probably heard it a hundred times, but that’s because it’s a truth with real staying power. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. So before you jump on social media or build a website to promote your product, you need to make sure you’ve got content that’s worth promoting.
How can I get my content to those who need it?
Once you know what it is that you are branding, you need to figure out the right platform to get your content out. This is different from marketing your material. Social media and marketing strategies are what you use to pull people toward your content. But they aren’t necessarily the how you communicate or distribute your content.
CEO of Mighty Networks, Gina Bianchini, outlines a few popular content platforms in her article “What’s Next for Your Personal Brand?” She says that the winners of personal branding will “choose high quality content and experiences that people will pay them for.” In this article, she gives the following suggestions: membership subscriptions, events and seminars, podcasts, and online courses. A great example of a website promoting content through online courses is the Hb Live Academy.
Consider a multimedia approach. Register to speak at conferences or conventions. Create professional videos to be shared online. Record a podcast. Just take advantage of the many channels of media available to help spread your content and build your multimedia brand.
Once you have figured out what your content is, elevated its quality, and figured out how to communicate it, you are ready to move on to the third stage of personal branding, connecting your content with the rest of the world. But more on that next time.
For now, check out the presentation design and presentation training services available at Ethos3.com. We can’t wait to connect with you.
