Branding - Being Known For Who You Are

from the desk of Ron Sukenick

I like to use my toaster as a metaphor for a system that can help us go beyond networking to more powerful interactions. The Magic of Six refers to each stage of the process of interacting to launch new connections. "Going beyond" means putting more of yourself into each part of the interaction, working towards collaborative goals rather than merely exchanging help.

After reading an article about branding in the latest issue of Speaker Magazine, I realized that businesspeople who have developed and grown their own brand are at a distinct advantage in each one of the stages of interaction with potential customers. For the article, Tim Hyland interviewed well-known speakers to learn how each had established a special brand.

Kathy Dempsey, whom I mentioned in my last blog post, uses the image of a lizard to teach that we must keep shedding old habits and old ways of thinking, just the way a lizard must shed its skin to stay alive. Dempsey dresses in black and green, and every member of every one of her audiences meets her mascot Lenny the Lizard and takes home a miniature lizard toy. Now, everyone who meets her greets her with, "I'm shedding!", to show they've understood her message and are putting it to use. Jill Konrad, who speaks on Selling To Big Companies, puts the word BIG in very, very big letters on her logo, and uses the BIG theme in all her talks and on all her printed materials.

Now, imagine you're at a networking event, meeting someone for the first time. No sooner do you introduce yourself and say the name of your company, your new acquaintance's face lights up with recognition. He's heard of you and what you do. As you follow up with an email, again your new contact has an "Aha!" moment, because she recognizes your logo.

But your brand is so much more than a mascot, a slogan, or a logo - it's you. By behaving in a consistent way over long periods of time, you're creating a brand that communicates to clients who you are, what you do, and how you can help. When you listen purposefully to the other person, listening three times as much as you speak, you're adding to your "brand" that you're someone who can be relied upon to really care and to give personalized service. Growing your brand can mean growing your relationships, and growing your relationships will mean growing your business.