| Effective Personal Branding implies creating | | | | feature very different options and |
| an emotional and memorable experience | | | | accessories. A purchaser of a Corolla may see |
| recalling immediately about the things you | | | | cruise control as a nice option while a Lexus |
| are best at and for what people compliment | | | | purchaser would consider it as mandatory. |
| you the most. And Brand Strategy generates a | | | | |
| focused attention or impression thus allowing | | | | Okay that's cars; let's talk about a striking |
| others to see a consistent message and get a | | | | example of a successful personal brand. One |
| grasp for who the speaker is and what they | | | | of the best brand builders over the 200+ |
| offer. It is one of | | | | years of the speaker industry is that of the |
| corporate America's major clichés. One of | | | | recently deceased Dottie Walters. Her Speak |
| my clients Neal Lemlein, a premier | | | | and Grow Rich brand is brilliant. The very |
| entertainment executive and consultant over | | | | name of it creates a crystal clear image. |
| the last 20 years even begged the question as | | | | Walters brand promises to teach you to speak |
| a professor at USC is Branding B.S? Well Mr. | | | | and grow rich. Additionally, Walters has had |
| Lemlein, when it's a word symbolically thrown | | | | the seminar series of the same name traveling |
| around as jargon and doesn't come with a | | | | across the country and she always carried |
| strategy the answer is indeed yes. However, | | | | herself with conviction and credibility. |
| at Ascendant Strategy Group we have created a | | | | Walters approach was to have a stand alone |
| branding firm that builds a comprehensive | | | | name, "Speak and Grow Rich", which draws |
| strategy. Many of our most successful clients | | | | excitement by itself and has simultaneously |
| are public speakers, CEO's and corporations. | | | | been able to create an experience memorable |
| | | | enough to create lifetime consumers that not |
| So what is branding? We think of it through | | | | only attend seminars and purchase books but |
| the lens of brand enhancement, defined as | | | | also become invested in her product funnel |
| identifying and analyzing brands for | | | | and became top targets for major symposiums |
| undiscovered or underdeveloped opportunities | | | | and additional product offering. |
| that will translate to consistent messaging, | | | | |
| increased image and profitability. Brand | | | | So you have an approach and its not working. |
| enhancement assumes all individuals have a | | | | Or you're attempting to create your initial |
| personal brand and corporations have a | | | | brand. Think about some of the most powerful |
| corporate brand, whether they have identified | | | | brands in the marketplace over the past 20 |
| it or it is undiscovered. Another way to | | | | years. Nike "Just Do it" when you hear this |
| think about branding is what you are best | | | | it makes you just want to do it, it speaks |
| known for. Speakers for instance need to | | | | especially well to the athletic demographic. |
| spend serious time thinking about developing | | | | Snickers promises to "satisfy your hunger" |
| their brand before they begin marketing, | | | | and when you're in the candy section after a |
| developing their speaking topics, editing | | | | work out or in between meals or at the gas |
| professional videos, developing a personal | | | | station on a long road trip, those words come |
| style and their overall image in the | | | | to your mind consciously and subconsciously |
| industry. I often find too many speakers | | | | as you believe Snickers has an answer for |
| motivated purely to make a profit or | | | | your hunger. |
| passionate about speaking but lacking focus. | | | | |
| Creating a brand strategy helps generate that | | | | So is that what branding is about, simply |
| focus and it allows others to see a | | | | coming up with a hot phrase? Absolutely not, |
| consistent message and get a grasp for who | | | | let's look at Starbucks; the coffee chain |
| the speaker is and what they offer. | | | | doesn't rely on a phrase but rather an |
| | | | experience. When you think about Starbucks |
| So how does an individual come up with a | | | | it is about more then the coffee it is a |
| personal brand? How does a corporation come | | | | place to meet friends, a place to study or a |
| up with a corporate brand? Our answer is by | | | | place to just relax. Starbucks has been the |
| creating a brand portfolio that identifies | | | | sight many a time for meetings, dates and |
| different areas for branding with | | | | breaks from the hectic pace of the day. This |
| corresponding imaging and marketing strategy, | | | | is what effective brands do they create |
| public relations implementation packaging, | | | | experiences. |
| product funnel and revenue portfolio. For | | | | |
| example, let's take Toyota. Toyota has an | | | | For one of our clients at Ascendant Strategy |
| overarching brand then additionally they have | | | | Group, Jeff Johnson we created two brands, |
| Corolla, Camry and Rav-4 amongst others, all | | | | Social Architect and Bridge Builder. The |
| with separate brands and related strategies. | | | | Social Architect brand speaks to Johnson's |
| Additionally, Toyota is the owner of Lexus, | | | | ambition to create stable institutions that |
| though you would almost never know it. | | | | help people, additionally it captures the |
| Toyota wanting to reach into a higher-end | | | | spirit of his keynote addresses, Johnson |
| clientele realized that their brand was | | | | doesn't simply speak on issues he provides |
| associated with affordable cars, entering a | | | | tangible solutions and creates an environment |
| vertical market where retail prices go | | | | where creative energies flow and the crowd is |
| $40,000 and up required generating a | | | | challenged to make their own solutions. The |
| prestigious brand. Think about the market | | | | bridge builder brand encompasses his ability |
| relevance here of what Toyota has done over | | | | to work with people of very different |
| the year. Whether you are a college student | | | | backgrounds and in his speeches he talks |
| looking to purchase a cost-effective high gas | | | | about the importance of people with different |
| mileage first car or a multimillionaire | | | | views working together. So his brand speaks |
| looking to purchase a 3rd car that screams | | | | to his background and the experience that is |
| prestige; purchasing a member of the Toyota | | | | created by his speeches, when you have this |
| family is a practical option. Toyota utilizes | | | | sort of synergy it begins to make you a |
| very different strategies to brand their | | | | highly desirable and memorable speaker. |
| vehicles and additionally the cars often | | | | |