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