Unless you’re using every advantage of Personal Branding, you’re not achieving all of the potential success which is sitting there waiting for you. Personal Branding means that you’re providing the right impression of your small business, right down to the smallest detail. If you want to be more successful in all your various endeavors – and especially in the case of a small business – you need to know the 6 “P’s” of personal branding. This is a set of concepts developed by business and entrepreneurship experts which give you the key to unlock your potential.
PERSONA
Who are you? What is your small business all about? What kind of customer service do you provide? What are your business values? What are you proud of? What makes you different from the competition? These are questions which your potential customers and clients must answer for themselves in a short period of time. How they answer them depends not just on what you say or what kind of persona you have managed to convey to them. Your policies, atmosphere, customer service, integrity, and overall quality are all factors that you can usually control. Your business “personality” has to shine through, so don’t waste time wondering if they’ll like you. Simply be yourself and they will.
POSITIONING
Everyone knows you have to be at the right place at the right time and know the right people, right? While this is true to some extent, a more important realization is that you can put your business in the right place when the time is right, and get to know all the right people. Positioning is how you do it; and this simply means you want to make sure you’re always in the best possible position.
PACKAGING
Just like you make decisions about the products you buy based on their packaging, so do prospective customers and clients. They make a decision about your business as a whole by the atmosphere you put forward, the quality the packaging of your specific products implies, and the additional support, guarantees, and other peripheries that you offer. When it comes to personal branding, packaging is a behind-the-scenes kind of preparation, which generally isn’t obvious unless you don’t do it, or if you don’t do it right. If you’ve ever wondered how someone gets to be “the whole package,” it’s because they put the time and forethought into all the little things that many others overlook. Just a little attention to your own packaging can help you market yourself much more effectively.
PRESENTATION
Just as important as making sure you’re “the whole package,” is paying close attention to every aspect of your presentation. Again, these are a lot of little things that can add up to a big impression – and you always want to make a good one. It’s an unfortunate reality in today’s world that appearances do matter, and they play a large role in how prospective and current customers see you. Those who market themselves effectively know that how you present yourself is of utmost importance, and it goes beyond just having a fancy exterior. Providing quality service, standing behind your products and services, presenting effective follow-up, and maintaining an overall professional and polite impression are all crucial elements of your presentation.
PROMOTION
Perhaps the most important element of personal branding is promotion – shameless self-promotion. You know your business, including its strengths, what makes it stand above the rest, what makes it a good “deal” and you know what qualities you possess: It’s absolutely crucial you convey this to potential customers.
PASSION
Last, but certainly not least, in the concepts that make up personal branding, is passion – passion for what you’re doing, for who you are and where you’re going. Customers are looking to know you, so don’t waste time trying to be something you’re not. Instead, let your passion, your enthusiasm and your energy for the job you’re doing, and the things you love, shine through. You’re sure to meet with the kind of success you’ve always dreamed of.
Remember, the key to effective personal branding is confidence. Don’t be afraid to let others know what makes you great, and why you’re the best choice.
Robert Moment is an innovative, sought-after small business and marketing coach and author of Invisible Profits: The Power of Exceptional Customer Service. Robert specializes in teaching entrepreneurs and small business owners how to start a business which profits and grows. Visit How to Start Your Small Business and sign up for the FREE 7 day e-course titled, “Turn Passion into Profit: Small Business Startup.”
