Would you work for you? Unless you are really living your brand and passionately enthused – how can we expect others to be? Are you in love with your brand – personal or professional?
“If you're not in love with your business, why should your employees or customers be?” This is a quote from Kevin Roberts former chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi in his ground-breaking book on branding called Lovemarks.
He says, “To me, it's all about spirit, not about values. Lovemarks go beyond the relationships to a loving relationship. If you want to create a Lovemark, you've got to be passionately in love with your own business.” He goes on to say that great brands have always been created with love, with inspiration, with emotion.
For me and my viewpoint on personal branding in business, I believe personal branding is personal public relations. Public relations is relationships with your public and it’s about how you or your business is perceived, seen and how you interact with other people that will build your reputation, profile and brand – or Lovemark.
After all businesses and companies are based on people. People make products for people. People sell to and serve other people and people work with people and for people.
As a business owner or CEO – you are the leader and the public face of your organisation. You represent what that company stands for. As an employee you are also representing the brand.
If we want to succeed both personally and in business, we need to be in personal alignment with what our company represents. Not everyone loves their job – but it sure does help if our personal aims, vision and values are in alignment with what that organisation represents.
Whether as an employer or employee, do you ask the right questions to understand if there is a connection and the right fit for the role. Perhaps the question is right, but do you really listen and tune in to the answer?
How well do we communicate that vision? You need to share with your employees, suppliers, customers, clients and all stakeholders your values and vision for your company. Or as Kevin Roberts says, “your spirit”. Let them see your passion and enthusiasm for your business and brand – your raison d'être.
My purpose is to empower others to shine through their brand, image and communication. If I succeed in that and see others transform and communicate their confident, personal best, that in turn inspires me to shine.
Personal branding is the ability to shine through with compelling communication and interact with others to build successful relationships. It is the ability to inspire emotional connections by encouragement, support, listening and leading your team and stakeholders to understand and support your future vision.
Great brands have always been created with love, with inspiration, with emotion.
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Sue Currie is an image entrepreneur who guides and empowers business leaders and entrepreneurs to have “Spotlight Confidence”. She is passionate about helping professionals elevate their personal and professional brand through her speaking, coaching and training programs on Self-image, Style and Speaking Skills, providing a multi-faceted approach to gain high transformation for her clients.
