| Strategy is the brains of branding. This is true for | | | | example. His |
| products, | | | | movies and books tweak "the establishment," |
| for companies and for people.One way to figure out | | | | whether it was |
| the best self-brand strategy is to | | | | big industry (Roger and Me), the NRA and the gun |
| look at brand strategies from the commercial world. | | | | lobby |
| Start by | | | | (Bowling for Columbine) or President Bush and the |
| devouring good books on individual companies and | | | | war in |
| products. | | | | Iraq (Farenheit 9/11).The Anti-position can be very |
| Successful brands always attract analysis. Or read | | | | risky, particularly in you |
| about how | | | | work in a corporation (although many of them have a |
| brands develop winning strategies. Once you start | | | | few |
| studying | | | | maverick employees who ride the Anti-position horse). |
| the world of commercial branding, you'll see how the | | | | It is |
| branding strategies and tactics have lessons for you | | | | a self brand strategy adopted mainly by people who |
| too.Here are four brand strategies from the | | | | are very |
| commercial world | | | | confident in their position or have nothing to |
| that people have used to build a strong self-brand. | | | | lose.However, the Anti-Position can be a great |
| And there | | | | positioning |
| is no reason one can't work for you, too.Self-Brand | | | | strategy for entrepreneurs. You build your point of |
| Strategy 1: Be the FirstEveryone knows being first is | | | | difference for your company as the antidote to the |
| an advantage. The first | | | | leader. |
| mover generally ends up the leader in the category | | | | You and your company symbolize everything the |
| and is | | | | leader is not. |
| often the one we keep in mind. And because it's the | | | | You position the leaders strengths as weaknesses.So, |
| leader, | | | | if you like to go against the grain, the Anti-position |
| everyone believes it to be the best in its | | | | may be for you. The strategy is simplicity itself. |
| category.Being first is a formidable advantage. Michael | | | | Whatever the leader in your industry or line of work is |
| Dell was the | | | | |
| first direct seller of personal computers and | | | | doing, think of doing the opposite within reason. You |
| dominates the | | | | could |
| business. Jeff Bezos created the first online book and | | | | find a market that is looking for someone just like |
| | | | you.Self-Brand Strategy 4: Own an AttributeThe most |
| retail marketplace, and it is now number one. And the | | | | common positioning strategy for brands is to own an |
| list | | | | attribute. Mercedes-Benz's brand strategy is built |
| goes on and on.You're probably thinking, "These are | | | | around |
| business giants, and this kind of accomplishment would | | | | prestige, BMW's is driving performance, Subaru's is |
| be | | | | ruggedness, and Volvo's is safety.For this strategy to |
| impossible for a mere mortal like me. How can I be | | | | work best, you should select the brand |
| number | | | | attribute that is credible for you to own and gives you |
| one in anything?"You don't have to be a brilliant | | | | |
| inventor or genius | | | | maximum opportunity in your category.For example, |
| to create a first. New categories are popping up all | | | | when Pampers first developed the disposable |
| the | | | | diaper in the early 1960s, sales were poor. The |
| time, as you'll see once you start looking. You just | | | | marketing |
| need | | | | was positioned around convenience, a brand attribute |
| the proper mind-set. Often, you can slice the category | | | | that |
| to | | | | had a clear-cut benefit for busy moms. Moms didn't |
| create a new subcategory and be first in that. Think | | | | have to |
| of it | | | | disinfect and clean the diapers themselves or use an |
| as carving a new niche out of a category.The "be the | | | | expensive diaper service. Convenience was |
| first" strategy is a very successful one for | | | | especially |
| entrepreneurs, | | | | beneficial for moms on the go with their babies. They |
| but executives can use it too. Enterprising employees | | | | didn't |
| or | | | | have to carry stinky cloth diapers around with them |
| entrepreneurs often create a new market | | | | until |
| niche-whether it is | | | | they got home. But that attribute positioning didn't |
| a new type of product, service, or customer niche. | | | | resonate with mothers. They felt guilty. Cloth diapers |
| These | | | | were |
| firsts may end up being enormously profitable for the | | | | best for babies, while paper diapers were best for |
| company and for the employee's self-brand. And | | | | moms. So |
| there are | | | | moms voted with their hearts, and sales were |
| lots of different ways to slice up a category and | | | | poor.Then Pampers changed its brand positioning to |
| create a | | | | "better |
| new area to be first in. If you can't think of anything, | | | | absorbency," which was a benefit for babies. Mothers |
| read | | | | could |
| The Origin of Brands, by Al Ries and Laura Ries. If | | | | buy the diapers and feel that they were doing what |
| you still come up blank, think about the question again | | | | was best |
| before going to sleep, and you'll have answers in the | | | | for their babies, not best for them. Sales took off, and |
| morning.Self Brand Strategy 2. Be the LeaderThere | | | | |
| are many ways to define yourself as a leader. You | | | | cloth diapers and diaper services went the way of |
| can | | | | the buggy |
| be the leader of your department, your company, or | | | | whip.Every category is associated with attributes that |
| your | | | | are |
| favorite charity. Or you can be the leader in sales at | | | | important to customers and prospects. And you can |
| your | | | | slice your |
| company, or a leader in sales of a segment of the | | | | industry, profession, or job category to find the best fit |
| market.Many professionals have a leadership claim | | | | |
| and feel they are | | | | for the attribute you want to own and the category in |
| doing leadership things, yet they are not perceived as | | | | which |
| a | | | | you want to do it. This is true regardless of your |
| leader. To be perceived as a leader, you have to lead | | | | industry, |
| with | | | | whether it's financial services, manufacturing, |
| ideas and lead by example.As a leader, you have to | | | | marketing, |
| have to | | | | law, medicine, academia, or what have you.Your job |
| be able to articulate ideas that are worthy of being | | | | as a self-brander is to stake your claim to the |
| remembered and you have to be able to inspire | | | | attribute that is best for you and is not owned by a |
| others. | | | | competitor in the arena where you will have the most |
| Ideally, you want to "own" a word or an idea in the | | | | impact. |
| minds of | | | | Benjamin, had just been promoted to president of his |
| your employees (or whoever the target audience is) | | | | company. The good news: it was a great job. The |
| so they | | | | bad news: it |
| will know what your battle cry is. Most important, you | | | | was a difficult job. Sales revenue was down, and his |
| have | | | | industry was in a serious slump. Benjamin's first task |
| to underscore your ideas with actions, preferably bold | | | | was |
| actions that demonstrate what you stand for.Bianca, | | | | to rally the troops and unify the company, particularly |
| had recently been promoted to head a department at | | | | the |
| her company. Bianca's first task was to rally her team | | | | division heads, most of whom were strong |
| under | | | | personalities with |
| her leadership. (Bianca had been promoted over | | | | a tight grip on their fiefdoms.We built Benjamin's |
| them.) To | | | | personal-brand strategy around the |
| articulate a department mission, Bianca created a | | | | attribute of follow-through. It was an important |
| mantra, | | | | attribute, |
| "Full Engagement." She wanted to introduce a new | | | | one that many colleagues and employees associated |
| sense of | | | | with him |
| "engagement" - a passion for excellence, a focus on | | | | because of his track record. Other executives might |
| clients | | | | have |
| and innovation.Bianca asked each of her managers | | | | great creative skills or people skills, as Benjamin did, |
| for a five-page memo | | | | but |
| outlining key initiatives, including what the company | | | | none had his sense of accountability and |
| should | | | | follow-through.Follow-through was an important |
| do to get employees more engaged with clients and | | | | attribute for the company at |
| in its | | | | this juncture. In Benjamin's estimation, the company's |
| businesses. And she implemented the best | | | | problem was not a lack of innovative ideas but the |
| suggestions on | | | | inability |
| "engagement." Her group's focus on "full engagement" | | | | to follow through internally (by getting all the various |
| landed | | | | departments to work together) and with clients (by |
| more business and created a dynamic spirit at the | | | | focusing |
| company. | | | | on being a real business partner, not simply on |
| And positioned Biana as a leader.Self Brand Strategy | | | | closing).Benjamin wanted to lead by example in terms |
| 3. Be the OppositionAs much as leaders are part of | | | | of |
| the mythology of our | | | | follow-through with colleagues and clients, and he also |
| country, so are underdogs. We have a soft spot for | | | | took |
| the | | | | positive action to embed the attribute in the company |
| rebel, the lone convention-defier who takes the | | | | culture. One of the first things he did was broadcast |
| opposite | | | | his |
| path of the establishment (the leader).Volkswagen put | | | | management philosophy to all the employees. His |
| the Anti-Leader Position strategy on the map | | | | rallying cry |
| when it introduced the VW Beetle to the United | | | | was "Follow through, everywhere, all the |
| States in the | | | | time."Catherine Kaputa is a brand consultant who |
| late1960s. The brand was positioned as the antidote | | | | works with |
| to the | | | | people, products and companies (sign up for free |
| big car habit with now classic advertising headlines like | | | | career tips newsletter Corporate icons, star |
| | | | athletes, entertainers all understand what it takes to |
| "Think Small" and "Lemon."That's why being the | | | | be in control and in |
| opposite of the leader can be a good | | | | demand. In her new book, U R A BRAND! |
| self brand strategy. Michael Moore is a classic | | | | |