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