Branding Yourself
Coming from an advertising design background, I've come to learn the relative significance of Branding to a Company's image. The same can be said for individuals as well, but not in the professional sense. In our personal lives there is actually a lot of branding taking place.
Nicknames are what come to mind first. By having a Nickname you are essentially taking that first step in branding yourself as a person. Nicknames commonly arise naturally. Long or common given names get reduced to shorter and/or more memorable ones just as a consequence of frequent interaction. Their purpose is to uniquely identify an individual with a memorable and recognizable similarly-sounding name. Sometimes if you're given a nickname it is good to embrace it and carry it to help better identify yourself and set yourself apart from other people.
Establishing a look. What you see is what you get. Although some hate to see things in this light, the reality is that it's true. People will take how you look, or appear, into account in their minds when they identify you. When someone mentions your name they will have a certain image pop into their brains based on how they previously seen you before. When people hear the name "Travis Barker" most of them will immediately think about his tattoos.
Maintaining consistency. Be respected. People will remember you and know who you are better if you are reliable. Also if you remain consistent with your actions to establish a solid character. If you're all over the place or try to be "everything" then you will be spread thin and be very hard to recognize. Think about a clump of dough. If you form all of it into a solid shape in a small concentrated area, you will easily be able to notice the dough, and even shape it however you want within that area. However, if you take a roller and try to spread it out over as big of an area possible, you will no longer be able to recognize the dough at all.
So why would you need to brand yourself in your personal life? It's about establishing your identity, the way you want it. You don't want to be mundane and fall into the sea of humanity, or becoming just a typical ant in the ant farm. It'll also help you to become more successful and increase your opportunities in whatever you do. People will remember you through some of the ways you've chosen to brand yourself. In networking with other people, you will also have a leg up.
Do you choose to "brand" yourself? Do you believe it does you any better?
| 1 Comment / Tags: Philosophy, Living | 02:41 AM |
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December 5, 2009, at 08:30 PM
