BNSN Is the High Priest Of Personal Branding

 

THE BUSINESS OF BRANDING

It seems to me that most people are wrong about branding. Yourself included, and I won't hold that against you. It's not just about the logo, or the colorways. That's what most people think branding is about. But that's a very limited view of what branding actually is.

Written 31/1/22

I've been telling myself that branding is  about seeing the best in people. And finding a way to draw the best out of them. I see branding as the Science of discovering the good that lies latent deep within us. It's a science because it involves the study of what people are naturally good at. It discovers the expert, the entrepreneur, the founder, the executive, the designer, fill in the blank.

Discovering the good in a person is just the first step in the process of creating a brand out of them. The next step, is you have to help the person in question find a voice to express their thoughts, ideas and vision. The voice of a brand is equal to a conveyer belt that delivers the brand essence from within a person  to the rest  world. Think about telling your story and shaping your own narrative. This is perhaps the most part of personal branding.

You see, this branding thing is not very complicated. But that doesn't mean it's not sophisticated. Earlier I claimed that branding is a science. Now, I'm going to add that it's also an Art. As a matter of fact, I see myself as a Branding Artist,which is just another way of saying that my job is to see and draw the best out of people. Ordinary people like you and I.

I have never met a  branding person, in person. But very early in my college days, I was looking at YouTube videos about branding. All they spoke about was how logos, color pallettes and design are the vital organs of branding. Thats true as far as product design is concerned. When it comes to branding a person, a real person,however, logos and colors don't mean jack. 

Individual brands, as in, brands that are people-based and not product based are my area of specialty. It's a fascinating field. Imagine putting a person under a microscope and zooming in on their outstanding qualities,traits and personality.

That's what personal branding is about. As in 90% of it revolves around accepting that people are inherently good, and that they are naturally inclined towards expressing the good in themselves. The first thing I make clear to people who come to me looking for help with branding, is that they must cultivate the desire for near perfect self expression.

Consider the most influential, even powerful people-brands in the world. They are vocal, opinionated and will stop at nothing to put  their point across. Borrowing from music, musicians found a way to express themselves through music, and when a musician does their self expression well enough, they end up creating a powerful, world renowned brand that attracts endorsement and sponsorships. The power of Self expression cannot be separated from the power of brands.

The premise of making an expressive brand is this: to attract the desired attention by connecting with people through ideas, often relayed through conversations,or interviews and even twitter rants like in the case of billionaires like Elon Musk and Kanye West.

When a personal brand figures out what they are good at, and what they want to be known for, self expression is the next logical step. Finding their own Voice. If you can do all three, which is humanly possible, your personal brand will attract attention almost automatically over time. Voila, all of a sudden, in what you might call over night success, you end with an influential brand that appeals to people. At that point, you don't even have to sell yourself anymore. People will buy you, or whatever you are offering. They will come to your website, follow you on social platforms,  watch your interviews just so they can keep up with your brand. That's how you know you have made it to brand heaven.

Image Building

There is another aspect of personal branding called the brand Image. This is more about your visual identity. It comes with percs like your signature hairstyle, your mustache, the clothes you wear, and how you carry yourself. It's the hardcore part of self Branding. It involves creating yourself in your own image. The perception of your self you have in your head comes to life not only through your soft skills, but also through your physical appearance.

Its really about packaging yourself in a fashion that communicates your personal brand.

Case closed.