Will You Survive Your Branding?

A New York family bought a ranch out West where they intended to raise cattle. Friends visited and asked if the ranch had a name. "Well," said the would-be cattleman, "I wanted to name it the Bar-J. My wife favored Suzy-Q, one son liked the Flying-W, and the other wanted the Lazy-Y. So we're calling it the Bar-J-Suzy-Q-Flying-W-Lazy-Y." "But where are all your cattle?" the friends asked. "None survived the branding."
--- D.A.C. News
 

• How many different business cards do you carry?

• Do you need the entire height of the Sears Tower to complete your elevator speech?

• Have you learned not to answer the question "What Do You Do?" but instead respond with, "Here's how we help people like you?"

The best line I've ever heard for the relationship between focus and success comes from comedian Bill Cosby: "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."

Branding ourselves is a bit of a misnomer. Other people brand us by how they experience who we are, what we do, and how we do it.

What do you unbelievably well?

Now, stick to it so you survive the branding.

Comments

[Chris Bailey]

Lately, I've been thinking how great individuals of the past would have "branded" themselves. Think Ben Franklin could have put together an effective elevator speech lasting under 30 seconds? How about Tom Jefferson or Marie Curie? And for that matter...would they even have entertained the notion of engaging in personal branding?

It's with this in mind that I continue to feel a bit sad about where we are right now. We're expected to distill our essence down to something that can be drunk from a thimble. For those of us who curiously explore many things and have a bit of a renaissance soul, the exercise of personal branding is one that feels awkward and confusing.

The question that we face is: how to blaze a different path in today's world? It's not easy to swim against the current which preaches the necessity of the singular expertise, the narrowness of personal expression. Ahh, but maybe this is just the time to reinvent the renaissance thinker, doer, explorer, creator. Every challenge is an opening for opportunity.

[Steve Roesler]

Chris,

Well put.

This post was more confession than direction.

Like you (duh), I am attracted to and participate in, a wide-range of interests and activities. Even within the work sphere, my consulting practice runs both deep and wide.

Here's what (I think) I've discovered:

a. When it comes to providing a service, especially the kinds of things that we do, it's important to work overtime at defining it in everyday, practical language.

b. Even then, people will often go, "Huh?" Which then requires a quick smile and an "Oh, let me give you an example..."

c. People who do ONE thing can certainly get away with an elevator speech.

d. Even if you do multiple things, there has to be an umbrella/banner under which to package them. It's not an issue of anti-renaissance behavior. It's simply because the human mind needs a familiar context in which to make sense out of things.

e. If you are outstanding, interesting, and entertaining at any one of your multiple
interests, you will be invited to perform in one of the other arenas.

I'm pleased that you added the Ben Franklin/renaissance element. It's too easy to fall into the one-trick pony mold, especially when the "marketing pros" are screaming it from the rafters. Everyone is gifted differently and some of us can't not express ourselves in multiple ways. The renaissance artists and thinkers were trail blazers during their time yet only fully appreciated as the years went on.

Maybe it's time to get a business card that says, (Name): Renaissance Guy. How may I help you?

Keep writing, man...