Now that you’ve finished gears 1-5, you are half-way through becoming your brand. Just five more gears to go.

Gear #6: Personal Brand Statement

Now that you found your unique promise of value you need to articulate it. In Gear #6 you combine everything from believing your brand in Stage 1 with the first five gears in Stage 2 to create a one sentence Personal Brand Statement (PBS). This easily remembered sentence needs to define your authenticity and represent the impact you want to have on the world. No one else can have the same statement. Like a fingerprint, it is unique to you. It is your compass to guide you when your are lost, your tool to communicate your unique value, and the magnet that will attract others. Spend extra time in Gear #6. Pedal slowly and carefully. Pull off the road and take a break if needed. Make sure your PBS makes you feel proud and when you are ready get back on your bicycle and pedal on.

Gear #7: Brand Story

With your PBS now in hand your can shift into Gear #7. Here you go beyond the one sentence PBS to tell your ‘brand story’ in a branded bio. To make your story engaging you need to make an emotional connection. Your branded bio is a key marketing tool that tells the story about you. You will use it on your website, blog, social media, About.me and Google profiles. You will use it at speaking engagements and conferences. You will need it for an article or book you want to publish. It will be your script for a Video bio. Your brand story will be everywhere so you want to make sure it is well written, clear, engaging, and true to you. If needed, work with a copywriter who can take your spoken story and craft it into the written version of you. Remember, the “About” page is often the first place people visit on your website, or the only information they see in a conference program. Your branded bio is likely the one and only thing that your target audience will use to decide if they like you, trust you, and want to do business with you. [Read more...]