Every great brand has its own recipe.
I’m not just talking about food brands specifically… I’m talking about your own brand. Personal brands.
So… what’s the ‘secret sauce’ to building your own brand?
It’s that list of ingredients that makes you unique, memorable, relevant, and in-demand. I know this because I’ve had to personally learn how to define what my own ingredients are, and outline what my secret sauce is.
Basic ingredients that go into creating your own brand identity:
- Being timely
- Being proficient
- Being customer-centric
- Being a unique leader
- Thinking outside of the box
The above are some examples of the basic ingredients that many of us can relate to. Beyond some of these more obvious ingredients, what are the unique ingredients that build into your own brand? I like to call it your DNA… those distinct, and notable attributes.
I’ve had the opportunity to work across a broad spectrum within personal branding, with celebrities like Shania Twain, Carmelo Anthony, and larger brands like Victoria’s Secret, and Swiffer (under PG&E). There are some fundamental secret sauce insights to keep in mind when you are focusing on building your own brand and career, at your own desk, or within your own business.
How do you define and create brand identity?
To start, make sure that you are listening to what others are saying about the value that you bring to the table. This helps you to stay in-tune, not only for your own work value, but to also understand what is being focused on around you; what is valuable and important, and how can you use that for your own secret sauce?
The next step is to start doing the work. Focus on perfecting your gift. To quote Aristotle,
“Excellence is never an accident.”
Excellence comes from repetition and consistency; putting in the work, and growing your expertise. Ultimately, that expertise will build into the secret sauce that goes into building your own personal brand.
How to build a brand: next steps
Do me a favor? This week, take the time to write down what you think the ingredients are to your own personal brand. What is your secret sauce? We all have our own. What is it that is going to keep you valuable and in-demand, day in and day out?
There are tons of brands out there. But as I like to say… there’s only one leader brand, and that’s you.
