The Labor of Brand Success

The Labor of Brand SuccessIn my last blog post I mentioned the fact that nurses and teachers are my heroes, and it’s true. After giving birth three times, my appreciation of nurses has grown exponentially. Having a good nurse makes all the difference in the world when it comes to those times when you really need to rely on someone to help you push through. Most of my maternity nurses were very sweet, but there was one who was tough as nails. At one point I seriously wanted to slap her, but in all honesty she was probably the best nurse I ever had. This was my nurse for my first baby. I think her name was Joan.

When I got to the hospital to deliver my first daughter I was understandably nervous and excited, but I was also a little bit cocky. I had read all the baby books, been to all the lamaze classes and had watched all the way-too-graphic birthing movies. I knew what to expect. I knew and had practiced all the breathing techniques and I definitely knew all my drug options of which I had fully planned to take advantage. However, when the time came during my labor to ask for my epidermal there was a mad rush of other emergencies in the maternity ward.  All THREE anesthesiologists were unavailable to give me my meds. How could this be? This was not one of the contingencies I was prepared for. The pain was quickly intensifying and panic set in. All my preparation went right out the window. I stopped my “hee, hee, whhoo, whhoo” and started something more along the lines of “What the ****!”

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Who are you singing to?

Who are you singing to?It may come a surprise to some of you, but not everyone likes opera. "How is that possible?" you say. Shocking, I know. There are actually people on this planet who would rather shoot a staple gun into their foot than listen to a soprano screech out a high C. It's just not their thing.

This used to really bother me. How could not everyone love opera? Who wouldn't want to hear the most pure and powerful sound a human voice can make? And what about the sheer beauty of the music, the swell of the orchestra, the pathos, the drama, the spectacle? It was hurtful to me to realize that one of the things I love the very most actually revolts some people. I used to think maybe those people just didn't understand opera, that they had to be educated. Perhaps they just hadn't heard it enough times, or heard the right piece, or the right singer.  If they did, they would get it. They would see the light.

You may feel that way about your business. You love what you do. You provide a great service, great value. You feel like you've created something beautiful that people will absolutely love, but when you put it out there, you realize not everybody does. They may even think what you do is silly or unnecessary. I know that feeling hurts, but don't let it get you down. The good news is there are other people in the world who will love what you do.

The thing about great brands is that they do not and should not appeal to everyone. If a brand is really strong it should actually repel some people. The goal of branding is not to attract and convert the whole world. Focusing on the whole world takes a lot of time, energy and money and the results are disappointing.  When you narrow your focus and have clarity with your brand, you attract the right people, those people who resonate with you, your services, your message and your style. Those are the folks who will become your biggest fans and you won't have to strong-arm them into liking you. You will draw them to your brand with your authenticity and excellence.

So you have a choice, you can stand on the street corner singing your little heart out hoping and praying  passersby will throw money into your tip jar OR you can refine your voice, clarify your niche and find just the right audience for your talents. When you do, you will find and grow a raving fan base. Not everyone is going to love your brand and what you do, and that's ok. You can still think they're crazy, just don't waste your time trying to convert the nay-sayers. You've got a show to do!

Go Deep Young Brand, Go Deep

"Every great man has become great, every successful man has succeeded, in proportion as he has confined his powers to one particular channel." –Orison Swett Marden

Go Deep Young Brand, Go DeepDoes that quote sound limiting to you? It may. We often bristle at the idea of being boxed in, of being labeled one way or the other. We do not want to be pigeon holed. It seems contrary to the American ideal of more is better. We are always striving to break down barriers, go beyond the horizon, grow and expand.  And while all these endeavors are worthy, they don't necessarily translate effectively to branding.

Successful branding is about narrowing and focusing. People with great personal brands don't try to be all things to all people. Instead they spend time discovering and honing those skills and attributes which resonate most deeply with who they are and where their strengths lie. They go deeper, not wider with their efforts. The result is they become more easily recognized and well-known by their target audience.

This is not to say you can never expand or grow your brand, but in order to do so effectively you first have to establish yourself and what you stand for.  Your audience has to become familiar with you.  You have to earn their trust and loyalty by consistently delivering what you do well. However, you must not stray too far or for too long from your core message, service or ability. I recently saw Bobby Flay, the great chef and grill master on an episode on the HBO series Entourage.  He plays a character based on himself which was great.  However, if he suddenly decided to start doing Shakespeare plays I don't know how successful or happy he would be.

Going deep isn't all about the audience though, it's also about you, the individual. When you go deep you gain mastery which increases your self-esteem and pleasure from what you do. The only caveate is you must know what your channel is.

Here are some clues to help you recognize yours.

1. When you do a certain activity you lose track of time. For example, you go outside to work in your garden and you when you think ten minutes have passed it has actually been an hour.

2. You notice certain things come easily to you where others struggle. You may be out to dinner with friends and when it's time to figure out the tip you whip up the number in a flash while everyone else is pulling out their phone calculators.

3. There is something to which you are continuously drawn. For example, you can't pass up going through an open house even though you are not in the market to buy or sell anything. You may be yearning to be a decorator or a broker.

4. You often find yourself being asked for advice on a certain subject.  Perhaps you have a great sense of style and your friends are always asking you to help them put cute outfits together.

5. Try to remember what you loved doing as a child. Sometimes as adults we forget about or abandon early interests or pursuits due to outside pressures or responsibilities, but those earlier pursuits can actually point to your core abilities.

When you do figure out what makes you tick and stick with it, you create a laser-focused path to success. So put down that clicker and stop channel surfing. When you do, you will become the star of your own show.