Boost my WHAT with RGA?

RGA members hear me say it all the time: “Boost your brand!”

Sounds good, but what does it mean? You’re not a bar of soap or a bottle of soda. Why do you need a “personal brand”?

The simplest description of a brand is that it’s the way people remember you.

Are you outgoing or reserved? Do you quote poetry or statistics? Are you self-assured or timid?

The things people remember about you establish your brand. Your brand determines how willing people are to know, like, trust, and do business with you.

So, no matter what your personality type, you need to be thinking about the brand you’re putting on display.

You need to think about how you display that brand, too.

• Are you reserved or outgoing when you meet someone new?
• Do you make it easy for people to interact with you by wearing a name tag and smiling?
• Do your business cards, website, and collaterals make it easy for people to reach you? Do they all portray the same logo, typeface, and style? Accessibility and consistency are important in establishing your brand.
• When people call you and you’re not available, does your outgoing message sound welcoming? Does it let people know they’ve reached you (and not a wrong number!), and how soon they can expect a call back?
• Are you active on social media? Do you share more than write your own posts? Are you humorous, informative, or a mix? The personality you portray online is part of your brand.
• Are you the arty type, wearing bright accessories and colorful/striking attire, or are you conservative, using your style to convey your business mindset?
• Does your style intrigue, inspire, and reassure?
• When someone needs advice to solve a problem or help with a project, are you someone they will approach? If you can’t meet their needs, do you have a wide enough network to make a good referral?

Virtually every interaction serves to anchor your brand in someone’s mind.

After meeting you, someone should be able to recall something about your personality and your business that stands out, sets you apart from everyone else at a meeting. Branding accomplishes that for you.

Take some time and decide what you want that take-away to be when people meet you.