What is branding? The truth is branding is not a nice logo, a nice graphic, or a cool tagline. Those things are marketing techniques. Branding is something far more.
Branding is establishing an image and a voice that demands attention. There is a lot that goes into that, but the root is building an image and voice that attracts others to follow. Some of the best brands have cool marketing techniques but do not mistake that for branding. Branding is powerful.
I have seen a lot of people build businesses but not everyone builds a brand. Branding can be hugely successful if done right. The brand though can outperform businesses if done right. Business models come and go but a good brand can stay for life.
Who founded Tesla? Most people would answer Elon Musk. The truth is that it was founded by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. I am guessing that most people have either no clue or truly little knowledge of who these two men are.
These two men incorporated Tesla. A lawsuit between Eberhard and Tesla in 2009 allows five individuals to be called co-founders, with three of them being Eberhard, Tarpenning, and Musk. Elon Musk though is widely associated with Tesla. Why? He created a brand that far surpasses any business he creates or is associated with at any level.
I would like to suggest that Elon Musk is bigger than the businesses he runs or owns. Elon Musk has built a brand. His companies follow the brand that is Elon Musk. If Elon Musk started a new business tomorrow it would gain traction because of the brand that has been already established in himself.
Companies can also have brands. I look at the Rich Dad Company for example. They have established a global brand that is has been hugely successful. I would argue that Robert Kiyosaki the co-founder is Rich Dad and Rich Dad is Robert Kiyosaki. It is hard to separate them both.
I think of Nike as well. Who owns Nike? It is a publicly-traded company. The company has created a legacy around a brand that is valued at 32 billion in 2020. You don’t think of Nike without thinking of athletic, endurance, and high-performance sportswear.
These are all examples of brands that have been hugely successful. I could continue with multiple companies or people but I think you get the point. Branding is hugely important. It could make or break your future.
What makes a good brand though? That is a great question. I think it depends on some different factors. Let’s assume that you are an individual that is wanting to develop your own brand. Here are the questions that I would be asking.
What do I value? What do I care about?
What wakes me up at night? Why do I get out of bed each morning?
What am I most passionate about?
What is my vision for my life? Where do I want to go?
What is my mission in life? How do I want to achieve my vision?
What are strategies that I can implement to succeed?
My point in all of this is that so many people go through life just living and never knowing why? I think we were meant for more. I think each individual person has a unique purpose. I also think each individual person has unique gifts and talents that could be used to successfully live out that purpose.
I think individual branding is important because it is about self-discovery. It is about finding out who you are and excelling at being you. It is about bringing value to the world through your individuality and your uniqueness. Simply living out who you are can be your greatest brand.
The most important thing in my journey was learning who I was and what makes me most passionate. I learned what drives me and how I could use those gifts to achieve success by living out my passion. I realized that I had a passion for finances and I loved freedom. It became obvious that my calling was to help people find Financial Freedom. My brand is to be a voice crying out in the wilderness helping others find fulfillment in being financially free.
It is time to discover your brand! It is time to BUILD YOUR BRAND!
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