What is brand engagement? It is when you can engage others in a way that they can verbalize what makes you unique.
I believe that the branding process is not complete until you engage someone with your brand. That phrase, “they’re an expert in their own mind”, is just that – in your mind. True brand success comes when you can engage others with your brand by successfully expressing and exuding to them what your brand is that they, in turn, can speak of and communicate your brand through the credibility of their own voice to the people who know, like and trust them.
Every Wednesday I moderate a chat on Twitter known as #brandchat. We discuss all things about “branding”. In the month, we designate a certain focus or theme for our chats to keep all the chatters basically ‘rowing in the same direction’ although the span and depth of a topic provides a vast array of conversations that can happen. On week one, we focus on “general questions, topics, ideas” centered on branding. Week two we focus small business brands. For week three our theme focuses on big business brands and non-profit brands. And, on week four we focus on personal brands.What I’ve found in moderating #brandchat is this, the people that complain the most about “personal branding” and it’s existence (because many of the complainers are those who say it doesn’t exists – that it lives in some blogger’s fantasy) are the ones who use the facets of personal branding the most. Interesting, isn’t it?
Do they deliberately try to throw others ‘off the scent’ so they won’t have any competition or is it because ‘branding has become rote’ to them?
So, what is the definition of personal branding? (the most commonly asked question in our chat and the most diversely answered.) I’ve said (and so have many others), ‘it is the space you (or a product) takes up in someone’s mind.”
The facets of personal branding
1. It is discovering what makes you unique.
I’ve never met anyone online who says, “yup, that’s me – I’m just like everyone else”. In fact, those who are extremely active in the online space are unique and leaders in their field. These “non-personal branders” are so good a communicating what makes them unique – they can do it in 140 characters or less! How about that for great personal brand dexterity?
2. It is finding the best communication tools and avenues that express that uniqueness
Some prefer blogging while others eNewsletters. Others like writing on the wall while still others tweet. And, some are strictly face to face people.
Some prefer blogging while others eNewsletters. Others like writing on the wall while still others tweet. And, some are strictly face to face people.
3. It is exuding that uniqueness in everything verbal and non-verbal (confirming that it is true and genuine)
So, you say you’re easily accessible and yet you only check voice messages once a day. And, email maybe once every other day. And, maybe you don’t have an office or store front – in fact, you may be very difficult to find. No matter what you say – it’s what they experience that is the true brand communication. If a disconnect exists between what you say and what you do, your credibility is shot.
4. It is engaging that uniqueness in a way that others can verbalize what makes you uniqueSo, you say you’re easily accessible and yet you only check voice messages once a day. And, email maybe once every other day. And, maybe you don’t have an office or store front – in fact, you may be very difficult to find. No matter what you say – it’s what they experience that is the true brand communication. If a disconnect exists between what you say and what you do, your credibility is shot.
So, if you say and express you brand in the woods and nobody hears it, is it still your brand? Or, does brand, by the very definition mean that there’s others involved?http://www.thepersonalbrandingblog.com/confirmation-in-brand-engagement/
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