Sometimes, choosing a brand for your self can be difficult. You may not yet know how or what kind of branding you want. You may feel apprehensive which is reasonable because once you have chosen to brand yourself with something, it will most likely, stick with you forever. Therefore, it is imperative to carefully decide on it.
In public speaking, your brand is like an instant declaration of what you are and what you are able to do. Your brand may build up gradually as you go along with your career. It can come naturally as you are finding your way into your niche. But it can be very helpful for your career if you already know what to brand your self from the very start.
Branding denotes expertise and it makes the individual easy to recall. In public speaking for example, a motivational speaker may brand himself or herself as a "rags-to-riches guru" because he or she had, actually, experienced it.
With effective marketing and branding, the speaker will have more engagements because people look up to his or her experience and expertise. People will always perceive the speaker as the once-very-poor-now-extremely-rich person. The speaker is easily recalled and people will seek out the speaker's knowledge. It is the public branding that caused this buzz and demand for the speaker's services.
How to create a public speaking brand?
There can be a lot of ways. But before anything else, you must already have a niche. Then, try to determine what exactly you are bringing to the table. You should also consider your skills, personality, and experience. You have to figure out what your strengths are, what you want to be known for, and then you have to tie that branding with expertise.
John Beede, a young successful motivational speaker and also an avid climber, branded himself as "The Climber Guy". He often refers to his experiences in climbing expeditions to motivate and inspire the audience in his speeches. He even wears his harness while doing his speeches for more audience impact. With the help of his personal brand, he is often booked to speak to motivate and inspire youngsters because buyers see him as the right person for the job.
As for you, you have to brainstorm for your personal brand. Once you have decided on a brand, reinforce it with publicity. Here's how.
Marketing Materials
Brochures, flyers, business cards; make sure that your personal brand is indicated in these materials. You can put a statement that affirms your brand.
Create a Book
Creating a book will definitely reinforce your identifying mark. People will usually use the book as basis for your expertise. Your book clearly labels your brand.
Web presence
Have a blog or a website. You can also create and submit articles for article directories like ezine. Make sure your content is relevant to your personal brand.
