Create a Business, Book, Brand that STAND OUT!

Looking for a competitive edge for your career, course, talk, business, or book?

The key is to build a one-of-a-kind personal and professional brand.

Brands aren't just for products, they're for people.

Put yourself in the shoes of potential employers, decision-makers, customers.

What is something rare and relevant you have to offer - and want to offer - that people would pay for? What are you good at that is unique and needed?

Are you thinking, "I agree this is important, I just don't know how7 to do it."

Here's a condensed version of the 4A Branding Process I use to help my clients identify a “secret sauce" that helps them (and what they care about) POP! out of their pack.

ACHIEVEMENT: What have I achieved – that others would like to achieve?

* Did you put yourself through college, build a house from scratch, get your pilot’s license, teach yourself to design websites that make money, retire at 40, launch a successful Kickstarter campaign?

* What did you accomplish that took discipline and perseverance – and other people could benefit from your lessons-learned on how to “stay the course?"

* What skill have you acquired you could reverse-engineer into a step-by-step methodology that will expedite people's ability to do this for themselves? (More about that here.)

ADVERSITY: What challenges have I overcome that others would like to avoid?

· Did you deal with breast cancer, get down-sized, rebound from a difficult divorce, lose all your money in a financial scandal?

· What obstacles have you overcome that you could show other people how to overcome?

· What did you learn the hard way and you could share that hard-won wisdom to prevent/reduce that pain for others and give them support so they don’t have to go it alone?

AVOCATION: What is a hobby I'm good at others would like to be good at?

· Do you love to play piano, renovate houses, train dogs, fly planes, run triathlons – and you could turn that into a metaphor that gives you a fresh approach to a familiar topic?

· What do you do for fun – adventure travel, museum docent, cooking clubs, community choirs –that you could share with others who want more fun in their life?

· What lights you up that you could integrate into your job so you are blending your work and recreation - your passion and profession - instead of seeing them as separate?

ATTITUDE: What is my philosophy/mindset that others might find inspiring?

· What is a characteristic you're known for? Are you a problem-solver? A self-starter? An inclusive leader? Can you be counted on to be proactive and get things done on time?

* What is an epiphany you’ve had – that could save others trial-and-terror learning?

· What is a favorite quote/motto that keeps you motivated – that others might find helpful?

· What is a contrarian, provocative insight you have– that could open people’s eyes to an outdated/dangerous belief and lead to a life-improving shift or a transformational aha?

These questions have helped many of my clients leverage their lessons-learned into a successful business where they get paid well to do what they do well.

Want a few quick examples of how my clients have used these 4A techniques?

Achievement:

Client David Glover is a Naval Academy grad, cancer survivor and world-class Ironman triathlete. However, he’s so much more than that. He has reverse-engineered (a key to creating a proprietary, replicable methodology you can teach) HOW he overcame obstacles and achieved success and uses it as a metaphor for how leaders can do the same. Check out his website to discover how he’s been able to leverage his A's into a soul-satisfying business where he’s getting paid to do meaningful work that puts and keeps the light on in his eyes.

Adversity: Christy Grimm grew up in California, playing competitive travel softball from age ten. You can imagine how thrilled she was to receive an athletic/academic scholarship to a Division I school. Unfortunately, their hypercritical coach only focused on what Christina did wrong, never on what she did right. The coach ruined her self-esteem and enjoyment of the game. She ended up leaving after one year, vowing never to play softball again.

Christina decided that, instead of letting that toxic experience defeat her; she would turn it into a mission helping others who were being mistreated. She went back to college and got her PsyD. Her thesis? “The Effect of Coaching on the Self-Esteem of Teen-Aged Girls.” She is now a certified Tongue Fu! instructor and offers programs on how to confidently speak up and take responsibility for being treated with the respect you want, need and deserve.

Avocation: A financial adviser wanted to know how she could possibly differentiate herself in that crowded industry. She had impressive credentials as she was frequently featured in the media as a result of her high-profile role for a nationally-known company, but she still needed a competitive edge for her work to stand out in the glut of "instant experts."

I asked, “What do you do when you’re not working?”

Jan told me, “I play golf.”

I said with a smile, “We’re in business. Why not use smart golf as a metaphor for being a smart investor? You could call your book ‘Go for the Green.’ Talk yourself through a round of golf using each step of the process as an analogy. Your tips on how to make/save par can be used as a parallel for how to make/save money.”

This was strategic positioning as Jan’s target clients were executives and entrepreneurs, many of whom play golf. This was something they valued and wanted to get better at, which increased the likelihood of her being asked to speak at corporate events and association conventions, which often host golf tournaments before their meetings.

Attitude: Julie Jansen, a career coach, wanted a breakout book in her genre but told me, “Sam, all the great titles – like ‘Take This Job and Love It’ – are taken.”

I asked her a series of questions including, “What attitude do your clients have? What is something you hear, over and over again, when they come into your office?”

She thought about it for a moment, laughed and said, “You know what they all say? ‘I Don’t Know What I Want; But I Know It’s Not This.’”

I told Julie, "THAT's the title of your book! People will look at it and think, 'That’s EXACTLY how I feel! People buy books that resonate with them, and that title will resonate with potential readers because it articulates a problem they have they want solved." Julie's book has become an evergreen classic because it expresses an attitude and frustration many people in her target market feel.

So, how about you?

Use these 4 A's help identify a unique personal brand that helps you break out instead of blend in. After all, blending in is for Cuisinarts, not for consultants, companies or creatives.

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Want more ways to be one-of-a-kind? Check out Sam's consulting services to discover how she can help you create a stand-out brand, business, book, and presentation.