[Think As Inc.] June 2007 Newsletter                             http://ezezine.com
                      
					Your life is a business.  You have a:
MISSION:  the reasons you live your life;
BRAND:	the message you project to the world;
PRODUCT LINE:  the skills and qualities that are your unique assets;
BOTTOM LINE:  your financial picture; 
CLIENT BASE:  professional, personal, and don’t forget, yourself.
  
Your life is YOUR business, and you are its CEO.

IN THIS ISSUE

Something to Think About:  EVERYONE NEEDS A BRAND
Something to Do:  CULTIVATING A LASTING BRAND
Inspirational Quotes:  Steve Jobs
News and Upcoming Events  

EVERYONE NEEDS A BRAND
  
Be yourself is about the worst advice you can give to some people. –
J.B. Priestley

Maybe you think you don’t need a “brand” because you can just “be
yourself”.  Maybe you think branding is superficial or manipulative. 
When it comes to branding, Priestley’s right in that “be yourself” is
the worst advice.  While your brand should be a reflection of who you
are, it is not an excuse for anything goes.  Being ourselves means good
and bad.  We all have our moods, our off-days and our blind spots.  We
don’t need to share those with the world just to be authentic; we can
do that with our friends and family.  We need a brand to always put our
best foot forward.

Research has shown that people weigh negative information more heavily
than positive when it comes to first impressions.  This suggests that
it is harder to overcome a negative first impression than a positive
one.  By managing your brand you manage that first impression.

By managing your brand you are proactive about your strong points.  You
can still be yourself, but you lead with your strong self.  Your brand
may be reflected in your wit, your fashion sense, your knowledge of pop
culture.  Your brand is still authentically you, but focused on the
traits that you consciously wish to share.

Think of people with strong brands (e.g., Donald Trump, Michael
Jordan), and you’ll think of confident and alluring people.  You may
not agree with 100% of who they are, but their message is clear and
therefore exudes confidence.  When you go for that job, that raise,
that next life step, you want to exude confidence.  Send a clear
message:  manage your brand. 

CULTIVATING A LASTING BRAND

Branding is not about putting on a costume and playing a role; that is
pretending.  Pretending might work for a short period of time, but can
rarely be sustained.  If you dress and talk like management but don’t
develop the skills and knowledge to actually manage, you may get one
promotion but your shortcomings will reveal themselves in due time. 
This does not minimize the importance of the dressing and talking part;
that is part of branding.  However, you need to back up the style with
the substance.	Only with style AND substance can you cultivate a
lasting brand.

McDonalds has a vivid logo with its golden arches, but we go because
the product is reliable.  Walmart has a catchy mascot with its smiley
face, but we go because its prices are reliable.  Good branding works
when its memorable and consistent and all that style-related good
stuff.	However, the payoff occurs when it is matched with the
substance.

It is important to note that the style can contribute to the substance.
 If your style of dress or demeanor suggests management potential, you
may get the promotion and thus the chance to actually prove yourself. 
Somebody with similar skills but a less noticeable brand may get
overlooked.  Your newfound opportunity contributes to your learning
curve, and after a while, you have both the style and the substance. 
After all, there may have been other hamburger places just as good, but
if McDonalds attracts them first and builds loyalty, the others go out
of business.

So, don’t dismiss the style factor of branding, but don’t rely on it to
the exclusion of building depth and breadth of skills.	Your style can
get you in the door; your substance will keep you there.


INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. –
Steve Jobs

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

Upcoming fall events are in the planning stages with the Magazine
Publishers of America (MPA) and Columbia University.  Details will
follow in future newsletters when confirmed.

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All information is copyright © Caroline Ceniza-Levine 2007
www.thinkasinc.com <http://www.thinkasinc.com>