Most of us make sense of the concept of a ‘brand’ when you think about big brands like Ford, Toyota, Aston Martin, Audi and other car marques.
These are global brands whose logos are instantly recognisable and names familiar – even revered – in many countries around the world.
A brand’s reputation and cut-through in a busy marketplace can be enhanced by the launch of new technologies and car models, the result of much hard work, planning and talent implemented over many years. Yet, in a heartbeat, their reputation can be tarnished by failures like product recalls and faults.
The people who stand for the brand can also influence reputation. Consider how the usually faceless corporate management handle a major recall situation or how dealership staff deal with your day-to-day concerns. Consider also the influencers like sportspeople chosen as ‘brand ambassadors’. These all impact how you feel about a particular car brand.
Brand transcends all levels – from worldwide recognition
down to your local dealership. Brand encompasses everything from reputation,
logo design, products, prices, advertising, media relations, regional
distributors and management, placement of dealerships and service centres,
availability of parts, the friendliness of staff and how well they respond to
your requirements.
There is only so much the global headquarters can do to manage the perception of their brand on the ground in 50 different countries. But have a bad enough experience with a particular marque’s dealership and it can be enough to change your brand allegiances. See a PR disaster with a brand ambassador online and question whether that brand ‘fits’ with your own morals or preferences on how a company does business.
What does this all have to do with you and your personal brand?
Well, while we, as individuals, have a much small sphere of influence than a global brand like Ford, we do all have our own personal brand. YOU are your own brand.
Whether or not you care about what your personal brand says about you is entirely over to you! However, for those of us seeking to establish or maintain a career in a certain sector – motorsport, for example – we probably want to consider some facets of our personal brand.
Profile
In the current era when such a huge percentage of the world’s information and operations are online, let’s think specifically about your online profile. Any prospective employer, supporter or sponsor is going to google your name. What will they find? Who are you associated with? What do you look like? How does that fit with the image you want the world to have of you? I’m not talking about being false – authentic is always best – but your online profile is a huge part of your brand.
Reputation
Did that Google search on your name bring up anything that you wouldn’t want your parents or grandparents to see? Hey, we’re all allowed to have fun, but do consider the consequences if you can! Find out what privacy options you have to prevent friends tagging you in photos if you need to. And if it’s ever in your future goal list to be a brand ambassador of some kind, either let loose in very controlled situations or learn to moderate any potentially reputation-ruining behaviours. (I must admit, I’m thankful that my slightly wild teens and early 20s were pre-social media!)
If someone you know was asked what are you like, what are they going to say? If you heard someone talking about you when they didn’t know you were listening, would you be upset with what they had to say?
What traits do you want to be known for, what achievements?
What impression do you give when you meet someone for the first time? If you feel shy, that’s okay. There are plenty of training options and coaching that can help you overcome that. Few people are born being naturally good at public speaking or doing media interviews. Most of us have to learn – and keep learning – those skills.
All of this is part of your personal brand.
What do you stand for?
I mentioned authenticity above. Trying to be something you’re not isn’t generally a long-term proposition, (a) because it’s really hard pretending all the time and (b) people will see through the pretending.
You still want to be ‘you’, to demonstrate what matters to you, to show you have goals and will do the work needed to achieve them. Think about what you stand for and how you want others to see that.
Presentation
Aligned to profile, how you present yourself in your chosen form of motorsport is another factor of your personal brand. Think back to times when you’ve seen a smartly-presented race or rally team, working cleanly and tidily, talking in quiet voices to get the job done, versus those with a car that always looks like it needs a good clean, tools and gear everywhere, raised voices and disagreements. Which team do you think a prospective sponsor is more likely to be interested in talking with?
Regardless of your industry or professional status, your personal brand has the power to make or break all kinds of opportunities.
Give the concept of personal branding some thought and, most importantly, try and look at yourself, your team, your vehicles and presentation as if you’re an outsider. What would someone seeing you and your team for the first time think?
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