A GOOD name is rather
to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. Prov. 22:1
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Matt.
16:15
What this article
is about
What
everybody wants in life is to have a great reputation. When that happens, you
command lots of respect and are able to leverage that respect for lots of
things. It is out of this respect or great name that People build their empires
from. Sometimes you might think that People have respect after they have made
it; but they built that respect and it helped them to become great. People are
going to give you their ears and their resources only when you are trust worthy
in a certain way.
There
is one fact in life that the Lord has been showing me; and it is the People are
most important. If they think that you are a good person and you offer the
service or solutions that they want, then they are going to beat their way to
your door step.
You
can’t cajole People for long. At the beginning you might create a sort of
flimsy image but soon they will see through it; People are not stupid. People
are community thinkers; when you claim to be somebody, one or two People will
come and test you and the others will hear about it because they will
deliberately enquire about you.
Jesus
was concerned about his image, about how People think about him, their
perceptions about him in their minds. When Peter mentioned to Jesus the right
perception as revealed to the disciple by the Holy Spirit, Jesus said that is the
rock or ground on which he was going to build his ministry upon. Jesus was true
to his word, today all of us who did not know him have come to see him as
respected and solution to our problems, no wonder we identify ourselves with
him. Jesus was a master Class branding
tactician. What are the words that you will use to describe Jesus? What are People
describing you with? Is that description powerful enough to make People commit
to your ministry and services?
What
is this personal branding?
It
is a good name; when scripture says a good name is better than riches it is
very true. Some People have money yet they cannot enter places nor would People
let them get nearer. They are seen to be con men.’ However, if People say your
name with awe, when you organize programmes they will come. When you decide to
raise funds to build a school they will contribute their money and give you the
necessary support.
Personal
branding is a perception about your work or ministry; we are all brands. One
way or the other People think about us in certain way. Whether we like it or
not we are branding ourselves daily. Being perceived by People is a qualitative
thing and so it exists in People hearts and minds. For instance if you preach
very good message that helped somebody, you will always be remembered for it.
Now that deed remains in their hearts and minds till you add more to it or
reduce it. Metaphorically, we all have seat in People’s hearts and minds. If
they see as to powerful People then we have something to cash in on.
How will branding
yourself benefit you?
1. Self-confidence and a superiority
complex
A
great man once said that what we achieve or what we do greatly depend on our self-image.
People with great self-image believe in themselves and because of that, they
think big and do big things and this result in great achievements. Your achievements
in life are commensurate to how you see yourself. I want you to know that People will always see
you like the way you see yourself. If you see yourself as small it will show in
your preparations and when they see it, they will know that this person is
doing a small programme and maybe he is not that big. Inferiority complex will harm you anytime.
Building yourself to be a great brand will add more to yourself confidence and
turn your life around.
2. Open Doors
When
you are a great brand doors open to you. Ever since I positioned myself as a life
coach and preacher, doors of opportunity are been opened to me every day. People
read my articles and see what I have to offer and they relate to me based on
that. People I think don’t care about me or have me in mind will often surprise
by saying, ‘I saw that your award on facebook’. The truth is that we are been
monitored all the time.
If
you will brand yourself decisively, People that you have never met will be
willing to offer you services you never dreamed. Doors of opportunity will be
opened to you and it will take a lesser effort to reach where you are going in
life. I have had People do me countless favors that I never asked for because
they say ‘he is a good person’ or ‘he is very intelligent’. Wherever I go, People
I don’t know within a few moments want to be my friend forever; this is what
personal branding can do for you.
3. Decides your market
Your
market represents the People who patronize your ministry or ventures. You have
a particular kind of People surrounding you all the time. This is a result of
the kind of image you have built for yourself. Jesus had great men look for him
in his time. Nicodemus in his time was an important person and so does Joseph
of Arimathea. Paul hand very influential People support him in his ministry.
Whoever
you are, you cannot achieve that vision alone. For instance if you are a
musician you will need big companies to sign you as brand ambassador and this
will take you to a different level and accelerate your achievements. You need
money and favors and cars and auditoriums and great personalities to help you.
How you brand yourself at the end of the day will determining whether these People
will show up.
Please
don’t say God will do it so you don’t care. A lot of things that we pray for
are done through People that God direct our way. When Saul became Paul it was
hard for God to convince Ananias the great servant of God at that time to help
him. Don’t make things difficult for yourself and God, position yourself well.
4. Outstanding
This
is one area I consider very important in branding, it helps commercial wise.
Whatever you are doing there are hundreds of People doing the same thing. When
you go to the market you will see lots of People crowded in one place who sell
the same thing. Now how do you stand out? How do People differentiate you from
the pack? It is how you position yourself.
When
am watching television and I see some adverts I don’t even give attention to
but there are some that sends me to the internet to find more details. There
are some posters in town no matter how well designed they are, they will only
draw an appreciation from that ‘this design is nice’. However, there are some
that I stop and copy the dates or whatever details they have on them.
Branding
is so powerful it will make you stand tall in the park. When you are a
preacher, you can’t force People to listen to the word of God from you, they
will first look at who is standing in front of them. They look at how neat the
cook is before they eat the food. Position yourself well and you will get that
sponsorship to your programme. Sometimes prayer alone is not enough.
Possible Ways of
Positioning Yourself
Branding
and positioning go hand in hand, they are complementary. If you want People to
perceive and treat you in a certain way you have to ‘position’ yourself to
command that result. To position yourself implies that you decide how you want
to be seen and live by it. You first have to pick the words out of which you will
work to be seen as such.
Let
me also tell you that what you do determines the kind of positioning that will
resonate best with the People. For instance, if your ministry is helping the
needed it means you will be raising funds most of the time. This implies that
you have to position yourself as a trustworthy person and one that has passion
for the needy. When People have this perception about you then they will give
you their money and whatever you ask them for. They will know your trust worthiness
from the way your conduct your help programme. Are you transparent with how you
manage the finances they give you or you are very secretive with it? What have
you done in the previously to help People? Is the society having an impact from
you? If you answer positively to these questions then it is because you have
positioned yourself.
Let
me also say that whatever you are known for should be relevant to the Peoples.
If you brand yourself with something that doesn’t resonate with the People, no
matter how good you are at it, it will do you know good because you will have
little or no audience.
Preachers and Teachers
You
should position yourself as knowledgeable on your subject. You should know more
about the topic of your discourse than your audience. One man strong in this
area is Pastor Otabil. He has People from all class, chiefs, politicians;
professionals and so on come to listen to him. When I go to places and mention
his name People always say ‘ooh that man is a great teacher’.
Ministers can also
position themselves as visionaries.
When
the Roman Catholic’s came to Ghana they built schools and did other wonderful
things. It is hard for People not to notice good things done for the society.
Naturally they will like to partner with you. I have listened to pastors whose
message do not impress me because I looked at their other side, they are making
impact therefore they will have my ears. If you are not a great speaker let
your works speak for you.
Position yourself
with your gifts
Ministers
with gifts of healing and miracles are doing well. They are fast food, they
draw the crowds easily. I believe every evangelist needs miracle gifts because
when People don’t know you, they will be attracted to you because of your miracles.
When Jesus got to towns, People would run after him. He was healing People
everywhere. The prophetic is also very powerful but that one too should solve Peoples’
problems. When you prophecy deliver, he reveals to redeem.
Gifts
are so powerful that sometimes People don’t care about character. For instance
some of our young musicians in Ghana cut their hair anyhow or are known to
smoke certain herbs. Though People will listen to your music, that impetuses
would have effect on you finally as you lose your mind because those drugs.
Titles
Tittles
are good for the first time. People will say ‘wow’ when they hear you are a
Reverend or Bishop. But after that, they will want you to ‘do’ for them to see.
And when it comes to the doing, you title cannot save you. The People who listen
to you may not be in your field but they know what the real thing tastes like, People
cannot be fooled for long.
Musicians, writers
and etc.
Develop
your own uniqueness; build your image from where your strength is. At least let
People identify you with something that make you differ from all of them.
Remember, that even in the church there is competition so stand out. Moreover,
what makes you different should be something that appeals to the People. If you
are known for something that is irrelevant to the People then it means you are
not going to be popular with them.
Tools for building
a great name / reputation
Scripture
says that ‘by their fruits you shall know them. When People don’t know you it
will be hard for them to give you the platform you need. Therefore, the first
principle in building a great name is by doing. This way People can ‘sample’
you. If you want somebody to invest in what you do, they need a ‘demo’. This is
why I blog and write articles for People to read free. I want them to know what
I have inside me, this way I don’t have to beg them to come to my conferences
or give me preaching appointments or support me in other ways. Everybody must
have ‘tasted’ my talent.
Therefore
you need tools of expression that will make People sample you.
1.
Writing tools; Books /website
pages/blogs etc.
When
you write something and put it in print or on a website People will have access
to read and assess you. Your articles on a website will go places and enter
rooms that People won’t allow you to. Remember that it will be available to People
in their convenience 24/7.
People
will not give you the opportunity you need till they have assessed you,
therefore make yourself accessible easily.
Moreover,
when you write build a thought leadership. Be known to be a guru by picking one
topic or theme and demonstrate your mastery over it so that when People mention
that subject they mention your name.
You
can also talk on a variety of themes. But please, know that whatever you write
today is an ‘audition’ for you. It is your ‘demo’ that you are showing to that
producer who will support you with your music and so on.
2.
Artists; musicians, actors and etc.
Provide
samples of what you do. Do free shows to make a name. Carry your work on a CD
and give it to People for free. Perform at People’s birthday parties. Make a name
first! The bible says ‘their deeds followed them’. You must have a history of
accomplishment and if you have to offer it for free to have one then you
should!
3.
Business/ Professional People.
My
dear business people, if you want your project to be sponsored show a previous
one that you did. Investors worked hard for their money and so they will not
part with it unless they know what they are getting into. Business plans alone
don’t work these days; ‘show me’ is now the order of the day.
4.
Records/ digital.
Keep
records for whatever you do, they are tools for branding. Pictures for
instance, say thousand words at a go. There are times when I show The Claus
Org. (http://clausotoo.blogspot.com
and http://Peoplebuildcities.blogspot.com
) to People and they will not get the full impact till I show them the photo
gallery and them say ‘wow!’ They believe me instantly.
Therefore
I strive to keep a digital foot print. Now a day People won’t to Google
everything and when they don’t find you they think you are not important or
serious.
When
you have a conference, take a video and use it the next time when you go to
invite People or seek for sponsorship. People don’t have time for guess work
anymore I repeat, always have something to show.
Provide
full details about what you do and who you are. You can also see this on my
website and I have titled it ‘who is Claus?’ I fear People not knowing more about
what I can do than identity theft.
5.
Character is branding
Look
on People’s facebook page and you will see that some of them are not real. The
person says that she is a university graduate and yet has not even passed her
SHS. They put pictures of People who don’t even resemble them. When People
discover that you are not who you say you are, you are done for.
If
you are a liar and a cheat your fake reputation building will take you there,
but your bad character or incompetency will send you back home immediately!
Develop your character and your competence it is the solid foundation that you
need to support your image building.
Correct Negative
Publicity
1.
Develop consistency of character
along the image you build
You
have to understand that if you are a public figure your life is an open book,
you are a public property. You have
influence on People and they will verify from time to time whether you are
still consistent. Therefore, your character and that image that you show to the
world should run parallel or else one day you will wake up and all your efforts
have disappear into thin air.
My
word to the rising star is that you should put your life in order. Because the
more you rise the more People try to get into your private life to see what
they can find. The journalists are also there and some unfair ones will like
sensational stories that will sell their paper and not bother what such actions
will do to your career or family.
2.
Correct structural errors in your
life with hard work
Sometimes
you find yourself in situations you cannot pray away. For instance, if you a
person do a job that takes care of him and he has now repented and will have to
quit, but if quitting now would not help him take care of your family what
should he do? So here too it is hard work. As you pray ask God to help you
while you find a better job. Some situations are like sharp objects that have
punctured a very significant part of the body like the heart, if you don’t know
how to remove them you might die. You need time, wisdom and hard work.
3.
Determination is the key
Someone
said tough times never last but tough People do. Moreover, that mountain in
your life has reached its peak and cannot go beyond. When you are determined to
win, sure you can.
Determination
is deciding not quit but staying through till you get what you want. You need
an iron will to persevere in the face of uncertainties, difficulties and disappointments.
But in all, if you stand you will be glad you did.
4.
Finally, pray and study the word
because there is nothing God cannot do.
I
know that it is not all the fight that I can fight. I live some to God. The bible
says cast all your anxieties on him for he cares for you. Jesus said ‘my yoke
is easy and my burden is light’. If you will stay in the Lord he will help you
to build a good image and it will affect every aspect of your life and you will
truly believe as the bible says, ‘a good name is better than riches’.
