It’s incredibly fascinating to me how one computer company can put out a new machine and we happen to notice it at our local store, it’s release hardly a fanfare, while another company can release a product and people will literally camp out overnight in order to get in first to buy the moment the store opens next morning.

At a mall people will stand in a queue to go and eat one restaurant while another shop across the corridor has open seats.

Certain people will insist on wearing certain clothing lines despite other lines being equal quality at better prices.

Humans are so peculiar…??

It’s all around the perceptions created by branding. People have made certain assumptions, emotional connections and often logical sounding arguments as to why they desire certain brands over others. How that brand makes them feel, how it makes them look, how they feel others perceive them by their association with that brand. Obviously, there’s nowhere near enough space here to break this down…it’s a massive multibillion dollar industry. Suffice to say we are aware of the concept.

Have we stopped to think that we ourselves, over time become a brand? Some people love us, others not so much – some people are attracted to us, some not – some folk look up to us, others could not be bothered.

Great discussion though is …are we able to have some impact on our personal brand..??

If companies spend millions on developing a brand, then may I suggest likewise, that a personal brand can be developed?

Have we ever stopped to ask what we actually want other people to think of us?

Have we wondered how we can get people to think better of us (if that’s what we want?) Is it possible to influence customers to buy from us more regularly? Or are some people just super attractive and lucky in business and love etc etc?

When people hear your name, are they attracted or repulsed by their perception of you? (Obviously not everyone on the planet is going to understand that you are actually God’s gift to them – I get that!) But is it possible to change people’s perceptions of you by changing and developing yourself and your personal brand a bit?

Ronnie Fouche, one of my first mentors in business once said, “I can guarantee you how to get people to think of you the way you want them to!”

“If you want people to think you have integrity then behave and do business with integrity!”

“If you want people to think of you as caring then care for them!”

“If you want people to trust you then live in a trustworthy manner!”

“If you want people to think you’re generous then live that way!”

My question is, – Have you accepted that you are, the way you are because that’s the way you are – or have you actually spent time considering who or what you’d like to be, thinking and planning what your personal brand is going to look and sound like?

Professional, helpful, confident, successful, loving, caring, clear headed, creative, punctual…

Sloppy, untrustworthy, always late, selfish, a failure, argumentative, aggressive…

I believe that you get to choose….

…Now go and live like that !!

Go for it!