Hi, I’m Oscar Martinez and I work in advertising! So that pretty much makes me an expert in all things brand related! Yay me! Just kidding, but I do happen to know a lot about what brands are and how they are built or destroyed. We’ve all been exposed to brands through the barrage of marketing messages we receive on a daily basis. We even sometimes let brands define our identities (‘Murica!). But how many of us actually take the time to dig beneath the surface to see what brands are really made of and what their voice/essence really is? What makes Nike and their “Just Do It” slogan and swoosh logo so recognizable? Why do people spend so much money on Beats headphones when there are better and cheaper options out in the market? Why do people consider the CrossFit following, cult-like?

The answer is simple –positioning and perception! (more on that shortly).

I could turn this entire post into an advertising/brand building 101 and weigh it down with a bunch of industry jargon in order to make myself look cool, but that would be a bit tiresome and not as relatable to you guys since the majority of you aren’t trying to build brands…HOLD UP! HOLD MY PHONE! *insert record scratching sound followed by silence and looks of confusion on the faces of everyone in the crowd*

Here’s there thing – you ARE a brand! Think about it for a second, your brand name is your actual name and you have something to offer to others (at least I hope you do). We are always trying to sell ourselves to others, whether it is to a potential mate, employer or people we want to associate with (didn’t Drake say, “No new friends”?). Some brands (people) are more authentic than others and some have more to offer than others. And some brands are just full of fluff and hype (we’ve all met those quintessential sales people who are always on and don’t know when to shut their sales pitches off). Here are where the factors of a brand’s essence come into play as I mentioned above. A brand’s positioning is no accident and it does not happen magically (suck it David Copperfield!). It is calculated and meticulously executed. There are entire departments at big companies whose sole purpose is to come up with branding strategies and to position themselves in the most appealing way to the customers they are targeting. Great brands have authentic voices and evoke emotions in their customers/followers. Those same principles can be applied to your own personal brand. And that starts off with self-awareness. Who are you at this point in time? You are a culmination of all of your life experiences that have led to this very moment. Are you happy with yourself? Your career? The people around you? If everything is perfect, you can stop reading now and go back to your perfect little life (and I hate you! Grrr! *shakes fist*). Just teasing!

Sometimes it’s tough to look yourself in the mirror and take an honest inventory of what your personal brand is, it can be downright painful. But in doing that, you can find out what your strengths and weaknesses are and find ways to correct your shortcomings while enhancing and highlighting your strengths. This is all part of the positioning (or re-positioning) of your brand. How you position yourself will determine how others around you perceive you. Do you want to be seen as a go-getter at work? Go the extra mile, be available, get rid of the “that’s not my job” mentality, etc. Want to expand your circle of friends? Start a new hobby, join a meet up group, go out to places you haven’t been to before (it could even be that coffee shop you’ve been wanting to check out), start a conversation with a random stranger (the greatest conversation you’ll ever have will be with a stranger), etc. These are all things within your grasp, you just have to assess and take action.

You have to start thinking like a brand and start seeing yourself as a brand. I know that can seem a bit shallow and some people go overboard with that notion and try to be someone they are not, but that is not what I am trying to neither promote nor steer you towards. We all know that one person who tries too hard and does not exude authenticity – don’t be that person (hey, some people get away with it, but we call them con artists and it is considered false advertisement). What I want you to do is to tap into the things that make you, you! The things deep down inside that you would like to enhance, those things you would want the world to see. Let the world see the true essence of your awesome brand – be larger than life. You got this!