The American elections are just around the corner. For us Europeans, it is always a spectacle that we behold with amazement. While Hillary Clinton seems to have the best credentials to become the Democratic candidate for the time being, Donald Trump is well on his way to becoming the Republican candidate. For many Dutch people it is virtually unthinkable that a nation can elect Trump as the new president, but in America they think differently. Trump has a questionable but very strong personal brand. According to Forbes, 'being hated' is his campaign strategy. What can we learn from Donald Trump?
Characteristics of a strong brand
Apple, Coca-Cola, Google, Shell…..you name them. The major brands of this world have a number of similarities and we can learn a lot from them. As a manager, director, leader or salesperson, we must also pay attention to our own personal brand, to distinguish ourselves from the crowd. How do you do that? We have listed a number of features from the brand management literature for you. Can you take these lessons and live them?
The creation story
Every strong brand has a powerful story, a heritage. What about Coca-Cola, which has a great story as a cult product for American soldiers. Or Google, which started from a shed.
The creed
Strong brands often have a central vision or a motto. A slogan that is recognizable and represents what the company wants to project. Take Nike's 'just do it', for example. Recognizable and powerful.
The icons
Who doesn't know the apple with the bite out of it? Or Shell's shell? These recognizable icons play a major role in forming a strong brand.
The non-believers
It may sound a bit strange, but strong brands often also have a large group of 'haters' or, in a less extreme form, 'non-believers'. You are an Apple or a Microsoft person, a middle ground is hardly possible. Successful brands often evoke a love/hate relationship and have both fans and detractors. The brighter the better!
The leader
Steve Jobs or Richard Branson. Strong brands usually have a clear leader who is very important in the image of the brand to the outside world. Often this leader is certainly not loved by everyone. That is precisely what makes the fans become more and more persistent fans. An excellent development for your brand.
We can perfectly mirror these lessons from brand management to our own personal branding. It also directly explains why a number of people you may really dislike are so popular with other groups.
How do you build a strong personal brand?
What are the strong personal brands of our time? Names such as Obama, Jobs or Richards Branson soon come to the fore. They stand by their opinions and have a large group of supporters (and opponents), but if we look outside our own world of experience, we also see many other personal brands that we can learn from. Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber. These are all examples of people who may be averse to a large part of the population, but are very successful in what they do and are also idols for many. So does Donald Trump. Often ridiculed in the Netherlands, but in America a personal brand to take into account. Forbes has taken a closer look at the Donald Trump 'brand' and identifies a number of important rules of thumb that explain why he is so successful. We can also use these rules of thumb to shape our own personal brand.
Consistent and confident
Trump has an opinion and he is not afraid to make that opinion heard. You won't catch him changing that opinion anytime soon. That makes him recognizable. His very confident attitude and history as a successful entrepreneur reinforce this image. For example, the lack of self-confidence, which creates a somewhat clumsy appearance, is cited as one of the main reasons for Jeb Bush's resignation. He simply couldn't match Trump's bravado.
A clear position
Trump deliberately keeps his positions very simple and clear, so that they are clear to everyone. As is often said: 'a friend of everyone is a friend of no one'. Donald Trump has hardline views that many people disagree with. Yet having its own vision is an important part of its brand identity. Personal branding does not mean making sure everyone likes you or agrees with you. Just look at Geert Wilders. Also a person with a very outspoken point of view, who has thus acquired a strong personal brand.
Arouse curiosity
Being discredited is not a bad thing for a personal brand! Trump is always and everywhere in the news. That intrigues people. He takes risks in the way he campaigns, which makes people curious about his next bold statement.
We can therefore conclude that you cannot build a strong personal brand by being a people-pleaser. If you want to stand out as a manager, leader, or salesperson, you need to have a strong, distinctive opinion, and above all, you must not be afraid to voice that opinion, even if it elicits negative reactions.
