Each of us is a gift to the world. At first it is only the outside wrapping that the recipients see. Yet, often the ‘authentic self’ lies deeply hidden beneath layers of protective wrapping, containers and other necessities that will help the gift to remain intact. Sometimes the numbers of layers can be part of the ‘game of life’. At children’s parties, there are often shrieks of glee as the game of ‘pass the parcel’ ‘hots up’ and we wait to see where the present ‘lands’ and who will be the next person to rip off another layer. Usually it is only at the end that we discover the content.
Wrapping impacts on many aspects of our lives and the way we present ourselves and our products is important. Just as we might give a Kruger coin to some-one in recognition of an achievement, we might give the same gift on the birth of a baby. However, in most cases we’d wrap the gift differently so that it is appropriate to the occasion and best suits the recipient. This concept applies directly to our personal branding and also to our corporate branding. These two need to be congruent in order to build trust.
Let me tell you a story to illustrate my point: There has been a slight shift in my life and I’m excited to now be certified as an integral coach. Recognising an opportunity to combine my love of ‘coaching’ and of ‘speaking’ I have just developed a new keynote, ‘What you say matters’. On Thursday April 12 I presented this talk for the first time in Sydney, Australia and today, Wednesday April 18 it will be launched in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. But these are very different organisations and the audiences have diverse needs. How can my keynote best solve a challenge in their lives? The content is virtually the same. But how do we attract people there so that they can hear the message? The key is in the wrapping.
So, as an example, click here (The Wrapping) to see the two different adverts – one for the City Business SWAP group (emphasis on professional selling) and the other for the Leadership Forum of the Chamber of Business which attracts mainly organisations, corporates and educators.
My questions for you are:
- What are you doing to ensure that your personal brand is a true reflection of yourself and not a veneer?
- How congruent are your personal branding and corporate branding?
- Is the ‘wrapping’ appropriate for the intended recipients?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be more confident in showing your ‘personal brand’? What is holding you back? For help in developing your ‘personal brand’ (group training or individual coaching) or to book this keynote please contact me – Phone: +27 33 3425432, Mobile: + 27 82 4993311, brenda@146.66.90.172
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