Episode 287: Knowing Yourself is Knowing Your Brand

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Mail-Right Show Episode 287 with Special Guest Suzanne Tulien

In the 287th episode of the Mail-Right Show, They had Suzanne Tulien, co-author of two bestselling books, “Brand DNA: Uncover Your Organization’s Genetic Code for Competitive Advantage” and “Personal Brand Clarity: Identity, Define and Align Your Personal Brand to Become What You Want to Be Known For,”. She aids firms in identifying, training, and motivating their people to recognize and leverage the unique advantage of creating brand value statements and attracting consumers to become advocates.

With her experience with Brand Ascension, a company that assists business owners and employees in connecting their marketing strategies, environment, and consumer experience to their brand DNA, and her expertise in brand clarification, she is an excellent resource to speak on this episode’s topic. The importance and steps involved in determining a company’s personal brand, which aims to assist businesses and solopreneurs in identifying and capitalizing on their competitive advantage.

Your Brand DNA

Brand DNA is a technique used by firms to extract the core brand characteristics that define their value proposition to build a brand around the organization’s entity. It is a process in which a brand’s culture, systems, procedures, leadership, and everything else it does is used to develop its name.

When Suzanne began her marketing, advertising campaigns, and marketing design career, she quickly realized that every message was undoubtedly a function necessary to transmit the message and give brand information. However, she discovered something that wasn’t happening elsewhere: when someone sells a brand, there is no identifying characteristic, such as a profile, of what that brand is. She knew that her marketing and graphic design jobs amounted to nothing more than putting lipstick on a pig or giving it a new coat of paint. And thus, the customer anticipated growth in business due to that effort, which did not happen. The issue is that they were unable to comprehend or articulate who they were as a brand. She taught organizations and individuals to be more conscious, analytical, and thoughtful in their approach to their work.

Your Brand Consistency is Who You Are

Marketing is defined as a collection of techniques, procedures, and tactics used to advertise a product, service, or organization aggressively. In comparison, branding is a marketing strategy that involves constantly shaping and defining one’s identity. She argued that one might promote all day and still lack a strong brand because a brand is defined by consistency. It all comes down to upholding one’s end of the bargain. It’s all about authenticity.

It is vital to connect marketing messages with how one delivers the customer experience or transactional experience, building trust through consistency. One of the significant challenges she believes solopreneurs face is their desire to emulate what they see around them, which results in everyone doing the same thing, causing their firms to become dissolved in the market and commodities in the eyes of their consumers. Agents must perform the services for which they have been hired. Otherwise, they’re just another dime a dozen on the market, as they lack distinction. They are all attempting to do and advertise in the same way, and being the same as the rest simply doesn’t work.

What, in general, defines a great brand? Because while it is good that everyone has a brand, it is also a negative thing that everyone has a brand. Individuals who sincerely adhere to their brand’s core values, stylistic characteristics, and fundamental ideas are what distinguish a good brand from a great one. They understand what differentiates them from the competition, and they are committed to delivering on their commitments from the start, not just talking about selling a house or assisting someone in purchasing a home in their marketing messaging, but delving into who they are and the characteristics that differentiate them from the competition. It’s all about one’s uniqueness, superpowers, and area of specialization.

Your Value is Your Strength

Strength is defined by determining the underlying values, recognizing and expressing those values, explaining how those values manifest, and appreciating that specific value. These values are reflected in the entity’s attitudes, decisions, actions, behaviors, story, and marketing strategy. When companies begin to use their strengths and distinguishing characteristics, they will attract consumers and prospects who share their beliefs. For example, a business founded on years of repeated failures and rejections would value tenacity and resilience, which they may leverage to attract consumers that share their values. They may then develop their market, which will continue to support their business and propel them to success.