How Trump’s personal brand led to his Victory and how you can build your for yours

Why is it that people often prefer one product over another? What makes Apple, McDonald’s and Versace stand out from its competitions? Why did Trump win the election despite countless unfavorable press releases? The answer is Branding. Branding is a symbol that describes what a person or product stands for. Just as your company’s brand is vital for its success, so is your brand. It is your brand that define who you are, what you represent and what you intend to accomplish.

Personal brand is very important to your audiences, fans and customers. People tend to trust “You” as a brand than they do your company. The just concluded Presidential election is a typical example of how effective a personal brand can be for your career or business success.

Despite countless attacks by the press, which should have been a dead end to Trump’s political race, yet he still emerged as the winner. Throughout the campaign, Trump’s personal brand was organic. His charismatic nature is what inspired most of his voters. He stamped his name and spread his message with confidence and authority. Although his hostility and egoistic brand is what most people hate about him, yet he convinced his audiences that he is a man you can trust to deliver his promises. Even with no political background, he used his wealth portfolio as his credentials.

One key aspect that led to Trump’s victory was he recognized the needs of his audience and used that as an advantage to bring his brand to limelight. People do not want a salesman’s speech, they want his credibility to deliver actions behind his words.

Do you have a Personal Brand? How effective has it driven your career or business success?

An effective personal brand is one that meets both personal and organizational needs. It should be able to improve sales conversion and achieve organizational goals. The four factors that determines an effective personal brand includes

Specialization
What are you good at? What skill or talent do you have a passion for? Is it craftwork or writing? Or are you jack of all trades and master of none? It’s important to have an area of specialization because that will be the core aspect of your brand. Identify your unique skill and horn it. People don’t go for mediocre. When you have a bone deformity, do you go to a Neurosurgeon or an Orthopedic surgeon? Besides when you’re an expert in your field you charge more. There are a lot of competition in every niche, so it’s relevant you specialize in whatever you’re skilled at in order to attract loyal fans or customers.

Simplicity
Simplicity is velocity. Always keep it simple when choosing a name, logo, color and theme for your brand. Trump is a master of simplicity. He always uses simple slogans, such as, “Unintimidated”, "Can't Stump The Trump", and “Make America Great Again”. One would argue that his slogans carries no weight to attract trust nor gain votes, yet as simple as his titles are; they conveyed great meaning and were extraordinarily effective. When you are building a personal brand, go for something your audiences or customers can easily remember. People need to know what you are all about, at the mention of your name.

Consistence
Now you have chosen your area of expertise and a unique symbol of what you represent. Next, is to keep using that brand repeatedly until your audience can be able to differentiate the real you from a fake. Another brand of Trump people criticized was his foul mouth. Despite being called out on several occasion for being a racist and passing sexist remarks on women, he never for once backed down on his words. He wears his brand with pride. Just to be clear, I do not advocate misogyny. However, to be consistent is the key to an effective personal brand.

Promotion
No one can promote you better than yourself. Social media is one of the easiest way of getting your brand out there. Kim Kardashian, has won the hearts of both her fans and competition through active interaction on her social profiles. Today, people buy her Jewries, clothing and fragrance not just because they are the best, but because they are Kim’s. Your audience feel a sense of recognition when they interact with you one on one. Share personal stories and publish contents that describes what your brand is about. Your aim is for people to know you and get to trust you. When they trust you, the more likely they are to recommend your product or services.