The “5 P’s” of Personal Branding

There are five qualities that you need to possess to build a successful personal brand.  I call these qualities the “5 P’s”.  They are:

• Patience
• Proof
• Passion
• Persistence
• Perception

Here are some brief descriptions:

Patience – Building a strong, meaningful brand takes time.  Branding is more than flash-in-the-pan hype.  Brands build momentum, which in turn helps fuel the customers’ perception of the brand. 

Proof – Brands must grow from the inside out.  A brand must be genuine and offer proof to its constituents that it is “the real deal’.   Public relations, advertising and promotions can help put the best face on just about any situation however the public will uncover a disingenuous brand eventually.

Passion – Brands must make an emotional connection with consumers.  Your brand must inspire its users to feel a certain way about you.  You must not just win over their minds, but you must win their hearts as well. 

Persistence – This quality is valuable in a number of areas but in branding it is essential.  Your patience combined with persistence will help you move your brand to its ideal state. 

Perspective – Personal branding works as long as it is customer focused.  You must always approach your brand from your customers’ perspective.  How does your customer perceive you today?  How do you want them to perceive you in the future? The road to failure is paved with people who had perceptions that were different than that of their customer.

Brandxpress got me thinking about this when I read Daniel’s post on the functions of a brand.  The quote that reminded me of the “5 P’s” was:

“The perceived purchasing risk is thus minimized, which in turn helps cultivate a trust-based relationship.”

Although it is awkwardly worded (and a bit academic) that is what developing a personal brand is all about – developing trust between you and your customer.