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Jun 9, 2009
What We Can Learn from Jeff Bezos About Branding
“A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person.
You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.”
-Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon.com
What exactly is brand? At WealthNet we define brand as the aggregate of how the market perceives, associates and relates to you, your people and your business. We often think of brand as it relates only to big business. But when you think about it, you as a person have a brand too. Your personal brand could best be described as your reputation. Which is based on how people perceive you to be.
Okay, so it’s tough out there right now. But there’s still market share you don’t have. So what are you doing to enhance your brand, your marketing campaigns and your direct sales efforts? We hear every day that money is tight and times are tough. We get it. But if you still want to grow your business it’s critical to maintain the right mindset and invest in branding and marketing that gets the best results.
Much of your competition is singing the blues. I meet this kind of entrepreneur every day in our marketing and networking efforts. You know the mindset I’m talking about. People who let the economic news of the day affect their thinking and behavior when it comes to marketing. People who are afraid to invest more money and creativity to build a better brand and market with purpose. People who may not care enough to create and deliver solutions that make their customers’ lives or businesses better. People who let fear keep them from starting their own business or launching a new campaign, product, service or division. That’s right. Doing the hard things well can be scary. So what.
I also meet all sorts of high energy and positive thinking entrepreneurs every day. I prefer working with people who think and act in a positive way. Birds of a feather… I find that modeling my thinking and behavior around successful people is a great way to be successful. In this regard, what can we all do to model successful people like Jeff Bezos? Do you think Jeff was worried about what the economy was doing in 1994 when he founded Amazon.com? Did a 6.1% unemployment rate stop him? Did restraints in the capital markets slow him down? Did he wonder what the S&P 500 might do? I don’t think so.
Jeff Bezos launched his on-line bookstore in 1995 and the rest is history. He created a brand around the phenomenon called the Internet. He positioned himself to become a market leader. He attracted capital because of who he is and how he conveyed his vision and passion to sell books online. He made buying books, and tons of other products, easy. And Amazon does things very, very well. What an amazing company and brand.
When it comes to building your brand and growing your business, don’t let anything get in your way. These days people complain about poor cash flow and not having enough money to market their business or professional practice. It can be easy to get discouraged and stop trying to grow your business. But if you stop trying your brand will suffer and people will notice.
If you choose to think like Jeff Bezos and other successful entrepreneurs, you probably spend every waking hour thinking about how to build your brand, your team, and better market your products and services. You have no fear of making investments in your business because you know that whether the marketing campaign is a success or not, you will always learn something. Think. Plan. Invest. Market. Test. Measure. Learn. Start over. Real entrepreneurs face their fears every day. And so can you.
So if you find yourself singing the blues based on economic news or what you’re experiencing with your own business, just stop what you’re thinking and doing right now. Go to a quiet place where no one can bother you for a few minutes. Picture yourself as having the success you want to have. Envision yourself launching the next marketing campaign with great success. Picture your brand as a market leader. See yourself enjoying the fruits of your labor. Face your fears and realize they are only in your mind. Model your thinking and behaviors to a Jeff Bezos or someone in your industry who has found a way to build their brand and grow their business.
Think. Plan. Invest. Market. Test. Measure. Learn. Start over. Building your brand, business and personal is a never ending practice.
Clifford Jones, Founder
WealthNet Partners, LLC
“Discover The Art of Business Development”
Scottsdale, Arizona
WealthNet Partners, LLC
“Discover The Art of Business Development”
Scottsdale, Arizona
http://twitter.com/WealthNetTeam