Your Personal Brand Statement – What People Think of When They Think of You

When you make your introduction to a new contact, does your Personal Brand Statement (PBS) meet these requirements:

1. Hearing it makes people go "WOW!" Providing good or excellent service is not enough these days. When you want to create a livelihood from your business (i.e. it's not just a hobby), then you need to stand out from the crowd and differentiate yourself. Clients are attracted to people who make them go "WOW!" Make what you say action oriented and a benefit of what you do.
2. It's only one breath long. Be able to say your personal brand statement in one "out breath." This is like creating a "sound bite" that people can easily remember. Test it: Can the other person repeat back to you what you said, verbatim? "I help people retire comfortably and with dignity". If you can say it in under 10 words, you really get a gold star! What we want the other person to say, is "Really, tell me more…"
3. Clearly states practical benefits. The practical benefit of what you are should be clear or at least clearly implied.
4. Reflects your own personality. Your PBS should be uniquely identifiable with you. If any one of your friends or acquaintances can say the same statement about themselves in the same way as you, then you need to inject more of you in yours. Stay away from the generic, "I help you increase your profits." Your personality can be projected in how you phrase your statement, in the words you use, your tone of voice, etc.
5. Projects confidence and energy. Your PBS should roll off your tongue easily, without tripping. You must be able to project and believe it.
6. Gives enough to cause them to ask for more. Your PBS is a "teaser" to start a dialogue with your customer. Again- "tell me more".
7. Fits with who you are––is real and grounded.Going beyond reflecting your personality, your PBS basically describes how you express your personal mission in the physical world, your role in the world. Use "I" phrasing instead of trying to create the impression that you’re something bigger or other than who you are. (This is a tendency especially with self-employed people.) I have struggled with this also and constantly working on it.
8. Can be made into an even shorter form. Your PBS should be almost like a slogan, brand, or theme.
9. Can change with time. Your PBS evolves with time, reflecting what you are passionate about in the moment. You can continually change it.
10. Can be repeated easily by others. The ultimate success of a PBS is how well it creates "buzz or word of mouth." If your PBS meets all of the above requirements, people will accurately talk about who you are and what you offer, triggering the attraction forces that work so well!