It can take years to build a brand, a name, a reputation and only a few actions to take it down.
Companies want to sell products, an image, an experience. They then decide what do they want to be recognized for, start they brand. They put a lot of effort in marketing for their products, slogans, on how to sell better their products. There is a lot of investment on employees so they internalize and potentiate what makes the company (in case it’s a service company) or the product unique. Like this, they can focus on what is key, focus on achieving the expected results.
We, as individuals, do also want to sell something. We have to figure out what do we want to be recognized for. Is it because you are a hard worker? do you keep your word? Are you an expert on something? You decide, this will be your presentation card, and brick by brick construct it.
But Companies and individuals have two sides. The one we have described is the commercial, professional one. We sell THIS IS WHAT WE ARE GOOD AT. You can rely on us.
The other one is the behavioral side, HOW DO WE ACT. What does define ourselves, our values. In a Company, it’s written down and shared by all employees. Would I want someone working with us if they didn’t share our vision of customers, products and services? Will they bring the same passion? Are they able to help us build the image we want to project? In the case of individuals it becomes a bit more tricky. Because we can be loyal to ourselves and apply our principles to everyday actions or we can decide we want to be recognized for something we are not. Then, we need to double our effort, as we will be playing a role.
In any case, to build a reputation can take years, it’s the result of the sum of many actions. When what we sell differs from what we do, a crack appears. When it happens more than once, what helped to build what we are known for disappears. Trust, which is the basis of any brand disappears. And it doesn’t matter if it’s personal, digital, … it doesn’t matter. It is always the “do the talk” thing. In any possible interaction you have.
That is why is so important to keep as honest and simple as possible what you are and what you sell. Then, we can focus on what we are good at, besides on what we would like to be without effort.