Will 2023 be the year you finally figure out your personal branding?
Next to spending time with my loved ones, the two things I love to do most are helping people with their personal branding and flying an aircraft. At first, these two activities may seem completely different. However, I see them as cosmically linked!
In 2020 I introduced an original approach to personal branding based on my experiences as a sport pilot. I called it my Personal Branding Flight Plan, and presented it at various meetings and conferences to rave reviews. The personal branding flight plan has been used by coaches, consultants, and even CEOs and corporate gurus looking to create something for themselves in preparation for entrepreneurship. The plan aims is to help those who follow it to document, encapsulate, and package their knowledge and experience into intellectual property that will help them create a legacy. In fact, it’s become part of what we do best at JJR Marketing.
So what does aviation have to do with personal branding? There are four elements involved in every flight that guide me through my work with clients seeking personal branding. These four aviation elements are:
- Pilot
- Aircraft
- Weather
- External Circumstances
Last year I came up with the Personal Branding Flight Plan: A Practical Guide to Build a Powerful Playbook. It’s a workbook for people to think through their personal branding and everything it entails. In it, I examine these four flight elements as catalysts for launching your own personal flight plan!
You are the Pilot in Command.
In aviation, flight safety is about the pilot in command. For a flight to be safe, the pilot must be qualified, rested, and focused. This is a reminder to us that we need to know ourselves and what we are capable of achieving. Do you understand your purpose and the audience you want to reach with that purpose? Why should people believe in you? Before you develop your personal brand, you should have a good idea of what you are good at and what you can offer the world. You should be a competent “pilot” that people are not afraid to “fly” with!
What is your Aircraft?
All pilots are in charge of their aircraft. What is your “aircraft?” Every individual seeking a personal brand has one, whether it is a coaching program, a book, or a keynote address.
What are your goals (your flight plan) for flying this “aircraft.” Do you hope to write a best- selling business book? Fill your calendar with keynote speeches or coaching sessions? How about a website where people can contact you for consulting? Whatever your aircraft is, you will need to take care of it and give it the attention and fuel it needs so it can get you where you need to go!
Is the Weather Clear?
Every pilot must be aware of the weather. Sometimes it is not the right time to fly; other times, it is. In aviation, industry regulations can “ground” us from flying because of the weather. Weather is an element beyond our control. What, if anything, is holding you back? The big question for you to answer about your personal branding is: why now? Why is now the best time to be working on your personal brand? What are your big dreams, and what strategy do you want to employ?
Can You Handle the Turbulence?
The best laid plans of business folks hit speedbumps. In the aviation world, we call this turbulence—unexpected air movement that interrupts the smooth flight of the aircraft. When turbulence hits an aircraft, the pilot is responsible for adjusting the flight in some way, such as flying at a different altitude to resume a smooth flight. This is not unlike an entrepreneur responding to a market shift, such as the pandemic. Sometimes pilots must communicate with air traffic control to deviate from their route to avoid turbulence. This is not unlike an entrepreneur consulting with an expert to help him with a specific business problem. The right advisor can help an entrepreneur or a personal brand avoid turbulence or at least make the correct adjustment.
While these are the elements of your personal branding flight plan, an incredible journey awaits you as you take a 20,000-foot view of yourself and your goals. You will discuss your dreams, your mission and vision, as well as your core values. You will create a manifesto that will elevate you during periods of turbulence, and home in on the colors, taglines, and design elements that best project your personal branding. As one pilot to another “pilot,” I’m excited for you as you begin this journey!
If I can help you in your journey to personal branding reach out to us. In the meantime, if you would like to see how the Flight Plan Playbook works for you, follow the link below. Happy landings!