In case you missed it, I recently had the opportunity to talk TWIST on Paul Feiner’s weekly show on WVOX Radio. We had a great conversation, discussing best practices for businesses and the importance of individuals building their personal brands. As the new year approaches, this is a great time to get a personal brand plan in place.

The most important thing to remember is that you are an essential element of your brand, and the stronger your brand, the better your opportunities—whether you’re searching for a job, fresh out of college, in the midst of a career change, or looking for a raise.

Here are Three key takeaways from our talk to help you leverage your personal brand to get ahead in 2019.

  1. Find your personal TWIST.

It’s important to have a personal brand because it’s really hard to stand out. Whether you’re a recent college graduate or an established business, there is so much competition these days—or as I like to say, the noise in the market is like when the teacher talks to Charlie Brown and all he hears is “Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah.” Finding your TWIST is about defining what’s really unique about you—and getting people to pay attention.

Don’t be afraid to add your personal passions to support your professional TWIST. One Brand School student who was a kitchen designer was also an amateur ballroom dancer. She re-branded her business as kitchen choreography and it really took off.

  1. Edit your elevator pitch.

Having a great elevator pitch is key. A lot of people have an elevator pitch that takes 20 floors to get to the heart of what they uniquely offer because they focus too much on the nuts and bolts. You’re not going to distinguish yourself by what you do or sell, but how you make people feel.

Branding is like an onion. You want people to get interested in peeling the onion. You don’t have to say everything right off the bat, but what you should lead with is your TWIST. What’s different? What problem are you trying to solve? How is your way of delivering a product or service better?

  1. Let others inspire you.

Your brand has to come from what’s unique and authentic about you; however, you can look at other successful brands and TWIST lessons from brands that you love with your own. For example, Starbucks is a great brand. It manages to charge a premium not just for the coffee, but for the experience—and they’re all about personalization. So, if you’re a dry cleaner, how can you TWIST with Starbucks? This doesn’t mean offering better coffee in your store, but maybe providing more opportunities for customization.

TWISTs don’t just have to come from other brands, you can pull inspiration from celebrities, personalities, friends…anyone you admire or see something interesting in.

Give or Get the Gift of TWIST

If you know someone striving for upward mobility, about to enter the work force, or sharpening their skills for a new career, please check out how these programs can help them TWIST to build an unforgettable personal or professional brand. Send them one of our TWIST Certificates and give them the gift of believing in them and helping them make their dreams come true. Good for any of our programs below.

Or if you want to invest in yourself, use offer code WVOX and save 15%!

Personal Brand Plan

A personal TWIST is your most important business asset. How can you bring more of your personal passions and unique background to the table? In my Personal Brand Plan call, we will explore how to put more of “you” in your business or career-building efforts.

Brand Health Check

A healthy brand will attract more profitable targets, stand out with spending less, and serve as a blueprint for business growth. If you are a business owner or entrepreneur and feel your brand could use a boost, schedule a Brand Health Check with me. I will review your marketing materials and, together, we will create an action plan to TWIST and shine.

Did you enjoy these TWISTing tips? You can hear my full interview with Paul here:

Discover even more ways to strengthen your brand in my best-selling book,  TWIST: How Fresh Perspectives Build Breakthrough Brands.

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Julie
Julie is the Founder and CEO of BrandTwist, a brand consultancy that helps entrepreneurs and corporations build stronger, more profitable brands.

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