Building a Bankable Brand!

By Kellie Kuecha, Marketing and Branding Expert

Coming from a long history in banking and being the bottom-line person that I am, I found my inspiration for this article from what I feel are the “abilities” one must have in order to build a brand that, by all counts, is a bankable one. Before I share my formula, let’s take a look at the wiki definition of “bankable.” A “bankable star” is an actor famous or charismatic enough to be “capable of guaranteeing box-office success simply by showing up in a movie.” Well the good news is you don’t have to be in a movie to make a big impact on the world, however you must be a star — the star of your own show! With today’s social media and technology outlets, each day we are given an unprecedented opportunity to influence our audiences like never before. How well we perform in our own YOU-nique role will determine the level of impact we have on our audience and ultimately our bottom line. Here are just a few of the ingredients in my Bankable Brand Formula:

1. Like-ability: Whether we like it or not, life is a series of popularity contests. The choices that others make about us will ultimately affect our health, happiness and of course our bottom line. We have all heard the saying, “People do business with those they know, like and trust.” The more likeable we are, the more likely we are to be on the receiving end of success and prosperity.
2. Relate-ability: One of the most essential abilities necessary to building a bankable brand is one’s ability to connect with her audience in a BIG way. This means exposing ourselves in ways that we may have never explored in the past. It means stepping outside of the nice, clean-cut corporate image you have created around your company and bearing it all. I take my students through a test called PLAVCO that helps uncover key areas of their story and those become the threads by which the brand is crafted. People must see a piece of themselves in us in order to create both relate-ability and likability.
3. Message Stick-ability: Attached to your personal brand has got to be what I refer to as a “sticky” message. This is your brand guarantee. For example, mine is, “Give me one hour and I will create a brand, business and product from scratch uniquely for you!” Your message has to be one that captures the minds and hearts of your potential clients and it must be one that they can remember. Domino’s Pizza built their entire brand message on the promise that you would receive your pizza in 30 minutes or less from the time of your order or your money back. That message has continued to stick with us today.
4. WOW-ability: If you have ever followed Richard Branson, Madonna, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez or Lady Gaga, then you know that these individuals have mastered the art of creating the WOW factor. Their ability to continuously keep us guessing (both personally and professionally) has enabled them all to grow very vast empires while continuing to remain popular. Neither Britney nor Jennifer has profound musical talents but their audiences enjoy watching their lives unfold before them. Don’t be afraid to let your edgy side come through in your brand.
5. Bank-ability: At the end of the day, our brand must not only increase our bottom line, it must add value to the bottom lines of our prospects and/or colleagues. For instance, in my event business, I very seldom hire a speaker that does not have a grouping of products that can be sold at the end of their talk. In the event business, a bankable speaker has a large following, is great at adding value for the audience and will ultimately impact the promoter’s bottom line.

While there are several more ingredients that make up the Bankable Brand Formula, I trust that you understand that it takes a solid, well-crafted personal brand to succeed in business in the 21^st Century. Futhermore, in order to build a bankable brand that has a global impact you must first lay the foundation in your own back yard. To get your FREE copy of my signature speech, “Building the Brand Called YOU,” please visit www.KellieKuecha.com/buildingthebrandcalledyou

Kellie Kuecha is a marketing and branding expert specializing in women’s success. She is the CEO and Founder of The W.O.M.A.N. Club, Women that Win, Flow and Grow RICH, KidsBiz Academy and Women’s Wellness Society and a marketing and personal branding expert. Her journey into entrepreneurship began at the ripe age of 12 and she has been building businesses ever since. She has defied all the odds both in life and in business and has mastered the ability to turn adversities into advantages. She travels the world sharing her message and inspiring women to win in all areas of life! She is the mother of two young girls, Kayla and Karina, and has two bonus children, Brandon and Jason, who are all under the age of 12. All four children have their own businesses and are learning great lessons about the value of money, hard work and persistence.