Personal Branding Podcast

"Successful personal brands are agile" - Bernard Kelvin Clive 4 TRAITS of Powerful Personal Brands CLEAR PURPOSE Influential personal brands have a clear purpose, which is the most important pillar of powerful brands —for without purpose and a clear direction of your life, brand and business, you will be building a fake brand. The purpose should speak clearly to your promise of value. Your USP — Unique Selling Proposition. INNOVATIVE Successful personal brands are agile, they are innovative and they are adaptable to change. They understand that brands and consumers do evolve so they adjust to the changing trends and times while staying relevant. "Innovation and technology drives my business" - Selorm A. Betepe AUTHENTIC Influential personal brands understand that the best way to succeed is just being themselves. The world is tired of celebrities who ain't themselves, they soon fade. Be your best self. “Remember it’s OK to be yourself.” – Richard Branson MAVERICKS You must be different to stand out! The most powerful personal brands are the difference makers, they just don't fit in, they break rules and set new standards. They have the philosophy of trail-blazers - either they are the first or among the best. Simply Creative! "...purge mediocrity" - Nana K. Duah Recommended Book: Skills Every young Executive Must Have HOOKED: Overcoming Social Media Addiction Rebrand: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Branding Branding Simplified Books by Bernard Kelvin Clive

"Know your limit and circle of influence; you are not called to meet the needs of everyone" - Bernard Kelvin Clive In this episode I share with you reasons why most personal brands have poor digital presence and what must be done to fix it. 7 Reasons Why Your Digital Presence Sucks You are trying so hard to impress people. (BE YOURSELF) You are on too many social media platforms, yet not active. (FOCUS) You don’t provide any value; less valuable content. ( CONTENT) You wear too many hats; obsessed with titles without substance. (INTEGRITY) Your bio(about you) is not well written, full of errors and no call to action. (CLARITY) You keep spamming and stalking. (PERMISSION MARKETING) You don’t have a website or a well branded social media page. (WEBSITES) Recommended Book: Skills Every young Executive Must Have HOOKED: Overcoming Social Media Addiction Rebrand: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Branding Branding Simplified Books by Bernard Kelvin Clive

"You may start small but don't stay small" - Bernard Kelvin Clive 21 Social Media and Digital Marketing Tips Don’t just be everywhere, be everywhere that your clients are, where you matter most. Always and always have a gift to give. Eg, Whitepapers, ebooks, audio, infographics etc. You can’t just ignore Social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc Blogs and Websites are still relevant for business growth. Traffic is the golden key that gets you the cash. Get yourself a mailing list. The Free lunch is over. You must pay to get the desired traction. Crowd-funding works effectively when you already have a mailing list, a tribe. Invest in paid advertisement. Don’t just be selling be connecting. You can’t’ Spam your way to success. Content is not king – relevant, timely and authentic content is king Invest in your personal brand – people buy into people first before business. Without value, the hype will be in vain. There are no shortcuts. Remember that what worked today may not work tomorrow, be adaptable! A platform is a must-have for all online marketers and entrepreneurs. Build a loyal fan base because repeat business is the best business for you. Focus: Niche marketing is vital. Remember that your competitors are just a click away. Consistency is the essential ingredient that sells your brand. Invest in your fans, tribe and brand ambassadors, they will bring in more business. Study trends! Stay Relevant! Recommended Book: Skills Every young Executive Must Have HOOKED: Overcoming Social Media Addiction Rebrand: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Branding Branding Simplified Books by Bernard Kelvin Clive

Are you Skilled? A skill is basically the ability to do something well, to be great at doing something. My question is what are you great at or what are the things that you want to be great at doing? A research conducted and published by LinkedIn in October this year, outlined the top 10 in-demand Skills for the coming year and beyond. Catherine Fisher, the researcher, stated that "While some skills expire every couple of years, our data strongly suggests that tech skills will still be needed for years to come, in every industry. Now is a great time for professionals to acquire the skills they need to be more marketable." I believe this is the more reason for young executives to get more skills while they can to always stay on top so as not to be drowned by the noise and competition. Find the hottest, most in-demand skills around the globe: Note that these are technical and computer related skills. Cloud and Distributed Computing Cloud computing, also known as on-demand computing, is a kind of Internet-based computing, where shared resources, data, and information are provided to computers and other devices on-demand. It is a model for enabling ubiquitous, on-demand access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources. The point is that, because of the massive amount of data being stored and used globally by companies over the internet, cloud computing provides a better alternative to storage – scalable storage, cheaper, remote access to data, etc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining Data mining is a process used by companies to turn raw data into useful information. What will be the use of all these data collected by organizations if they cannot be analyzed and put to proper use? Experts in this field would be required to make meaning with data. Web Architecture and Development Framework Website architecture is an approach to the design and planning of websites that involves technical, aesthetic and functional criteria. As in traditional architecture, the focus is on the user and user requirements. This requires particular attention to web content, the business plan, usability, interaction design, information architecture and web design. It also includes deciding technology stack, site map, and navigation system of website. Middleware and Integration Software Middleware is a general term for software that serves to "glue together" separate, often complex and already existing, programs. Some software components that are frequently connected with middleware include enterprise applications and Web services User Interface Design User interface design (UI) or user interface engineering is the design of user interfaces for machines and software, such as computers, home appliances, mobile devices, and other electronic devices, with the focus on maximizing usability and the user experience. Network and Information Security Information security, sometimes shortened to InfoSec, is the practice of preventing unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, inspection, recording or destruction of information. Security is one of the top needs in organizations today, services and skills in this area is in high demand. Mobile Development Mobile application development is a term used to denote the act or process by which application software is developed for mobile devices, such as personal digital assistants, enterprise digital assistants or mobile phones. Take a course to learn how to develop a mobile and web app. Data Presentation In the field of math, data presentation is the method by which people summarize, organize and communicate information using a variety of tools,

"Your ingenuity will remain dormant until it is provoked" - Bernard Kelvin Clive You are creative! Creativity in simple terms implies the ability to create. Firstly, because we are creatures of the creator - God, who made us in His image and likeness. Simply, if our creator creates, then, we too can create. Every living thing produces after it kind. We are the God-kind. Secondly, our very own nature yearns for new things, the explorer in us makes us want to experiment new things; that is the seed of creativity. It is those who pay attention to this urge and constantly respond by acting that unleashes the creative genius in them. If you believe it, then act on it! Watch your creative self & sense at work in whatever area you choose to to let it flow. The power is in your hands. You are creative! Your ingenuity unveils your identity. Go create! Resources: HOOKED: Overcoming Social Media Addiction Rebrand: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Branding Branding Simplified Books by Bernard Kelvin Clive

How to make your first million... “People have this stereotypical view that wealthy people should be glamorous. The glamour aspect doesn’t grab me. I’ve always believed that wealth isn’t just about what you can buy. Wealth is a like a four-legged table. The monetary aspect is just one leg. The other quadrant legs include emotional wealth, spiritual wealth and physical wealth. Real wealth is having an abundance of ideas and a strong belief system which underpins everything you do in life.” – Nik Halik In this episode, I interviewed multi-millionaire astronaut and international speaker Nik Halik Nik Halik is the founder and CEO of Financial Freedom Institute, Lifestyle Revolution, 5 Day Weekend and The Thrillionaires. He is a financial trainer with a passion for adventure. This latter interest has led him during the past decade to train as a cosmonaut in Russia, fly close to the edge of the atmosphere in a former Soviet Mig 29 fighter jet, travel to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean to view the Titanic, tour with Bon Jovi with his rock band, HALO skydive jump off the summit of Mt Everest, climb into the crater of an exploding erupting volcano, and enter the hermit kingdom of North Korea to expose a sweatshop factory operating illegally for an American conglomerate. As a property investor, he has developed techniques and systems for generating significant passive income that enables him to enjoy what he calls his five-day weekend lifestyle. Today, Nik’s group of companies have financially educated over one million clients in over 57 countries. He has trekked to over 138 countries, whilst generating passive income building recurring subscription businesses, and investing in tech startups. He currently resides in Los Angeles, South Beach Miami and the Greek Islands. More information, please visit http://www.nikhaliklive.com/   Resources:   HOOKED: Overcoming Social Media Addiction Rebrand: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Branding Branding Simplified  Books by Bernard Kelvin Clive

Secrets to becoming a bestseller with the Jedi of Amazon Kindle publishing, Dave Chesson. In this episode, I interviewed Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur.com as he shared insights into kindle book publishing. Listen , learn and share Resources: Kindlepreneur.com KDP Rocket Amazon Sales Rank Calculator HOOKED: Overcoming Social Media Addiction Rebrand: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Branding Branding Simplified  Books by Bernard Kelvin Clive

"Speed is significant but you need substance to stay relevant" - Bernard Kelvin Clive In this podcast episode, I interviewed one of South Africa's personal branding experts to share on the steps to building a personal brand. Joe Joseph Mudau (MBA) is a Director of REDEFINE BRANDS (Pty) Ltd., a company specializing in personal and company branding. He is an author, radio personality, professional conference, businessman and community builder. Listen and learn RECOMMENDED BOOK: HOOKED: Overcoming Social Media Addiction Rebrand: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Branding Branding Simplified

Creating an Unforgettable Brand with Rochelle Moulton This episode is an interview on ways to build an unforgettable brand with my guest Rochelle Moulton Her style is clean (as in clean lines), feminine, and confident. Listen, learn and apply. RECOMMENDED BOOK: HOOKED: Overcoming Social Media Addiction Rebrand: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Branding Rochelle Moulton is the founder of Be Unforgettable Media. She makes consultants, authors, and artists unforgettable by focusing on what’s unique and real and authentic about them. Rochelle shows her audience, that by embracing who they are, they will win clients, readers and business. Her clients feel smart, LA chic, feminine, and confident in her clothing.

Signs of Social Media Addiction RECOMMENDED BOOK: HOOKED: Overcoming Social Media Addiction Rebrand: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Branding

Social Media Branding “Branding is not just about social media” – Bernard Kelvin Clive In a social media-driven world, it’s quite easy to assume that everything is about social media. This has made people believe all sorts of things that should not have been believed in the first place. In reference to branding, a number of books and articles online have skewed branding towards social media, more especially the subject to do with ‘personal branding’ – instructing readers on setting up social media accounts, and making them visible, yadda yadda... I addressed that in my book “The Art of Personal Branding”. The truth is this; social media can be used by individuals and companies to virtually promote their brands. But when the subject of branding is almost replaced with social media activities, that becomes a problem. Because it will mostly lack the depth of branding. Social media shouldn’t be the starting place; It is only a Channel that individuals and brands can utilize to establish and promote their businesses. A quick rundown on the rudiments of branding: An emotional empowering connection people have with you and your firm It’s made up of both the intangible and tangible things It’s more intangible than tangible Brand identity, Logo, colours, style Tone of voice, values, vision and mission Uniqueness, a differentiation factor With this said, when you find out that your focus is only on social media as a brand that becomes erroneous, quickly re-strategize. Social media is not branding, it’s only a tool to help position, promote and engage your audience online. It doesn’t replace the branding process or its meaning. As a brand, your focus is to ensure that you use these channels of communications effectively to your advantage, most importantly the channels that can best help you reach your target audience. If it’s social media, then, make the most of it. Here are few social media branding tips: Choose your platform properly; which platform can help you reach your market Have a clear purpose of being on social media Develop a social media strategy and campaign Make your brand visuals appealing and consistent. Be consistent with your message, not forgetting your brand’s tone of voice Engage! Engage!! Engage!!! Don’t just broadcast, it’s a two-way communication channel Listen to your audience and respond to their needs Deliver on your brand’s promise!!! With these few tips, you can move your brand online upwards! RECOMMENDED BOOK: HOOKED: Overcoming Social Media Addiction Rebrand: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Branding

DICE? “Brands that stand out from the competition are purposefully disruptive or different” - Bernard Kelvin Clive To stand out from the masses with your brand be disruptive, different, or you die. Over the years I realized that startup brands that are doing exceptionally well had in a way mastered what I call the D.I.C.E. strategy in branding. 31branding_23 They are Different Innovative Creative Excellent They D.I.C.E on purpose; doing things differently from their competitors, with distinctiveness, innovation, and creativity with a hallmark of excellence. These are the things that propel brands to great heights of visibility and prominence. To put all this together in a proper perspective I selected 7 Startup Brands Doing Things differently that you can study and be inspired by their works. Here are some Ghanaian owned Startup Brand’s that differentiate their products and services from the masses, using creative and innovative ways, in their various markets. My Pick for this week: Maza Health: amazingly helping with health transportation in remote areas in Ghana to save lives. CREO concepts: Telling the local story with animations. Graphic and animation firm, popularly known for their creative ‘Day Born’s cartoons’ on Social Media KokoKing; They simply professionally and hygienically packaged the everyday local ‘Hausa Koko’ Waakye-On-Wheels (Cookhouse): Simply made delivery of delicious ‘Waakye’ exciting and fun. UTAMA: creatively make hand-made Bow-Ties & Flying-Ties from African print materials AgroMindset: Simply made farming attractive to the youth while making money Tress App: lovely app that helps women to share and discover new hairstyles. Bernard Kelvin Clive #BKCconsulting Brand Consortium, Professional Training & Coaching www.BKC.name/consulting

#16 of 31 “Feedback is brands free assessment tool” – Bernard Kelvin Clive The fastest way to look back in retrospect and assess your brand’s performance is to get feedback from your clients. Feedbacks are a great way to evaluate your brand. The truth bitterly spoken is this, not all feedbacks will be encouraging and empowering, some will come as a shock to rebuke and correct you. Learn to take all in good faith. It’s what you do with those feedbacks that matter. Some brands have successfully used feedback from their customers to launch a new line of products, improve existing once and made the whole brand experience a wonderful one. It’s a continuous cycle that must be kept running. For startup brands, feedback is a great way to help you launch your products and services successfully. Here are few ways to gather customer feedbacks: - Ask for feedback, in your store, office, workplace, encourage clients to give you feedbacks - Provide means of feedback, eg. Online, have a feedback form on your site. - Use emails, send questionnaires. - Social media, read comments, listen to clients’ needs and wants - Always and always ask at end of every sale or pitch. - Outsource the feedback process to another firm. - Provide online surveys and reward those who do participate It’s not enough gathering feedbacks, the next process is how to translate this feedback to a more meaningful data to enhance customer relations and also provide quality products and services. As a speaker and author, I mostly ask my audience and readers to send me a review, after every workshop or at the end of reading a book, this has helped me better some of my presentations and books and some fans/clients have been proud that some of their suggestions have been put to a good use. My book “REWRITE: 7 Obstacle Every New Author Must Overcome’ was birth out of feedbacks from my monthly publishing workshops – Digital Publishing School. After receiving feedback, it’s up to you to analyze and filter them, what can be acted upon immediately, the ones to ignore and the ones that require immediate or future action. Remember: Feedback is a means for brands to look back. Bernard Kelvin Clive #BKCConsulting #31BrandingThoughts www.BKC.name/consulting

“The investment you make into a brand, makes its name worth it” - Bernard Kelvin Clive Did you know that the famous brand name ‘Google’ was actually a misspelt word ‘Googol”? Now, let’s get started. It sounds good in the ear to have sweet brand names that rhymes and charms but that alone will not make your brand jive. Some few thoughts to debunk; in choosing brand names, some experts suggest having a name that can be pronounced easily, really? Not so much of that, it does some good anyway, but the point is if your brand name isn’t jaw-breaking but your brand doesn’t deliver on its promise you will fail. Let’s throw in some few examples, illustrate the point that the investments made into brands go beyond its name. Having a fairly easy relatable brand name for your products and services is great but most importantly focus on delivering on your brand promise. That will cause the name to rise above the crowd. Who would have thought that an automobile brand like ‘Mitsubishi’ can make it at the marketplace. Quite a heavy name to pronounce, what do you say? At the end of the day, a brand is mostly known by either the brand’s name or its logo. However, it doesn’t come that easily. It requires a deliberate effort to communicate the brand’s value in order to make the name. Just coming up with just any name is not the best, a name that can sell your brand and a name that will be worth your investments. The funny parts of brand names are that a name that may mean well in one country and culture may mean something totally the opposite, sometimes even with negative connotations. A simple example is packaged black pepper sauce in Ghana called ‘Shito” in the local language, the same word in English without the last letter sounds disgusting, doesn’t it? ‘Shit’. Another example is a spice made in Jamaica called “Cock Flavored’ that supposed to mean chicken flavor, but in America and modern slang the word ‘cock’ implies ‘the male reproductive organ’. So, it’s very important to do a little research into your brand names before going out there with it, especially if you want to cross borders. RESOURCES: Rebrand: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Branding Bernard Kelvin Clive Amazon books

RESOURCES: Rebrand: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Branding Bernard Kelvin Clive Amazon books Read more at http://bkc.name/brand-career-talk-career-strategist-sherri-thomas/#2Zo1i17JBGwJPD8z.99