Calling All Brand Cheerleaders! May 22, 2013Expert BlogsOff

Every great brand needs a squad of brand cheerleaders. This is why companies spend millions of dollars on public relations and social media firms, and entertainers hire agents and publicists—and career-conscious professionals look for mentors and coaches to help spread the word about their brands. In fact, we all need people whom we can talk to about serious things in all areas of living, not just work—friends and business people, with shared interests and understandings. I am fortunate to have a strong support team—a personal “board of directors” who build me up in spirit and in word and deed. They are critical to my brand’s success.

Last week I needed support and I was blessed to have my closest friends and biggest fans rally around me. (You know who you are). Their heartfelt understanding and sage counsel helped me manage and work through a tough situation.

If you’ve been too busy to take the time to recruit or spend time with your brand cheerleaders, I’m asking you to consider the importance of doing so now. These are hard times and no one can be successful alone.

It makes incredibly good sense to have a seasoned professional “on the payroll” to strategize with you on business moves and hash out your personal and professional concerns. At this point, having a business coach is more commonplace than having a therapist. And for good reason — you have to invest in yourself to succeed.

I have coaches in almost every area of my personal and professional life. Today, David Goldsmith gives me the keys to running an effective business. My first coach Mariette Edwards still supports me in holding the empowerment of professionals as my mission. She knew long ago that to live that mission I had to become a keynote speaker. Back then, the idea of public speaking frightened me to death, but her confidence in me helped me push through my fear. She was instrumental in arranging my very first “Make A Name For Yourself” workshop for a group of 100 women in the film industry. I told her I wasn’t ready, and she said, “I know you’re not ready now. But you have eight weeks.” This is exactly the kind of pressure that makes great leaders out of mere mortals.

After facilitating my inaugural “Make A Name For Yourself” workshop, I wrote my first book with the same title. To launch it, I invited 20 influential friends and clients to a high tea at the Bel Air Hotel in Beverly Hills. I gave each woman an autographed copy of my book wrapped in beautiful paper and toasted them all for inspiring me to write the book and for supporting me through the process. The result? They felt honored and told all their friends to buy my book.

Connecting with your brand cheerleaders is like accessing a power higher than yourself. That’s why once you’ve drawn them in, it’s important to reward them and keep them loyal to your brand. Think about what kind of event you can create and who in your target audience you could invite – whether it’s in person or virtual, make sure your event reflects your personal brand and your mission.

Consistency, clarity and authenticity are the keystone of any great brand and when practiced fully will solidify support when you need it most.

Robin Fisher Roffer is a leading brand strategist and reinvention specialist. Founder and CEO of Big Fish Marketing, she is the author of Make A Name For Yourself: 8 Steps Every Woman Needs To Create A Personal Brand Strategy For Success, The Fearless Fish Out Of Water: How To Succeed When You’re The Only One Like You, and Reinventing Yourself: 10 Steps To Shifting Your Career Into High Gear. Learn more about Robin at: http://bigfishmarketing.com

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