The Kharisma Magazine The Kharisma Magazine (Full) Premiere Issue | Page 316

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Unleash the
Iconic Brand Within
WRITTEN BY KHARISMA ARO
D
eveloping an
iconic brand starts with you:
you are your brand from the
inside out.
Clarifying your personal
brand gives you the energy,
confidence, and structure
to bring your gifts into the
world. This means identifying
your own unique value as an
entrepreneur, and positioning
that value effectively in
relation to others (your target
market or niche).
Your personal brand is not
your logo, business card,
website,
or
packaging,
although these are important
to its image. Your essence,
rather, is what is most
essential, since your personal brand is built upon your unique
Story, Life Lessons, and Message.
What is an Iconic Brand?
When you think about jewelry, does Tiffany come to mind?
What about luxury luggage? Luis Vuitton? In his book, How
Brands Become Icons, former Oxford University professor
Douglas Holt sheds light on the nature and origins of iconic
brands. In that work, he asserts that iconic brands respond to
a society’s desires and cultural tensions by drawing on their
own unique myths and stories.
One significant characteristic shared by brands that are iconic
is that they are instantly recognizable. The Oxford English
Dictionary defines an icon as a person or thing regarded as
a representative symbol of a culture, movement, etc.; someone
or something afforded great admiration or respect. I believe
this definition works well for iconic brands: it suggests that
they must not only be easily recognizable, but also stand for
something that people admire and consider meaningful.
Mike Harris, founder of online
banks First Direct and Egg, and
creator of business mentoring
site IconicShift, offers his take
on what it means be iconic:
1) Having a purpose beyond
money.
2) Providing a brand experience
that stands out and gives
emotional/rational benefits.
3) Being a symbol of excellence
to which others aspire.
4) Having a tribe of raving
clients and fans.
5) Having admirers and, often,
detractors
(iconic
brands
polarise people).
Being iconic is not only
reserved for large brands like
Apple, Google, Coca Cola,
or the Four Seasons, since
personal brands can become
iconic, too. Oprah Winfrey is a
perfect example of this.
Let’s start with what you want people
to perceive about you.
Take some time to reflect, and answer the following from your
soul:
1) Who are you?
2) Who do you want to be?
3) What do you want people to perceive about you?
4) Identify your zone of genius or the natural gifts you have to
give.
5) What are your skills or expertise, personal style, and core
mission or message?
6) List any resistance to becoming visible, being the expert, and
delivering the most value you can possibly offer.
Learn more about how to
become an iconic brand at
www.daretobeiconic.com/academy
UNIQUE