Why David Beckham has a Strong Personal Brand
Image by © Tony Gentile/Reuters/Corbis
Anywhere you look in the soccer world, it seems, and David Beckham is there. He’s been able to become one of the true faces of soccer, and has transitioned over into becoming a true icon in entertainment and sports in general. From movies to celebrity sightings to magazine covers, people know David Beckham – and there’s a reason why.
Over time, Beckham has been conscious to cultivate a big time personal and professional brand, and its paid dividends for him in his career, with money, and in his personal and celebrity dealings. Here’s how Beckham developed a strong personal brand:
Looking Good Doesn’t Hurt
Let’s be honest – and it’s a great lesson for the rest of us. Part of what makes Beckham memorable is, well, he’s incredibly handsome! With an athletic body and a great look, he’s easy on the eyes. How does that translate to branding? His look is ready made for campaigns and advertisements – and he can easily look the part no matter where he goes. So, for you, it might be worth it to get fit and in shape; while you may not look like David Beckham, looking your personal best can surely help your brand, too.
Talent Truly Matters
Bend it like Beckham is the name of a movie, but it comes more from Beckham’s insane natural talent (and work ethic to bring that talent forward) than it does any sort of branding effort. When you want to develop a strong personal brand, talent needs to be at the forefront, or else you’re all fluff and no substance. To bend it like Beckham, you’ve got to practice, practice, practice your talents like Beckham – until you are truly one of the very best at what you do, and your reputation begins to build based on your results and successes.
Go For The Big Prizes And Affiliations
Part of Beckham’s brand is that he’s played for some of the biggest, best, and most well-known soccer teams in the world. From Real Madrid, to Manchester United, to the Los Angeles Galaxy, Beckham goes for the best, and works until he gets it. Let that be a lesson to you; while you can certainly be a big fish in a small pond for a time, work hard on becoming a big fish in the biggest pond – and your brand can build based on your affiliations and who you interact with and know.
What Does This Mean For You?
Beckham didn’t set out to develop a strong personal brand; he set out to be one of the greatest soccer players of all time, and from that, he parlayed it into a career of fashion, entertainment, philanthropy, and business dealings. Whatever his goal, though, Beckham wanted to (and still wants to) be the best. Let that be a lesson to you – if you work specifically to develop a brand, your brand will center on, well, you developing a brand!
That’s no good; you want to be known for substance and influence – and to do that, you need to work on being the best at one specific thing, or being very very good at several things. Like Beckham, only then can your strong personal brand come from your success and reputation.
Register to the event that will help you “Brand your Way to Exponential Profits” in KL, 23 November 2013. Learn more by clicking here now!
