Whether you love her or hate her, there’s no denying that Beyoncé is a personal branding goddess.
Throughout her career, whether it was good press or bad, she stuck true to her brand and built it into one of the most consistent and credible personas in the music industry. When she encountered mistakes, she knew how to handle them and come out even stronger.
Last December, she released her fourth album. There was no publicity, no promotion, and no word that the album was even being made until it was released — but when it finally came out, it was one of the most-bought albums of 2013.
Here are four tips from Beyoncé’s personal brand that you can apply to your own.
1. Be vague, but not too vague
Ever notice how little you hear from Beyoncé in the press? That’s because she rarely speaks out in public unless she has something important to say. Her fans don’t necessarily like it, but they respect her for wanting her privacy. It’s one of the biggest reasons she was able to keep her latest album a secret.
If one of the biggest names in hip-hop can keep secrets, surely you can, too. You don’t need to tell the world every little thing you do. When people come to you for information, they don’t want to have to sift through a bunch of irrelevant nonsense to get to the gold.
Only speak/post about valuable, relevant, and engaging information. Your credibility will rise like never before, and you will establish yourself as an industry source to be respected. Like Beyoncé, let your successes do the talking for you.
2. Write your own ending
When you have a problem in your personal brand, how you handle it greatly affects the way you’re perceived. When Beyoncé was accused of lip-syncing the national anthem at Obama’s second inauguration, her brand took a slight hit. But she didn’t let that affect her.
At a Super Bowl press conference a couple weeks later, before the press could bring up the subject, she sang an awe-inspiring acapella rendition of the anthem to prove to everyone she still had an unbelievable amount of talent. Not one question about the inauguration was asked, and the topic was never talked about again.
In your own brand, you can quickly combat issues by identifying problems early and handling them in a way that stays true to the voice of your brand. Re-commit with your audience, give them a better understanding of who you are, and you will have written your own amazing ending to a challenging issue, possibly coming out stronger than ever before.
3. Play hard, work harder
While most people are fast asleep, Beyoncé is working. There is rarely a time when she isn’t working on new music, touring, or acting. Even with a new family, she still stays true to her workhorse nature, but she manages to spend quality time with the people who matter to her.
Beyoncé knows her work ethic must be on-point at all times. If she takes a break for too long, her spot at the top will be snatched away. She knows she is replaceable, so she does everything in her power to postpone when that day will come.
In your own personal brand, working hard every day will lead you to unbelievable success. Don’t take too long of a break, lest your position at/near the top will come falling down faster than you got there.
4. Show some love to your fans
Beyoncé loves her fans and takes every opportunity she can to thank them for their support and devotion. She knows she wouldn’t be anything without her fans, and by acknowledging them, she instills in them trust and loyalty.
You may not think about it too often, but every single follower on your social media pages is a fan of yours, and you should show them the same love and respect as a world-famous music superstar.
Show your appreciation often through acknowledgment and/or giveaways. Thank them for supporting you, and encourage them to continue. This gives you a plethora of respect points, and continues building trust, credibility, and top-of-mind awareness in your personal brand.
