The Top 5 Ways to Brand Yourself as a Ball Player
Branding is the foundation of any company, entity or product. How something is branded can directly effect the success or failure of a product. Think about the most prominent brands in the world today. The easy ones we come up with are Apple, Nike, Microsoft, and the NBA. What do these companies have in common? They all have successfully created a foundation of who and what they are as a company & product. When we think of Nike, we think of the best athletic wear and shoe company, instant brand awareness happens. What about Apple? The leader in Mobile Phones and Laptops right? How about the NBA? The best Basketball Players and Athletes in the world...period.
Branding is not just for big multi billion dollar companies, its for individuals as well. A shift in how we view individual people has come about. Now we look at individual people as business opportunites. Companies and organizations want to align themselves with people who can help sell their product and most importantly strengthen their brand. Some great examples include LeBron James, Kevin Hart, and Taylor Swift. These are some of the most talented people in their own right, and along with their strong individual brand, companies fall at their feet and beg for endorsements of their products.
You may be asking yourself what does this have to do with me? You might be saying I'm just a small time High School player or maybe a small time College Player or maybe even a big time college player. No matter what level you're at, Branding yourself will be key to your future success. With that said, lets dive into the top 5 ways to brand yourself as a Basketball Player.
#1 Define who you are at your core
Your core is the foundation of your personality. This includes your values, ideals, thoughts, morals, physical abilities and ambitions. You can expand on these by identifying your capabilities both on and off the court, including political & social views, culture alignment and even religious beliefs. All of these factors will help define your core and will give you a clear path to understand who you are as a person. Remember who you are as a person is always changing. As we grow and experience new things our directives may change, however your core person should stay solid throughout your journey.
“If you begin to understand what you are without trying to change it, then what you are undergoes a transformation.” - Jiddu Krishnamurti
#2 Align your core with your personal goals
Now that you are beginning to understand who you are as a person, you should align your personal goals with your core person. What does this mean? Lets say for example we have David who is a Junior Guard in High School and attends a mid level program. David wants to continue his career and play College basketball. He has defined himself as a good player, however he is limited athletically compared to others in his class. David's best asset is his keen understanding of the game. In addition he can shoot very well from many spot up positions on the court.
Question: What type of College Program should David try to align himself with to have the best shot at playing and possibly receive a scholarship?
A prime time D1 school?
A Mid Major D1 school?
A high Level D2 school?
Either D2, D3, NAIA, JC?
There is no wrong answer to this question. Because there should be no limits to your dreams and aspirations. However understanding the type of player you are and what brand of basketball you fall under will you make the best selection.
#3 What will your Legacy be?
Its never to early to start thinking about your legacy. Well, maybe a ten year kid on the playground isn't thinking about their legacy. However your legacy will be your place in the history books. For professionals legacy is everything. The greats want to know that they have left an permanent imprint on what they dedicated their lives to.
It all starts with the your identity as an individual and what you will build over the course of your career. Remember life is a marathon not a sprint. It will take time and experience before you start to mold what your legacy will look like.
To start ask yourself these simple questions:
How will people remember me when I'm gone?
How do I want to be remembered?
What do I what to be remembered for?
Your legacy does not have to be defined by your profession. Your legacy can and will be be defined by the content of your character and the spirit of your personality. Society will always judge without remorse or compassion. It is important to understand how our society views things, it will help you illustrate how your legacy will look.
#4 Create and Refine your Image
Image is everything! A powerful outward perception can be the difference between an amazing opportunity or being overlooked. Lets take a music artist for example. The world of music is full of individuals who have branded themselves in a way to maximize opportunities and profit. Whether you're a Rapper, Pop Star or R&B Diva the image you present is the key to success. Just think what Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Drake would be like without their image. Your image is what makes you stand out of the crowd and it will get you noticed as a player, both on and off the court!
Managing your Image:
First impressions: It takes 0.1 second for someone to form a lasting impression of a stranger. Make a good first impression!
Control Your Social Media: Anything and everything you put on social media or the internet for that matter is there forever. Be smart with your profiles, be conservative and think things through before you post. Don't be that person who has a 25 year old picture keep them from an amazing opportunity!
For College: A Survey of the 500 top colleges found that 10 % of admissions officers acknowledged looking at social-networking sites to evaluate applicants. Business Insider
Interactions: respect your coach and teammates. Be on time to practice, team meetings and functions. Remember, People will only deal with the problem person because they have superior talent, but nobody WANTS to deal with the problem person.
#5 Market yourself, because your are your greatest promoter!
If you look at yourself like a business, then the heart of your success is in its marketing. Marketing is the way people know who you are and what you're about. You market yourself every time you step outside your house. Your clothes, you hair and the way you speak, you're selling someone on your brand. Think about the videos and pictures you post on social media...That is the most basic form of marketing.
Marketing is forever, you will always have the need to market yourself throughout your career. Below are some easy steps to get you started.
Unify your social media profiles: Make sure all your social media profiles are presenting the same message. If you post one game video on twitter, then post it to all your profiles. Make sure all your contact info and bio info is correct & matches across the various platforms. You don't want a coach or recruiter who is looking for you to be confused by contradicting account info. Eliminate any potential room for confusion.
Use High Quality Images and Videos of yourself: When posting and sharing game footage or pictures make sure it's high quality. One of the biggest complaints from recruiters is the image and sound quality was bad. In the recruiting world coaches have a short attention span. Don't miss your opportunity because of poor quality media.
Create a specific look and feel to your media and marketing image: Make something uniquely yours. This will help you stand out against the competition. Below is a video from Bleacher Report on Isaiah Washington and how he created the "Jelly Fam" a basketball crew out of Harlem. This is a perfect example of Branding & marketing yourself to stand apart!
Brands are built by people: ambitious, impatient, talented people. People who are not satisfied with the status quo or growing into just another business. Brands are built by people who commit to growing them. Choose your brand. Grow a brand that stands out in your industry like an orange in an evergreen forest. Jeremy Miller, "Sticky Branding"
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