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Branding is one of the most important elements of business in any industry, especially in the entertainment industry. Your brand can be carried from one venture to the next. This determines your value, or worth to your fans, clients, and competitors. Going hand in hand with your reputation, it is very difficult to build a solid brand while it is easy to harm your brand. Knowing how to brand yourself and protect your brand will help you sustain success in the entertainment industry.

What is your Brand Perception?

Your brand perception relates to how you, or your company is viewed based on scope, quality, and personality. In a nutshell this sums up how someone thinks of your brand relative to the market. For instance when you think of Wal Mart, you may imagine a retail conglomerate that is a leader in the grocery industry. On a flip side, when you think of Family Dollar, you think of cheap products that cost $1.00.

As an artist, your fans will always have a perception of your brand. As soon as a new fan sees you on instagram, or facebook, they will subconsciously sum you up based on simple factors such as number of followers you have. Also, your brand will be analyzed based on your photos and videos on your profile. More professional artists know how to properly brand themselves by taking great photos and capturing great footage. Fans know quality.

For example, musical artist Lil Thony from Atlanta, GA never uses subpar footage to capture his moments, and always invests in a camera person to cover live events. An artist, reporter, or Dj using an inexpensive camera phone to capture footage from an event will have a lower brand perception than someone that is using a high quality camera. Quality is worth investing in when you are trying to enhance your brand perception.

How to Brand Yourself

There is no one way to brand yourself. In fact, everything you do gives a connotation to your brand identity. Find in yourself what you truly represent and make sure you remain consistent to build a solid foundation. The key is standing out.

Most brands you actually notice have strong brand recognition. This is harnessed by use of color schemes, images, sounds, and even slogans and logos. For instance, when you see "Just Do IT" you think of Nike. Also, if you see At&t Blue and White colors during a commercial, most customers can identify this brand seconds into the commercial.

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Whatever situation you are in, always look at your personal brand as well as the brand your entity represents. Your brand will stick with you in the midst of other situations and circumstances you may face.

For instance, many of the biggest artists form their own record label imprint while working under a bigger label. An example would be how T.I.P (King Of The South) formed Grand Hustle Records while he was in-between label situations with La Face Records and Atlantic Records. Fans and clients love when people they support run their own show in a sense. Between different label situations, the Grand Hustle brand continues to grow no matter what other organizations partner with the company for promotion, publishing, distribution, etc.

No matter who you team up with throughout your business ventures, building your own solid brand will be your ultimate security. Stand out, analyze your field or industry, and always strive for excellence!

In Closing

Never feel alone when trying to build your business or brand. There are many programs and opportunities to guide entrepreneurs to greatness.

Brandon McWilliams is a marketer based in Atlanta, GA. Holding a BS in marketing from Albany State university, Mcwilliams specializes in content marketing and brand management.