In his TED talk, The Greatest Ted Talk Ever Sold, Morgan Spurlock asks a multi-million dollar deodorant company about their brand, and everyone in the room hesitates to answer. Interestingly, when he goes around to ask average people what their brand is, a few of them can answer without hesitation. I wish I could answer this question with that same degree of certainty.

I’ve explored this question more as I’ve begun taking a personal branding class (hence this blog), and while I’m starting to have a better idea of what my brand is, my mind isn’t completely made up. If I had to come up with three words on the spot to describe my brand, it might change from day to day. I feel like I can’t be alone in this one.

Successful businesses know the value of a brand, and most go far beyond a simple three-word summary. In an abstract sense, a brand is the image or perception that is conjured by someone when they think of a certain business. When people think of Ferrari, they don’t just think about a car; they envision a prancing horse emblem mounted on a sleek, luxurious sports car with a powerful engine. Other thoughts also come to mind – Italian, expensive, leather, coupe, hand-built, etc. These are things Ferrari has worked extremely hard at to make you think about their brand. Their brand is highly sought after, and as such they demand a high price tag in the market.

As I ponder over my brand, or that of my business Ucraft Brew, I realize that as much as I would like to instantly know my brand, this is something that must be unveiled by others. While we may have an idea of how we want to be branded, the ultimate perception of our brand rests with those who interact with us. Really, all we can do is have an idea of how we would like to be perceived, and work towards doing what is necessary to make that perception hold true. Some might think of me as a hardworking young entrepreneur, though I suppose for now I’ll work on being an enterprising ninja wordsmith.

Can you sum up your brand in three words? Please share in the comments below.