Imagine influencing over 10.5 million football lovers to take action across the globe. Yes, this is the business of Benson Chukwueke. On a daily basis, his mobile phone, email, contact forms, WhatsApp, Telegram, Skype... are always buzzing and jam packed with people wanting to consult with him or seeking to connect with him. In meeting the needs of these global fans has landed him with so much wealth you could not even fathom.
All these are happening because of how people perceive him as a global sports expert. This is such a powerful personal brand he has built over the years.
Benson Chukwueke’s personal brand is synonymous with advocacy for Inspiring football life and rewarding the passion for the game.
Chukwueke has created Inspire Football Life (IFL Network) which aims at reaching 100 million football lovers across the globe and to daily guide their decisions on football matters.
He would always ask, What's your love for football worth? Bringing the value of your passion to the fore with his two pay line concepts:
1.Break the bank with your football,
2. Football is nothing without the Fans
With "Break the bank with your football" concept, he train and guide talented players, sports career seekers and fans on how to make wealth with their passion. Guiding them to jobs, investments and other money making opportunities in the football industry.
Then with "Football is nothing without the fans" concept, he train and guild club managers, tournament organizers and other sports property owners on how to engage and build a large fan base that would attract big sponsors for them.
By the way he dresses, his actions, words and presentations, Chukwueke consistently stands for and promotes football lifestyle and the reward system.
His brand advocacy is active on social media CheerOnNigeria and Inspire Football blogs where he often highlights past and current football possibilities. And through the organizations he has formed and supports, he has continually helped football lovers live a more noble, rewarding and fulfilling lifestyle.
With such community impacts he has delivered through Football4Life Projects, there is no question of where Chukwueke stands in his personal vision or what his brand stands for... His impact in the sports industry is as 7-up advert would say - The difference is clear.
Benson Chukwueke is a core sport marketer. He is the CEO of Fantaxtik 'Make-it-beautiful.' He has a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Marketing and a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Sport Marketing and Management. So, he is in a position to educate you on how to create and build a successful and powerful personal brand.
Over to you Mr. Benson
Thank you Christiana.
Personal brand comes from the dictum that says "If you don't tell people who you are, they would say who you are not."
Unfortunately, all that wrong perceptions of you, came from you. The things you may have said or done, the way you dress or talk, where you go to and people you mingle with may mislead others.
Personal branding is all about others’ perceptions of you based on a set of associations identified with you.
Associations identified with you emerge from what you say and what you do. An overall perception of who you are and what you stand for then emerges. This is your personal brand.
Personal brands with strong positive perceptions have the ability to influence the hearts and minds and behaviors of your audience, those that notice or follows you.
So, why does Personal Branding matter to the sports industry?
Personal brands have value and can inspire meaningful change.
We’ve seen how professional athletes make choices about their personal brands--ranging from their sponsors to their choices in fashion to their activity on social media--and then leverage their personal brands and platforms to promote themselves, their teams, their business interests, and their causes.
For Instance, CR7 Cristiano Ronaldo's personal brand have dovetail into sports wears, men wrist watches and gadgets. He carries his influence of over 300 million fans to any club he goes to.
Just as athletes with strong personal brands bring a great value to teams or tournaments, leaders in the sports industry also bring considerable value to their teams and organizations.
So, how do you start to build a stronger Personal Brand?
For starters, I wrote an eBook titled: "Define Your Style - Personal Branding for Success." It is actually a playbook designed exclusively to help you create and begin to build a Superb Personal Brand. Click here to read about the book
Our next Sport Marketing RoundTable an incredible community of sports industry leaders will talk about the Importance of Personal branding for Pro-footballers. To learn more about becoming a member and joining us, click here.
In the meantime, here is some basic advice on how to get started building your Personal Brand.
1. Reflect on who you are and how you portray yourself to others. Ask yourself what you want to be known for or recognized for and why?
2. Practice and hone how you tell your story. Succinctly share your most salient experiences, clearly articulate your Why, and convey emotion to connect and relate to your audience in a meaningful way.
Consider what aspects of your story will be most relevant to your audience and how you can create more of an emotional--and therefore more memorable--connection with them.
3. Be authentically YOU and be consistent in your actions, your words, and your content--make it easy for people to know and remember what you stand for and what you represent.
Remember that others will formulate their perception of you based on what you say and do as well as the things you associate yourself with--the power to choose is yours, so choose wisely!
