Does your brand have it?

Presence is that inimitable quality in a person that quiets the room down. It makes heads turn. It has gravitas and exerts gravitational pull. It inspires confidence.

More than anything else, presence has the tremendous power to be persuasive.

True presence is effortless.  It is not the same thing as charisma. To paraphrase renowned author and leadership coach, John Baldoni, the latter is something you’re born with—like good looks. Presence, on the other hand, is cultivated.

---

Brand Presence

Much like people, brands can have presence. Apple, for example, has presence. When an Apple ad appears, everything else on the page blurs. The New York Times has it too.

Presence is more than just brand personality, which is really a set of character traits that come from the words, colors and visuals you use to express the brand. Nor is presence the same as brand awareness, which is decidedly about how well known a brand is. A brand with presence will arguably outshine one with more awareness.

Presence is derived from the brand’s true self. Baldoni again: “Presence is rooted in fundamental competence.” It’s the quality that allows you to achieve a deeper connection with your audience.

---

Establishing Brand Presence

How do you cultivate brand presence? Here, at Carpenter Group, we start by discovering your brand’s inner strengths. Why does your brand exist? What would happen if it ceased to be? Would people notice its absence? Would your competition feel an emptiness? Would the industry, perhaps the world, be the lesser for it? When you discover your brand’s self-identity, you can cultivate and unleash your brand presence.

Your brand may already have a well-articulated personality. Add presence and you transcend categories and turn customers into believers.