LeBron + Nike, originally uploaded by Hajj Flemings.

With Plaxico Burress, Sean Avery, and Michael Vick’s recent incidents the value of personal branding has become a hot topic. Character, corporate brand image (leagues), and poor judgment are becoming PR nightmares for the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, and NCAA.

Professional athletes are no different than the average person who suddenly comes into a lot of money and fame, which are magnets to things, people, and substances that can kill dreams. The idea for this blog post was birthed from a recent training session with the Detroit Lions lead by Char Goodsby and myself (and recorded by ESPN) called, Lions rookies go to charm school.

The Making of the Brand: The Professional Athlete
(Listed below are some random thoughts that are central to the making of the brand.)

o Passion: It is an athletes passion, drive, and competitive edge that’s draws us to them.
o Visual Identity: An athletes number on their uniform (Identity), being physically fit, and their athletic prowess.
o Going PRO: Doing what they were born /created to do and making a living at it.
o Field/Arena: The place where athletes hone their skills, where they perform, and display their greatness.
o Performance: The countless hours of development when no one is watching to perform under pressure, making big plays, and winning championships.
o Marketing: Endorsement deals (i.e. LeBron with Nike), Jersey sales, etc.
o Style/Swagger: It is how they wear their uniform, their confidence, personality, and how they carry themselves. It is the way they do what they do.

Reasons Athletes Need Personal Branding

o Targeted: Athletes change tax brackets seemingly overnight and walk around with bull eyes on their chest without a solid grasp of personal branding to help them navigate the treacherous waters.
o On Camera 24/7: Athletes have to monitor every move that they make and every word that they say. They are one soundbite or decision away from destroying their professional athletic careers.
o Risk: The risk of not optimizing their earning potential is too great to not handle professionally.
o To Shift their Paradigm: They have to view themselves as a player professional with a highly developed brand.

Think of the extreme scrutiny athletes have to endure. Imagine if you had to manage every aspect of your personal brand in a public forum, but in the web 2.0 world you and I will have to deal with the same issues. Interesting!!!

At the end of the day athletes are human beings like anybody else and they need development. Their performance on the field is typically not the issue it is the development of things that are non-related to their vocation that impacts them the most. I believe that athletes are the perfect metaphor for personal branding because every aspect of their life is amplified and lived in a public domain 24-hours per day.

For every athlete that doesn’t get it there is a LeBron, Tiger, or David Beckham that does.  I truly believe that if a person views themselves through the eyes of an athlete they would think and act differently. Athletes are the ultimate personal brand and I want to leave you with this thought, think of your self as a corporate athlete (the ultimate personal brand). It is time for you to perform in your field! As a corporate athlete it is time to be elite!