Your NAME is Everything
a guide to build a brand that outlives any title
Your name is the business
Every job ends. Every title fades. Every company moves on.
Your name is the one thing that follows you everywhere. Your name is your reputation. Your name is your brand.
Independent operators feel this more than most. We got hired because someone said our name and it carried weight. Referrals built on trust are our bread and butter and we die without it.
GTM or GTFO is brought to you by Reevo. The best sellers aren’t the ones with the most sophisticated tech stack. They’re the ones who spend the most time actually selling. Reevo is the AI-native revenue intelligence system and CRM that every team deserves. Go Stackless.
Referrals built on trust are our bread and butter and we die without it.
But, here is the trap we fall into; many people act like their company owes them their career. It’s not personal (usually) but business happens. This means restructuring, market shifts, and leaders shuffling the deck.
If the only thing you built lives inside that company, you walk away with a light bag. Shift your mindset you will see that your brand is your best friend. And, like your best friend, that relationship needs to be cared for. If you shift your mindset you will see that your brand is your best friend. And, like your best friend, that relationship needs to be cared for.
How to decide what your brand / your name should stand for:
Here is the question I ask every founder, every CRO, every CMO and every fractional executive I work with - “How do you want people to talk about you when you are not in the room?”
If you don’t know the answer, stop reading and go think deeply about this.
If you know - write your answer in one sentence.
Now, here is how simple this is. You just defined the BRAND you want to be.
Some examples (none of which are true of course 🙂)
Neil is known for ruthless clarity in GTM.
Neil gets sh!t done and helps CEOs move the revenue needle.
Neil uses his generous network to open doors fast for others.
Neil is just a funny guy and great to be around.
Remember - If you cannot say it in one sentence, the market will never say it for you.
Now, go plan out the tactics you are going to use to get people to say these things about you when you are not in the room. In other words - How will you make this come true?
That’s your marketing strategy.
Building your brand is not charisma (though that can help).
Your brand is built through consistent behavior.
On two recent podcasts I talked about your personal brand as a core sales strategy. This is not only for flashy founders. It scales to teams when you turn it into habits. Sales gets easier the day a prospect says I have heard of you.
Here are some habits that compound;
Share one useful idea each week that shows how you work. Short and specific.
Follow up fast. Responsiveness is critical and should be part of your brand.
Tell the truth always and early. If you break trust you rarely get it back.
Close the loop with gratitude. Thank you notes and public shout outs travel.
Add one creative touch that feels like you and makes people smile - see below for an example.
Lead with kindness to stand out and be remembered.
We all know how hard the “regular” channels are to drive business. Cold email used to get ten percent response and now it’s closer to one. Depending on your ICP, cold calling is harder than ever. Paid advertising.. lol.
My goals are simple;
1) Be kind to others
2) Be trusted for who I am and my expertise
3) Grow my business by deploying tactics that will help people keep me top of mind and say good things about me (refer me) when I am not in the room.
Here is one thing I did recently:
- I spent about $2000 to send custom 20 custom bobbleheads to friends and partners - to people who have been kind to me and I wanted to say thank you.
- To keep it a surprise I took images of the people off LinkedIn/Google
- I did have to ask for their address for delivery so I just said “I’d like to send you a note”
My goal was simply to make people smile, while saying thank you for their friendship and support. It was cheesy as hell but good fun,
The recipients sent me thank you notes. They posted pictures. They keep them on their desk. Their kids loved them. They smiled and laughed.
Mission accomplished.
Don’t get me wrong - I hope my friends don’t need gifts to think of me. I sure don’t need gifts to think of my most trusted go-to-network.
The gifts are simply a gesture, and gestures matter.
I bring my wife flowers. I do favours for my friends. Gifts and thank you’s are what we do for those we care about.
GTM or GTFO action
Want to build your name? Here is a simple system;
1. One sentence brand promise
Write how you want to be known. Pin it at the top of your notes app. Actually print it out and put it on your desk. Read it weekly.
2. At least one channel you can sustain
LinkedIn, a newsletter, a podcast clip, or a monthly roundtable. Consistency beats volume.
3. One proof per week
Post a field note, a short case study, or a simple diagram that really shows others how you think.
4. One generosity move a week
Do at least one of these every week - a warm intro, a deck review, a thoughtful thank you.
5. One creative calling card a month
Send your go-to-network something to make them smile - a quirky sticker, a handwritten note, a small book, a custom bobblehead.
Repeat this and your name will carry further than any title you ever held.
The takeaway is this;
Jobs and titles are rented. Your name and reputation is owned. Build a name that stands for kindness, and clarity, and expertise in your chosen lane. People will talk about you when you are not in the room. You just need to lead them to words.
---
GTM is your only moat. Get it right. Or GTFO.
P.S If you can name anyone in the bobblehead pics, let me know!!
Why GTM or GTFO Exists: The GTM is bar is low - big talkers, best practices and bullshit. Being elite is your moat. Do the work that matters and get sh!t done.
If this was valuable, please share it , post it, comment on it, or DM me. GTM or GTFO comes out every Sunday. See you next week.