SelfBrand Strategy V. The Engineer

Colonel Sanders

The Engineer
Colonel Sanders

Engineers are people who re-imagine and re-engineer things in new ways. Don't think the Engineer strategy is just for people out of engineering school, this strategy works well for consultants, doctors, researchers, scientists, chefs, designers, computer programmers and other professionals if value added comes from what they use or how they go about their work. In this strategy, marketers often position their brand as having a "magic ingredient" or "special process" that sets the brand apart. You can do that too.

As an "engineer," you could be re-engineer a process. You could put new ingredients or components together in a novel way like Colonel Sanders did with the 11 herbs and spices he used to market KFC. You could develop a new computer code that works better. Engineering is all about tinkering and improving things.

The Engineer Personality

KFC

Engineer Brand

Engineers like to do in-depth analysis in order to find the best solution to a problem. You are logical, reasonable but often judgmental. You criticize not only others but also yourself. You aim to improve and perfect things, yourself included. You have good manners but you don't really like to get too close to other people. It’s important to you to analyze things thoroughly and you don't like to quit until you solve the problem.

Most of the time you:

  • Prefer in-depth analysis
  • Are patient and polite

But sometimes you:

  • Get annoyed with vague questions
  • Don't like to get too close to others

Generally people see you as:

  • Problem solver
  • Thorough and analytical
  • A tinkerer who improves things

But you can:

  • Avoid commenting unless you've done a thorough analysis
  • Get bogged down in studying something
  • Avoid people and social situations

How to Execute the Engineer Strategy

See You Are a Brand, p. 60 - 63 for ideas, examples and exercises on how to execute the engineer strategy. You must be able to fill in the blank in the statement:

Engineer Positioning: You developed __________ special ingredient or __________ new process.