What's Up With Jacques de Villiers?

China bends South Africa over a table and shafts us

The latest debacle with not allowing the Dalai Lama a visa for the Peace Conference in 2010 shows that the South African government is bowing to Chinese pressure. And, the genocidal (more than a million Tibetans murdered already) China is smiling broadly as it bends us over the table and gives us one where the sun don't shine. They've managed to buy the SA government off and as we all know, this is not difficult.

The limp-wristed argument that the Dalai Lama's presence will detract from the World Cup 2010 just doesn't wash. Even the most hysterical supporters of the ANC-led government must see that it is a shambolic smoke-screen.

The Dalai Lama's presence in South Africa would have elevated our status, not detracted from it, in the eyes of the world. We are, afterall, the poster child for reconciliation, aren't we?  That's a mantle we shouldn't carry lightly.

I've got to take my hat off to our Minister of Health, Barbara Hogan for taking a stand against this travesty. At least she's shown us her mettle and written a line in the sand: "I'm no ANC Acolyte".

I think this debacle has backfired on the government as it has created more publicity about their murderously stupid ideology than it should have. I'll bet the Dalai Lama issue has knocked the World Cup off the front pages of the world stage ... just what the SA government feared would happen. Once again, a half-cocked strategy that has sprung to life and created a Frankenstein that we now have to deal with. I'm sure the sophisticated nations of the world must be shaking their heads as they watch South Africa drop its name once again - its murderous stance on the people of Zimbabwe, its stance on HIV Aids (although Hogan seems to be a buoy of hope in a sea of stupidity), a government so corrupt that it just ranks second on the corruption scale after Angola, Xenophobic violence, a shambolic justice system that allows criminals to use every loophole to keep themselves out of jail, where criminals have more rights than victims, everytime someone in authority is questioned it is labelled racist and so on. After 15 years of ANC-rule it seems that we have gone backwards.

On March 18, 2009 I wrote a piece called The World Is Kak Scared Of China. You might just want to read it again to get context as to why the SA government's stance is unconscionable.

Jacques de Villiers is a motivational speaker and a sometimes horrified world citizen.

Brand You

John Cheese, Eldrick Irwin Estevez, Jennifer Anastassakis and Ralph Lifshitz needed to stand out above the crowd and create a strong distinct personal brand.

They didn’t start working even harder at their craft. All they did was change their names, shift our perception and create a destiny for themselves. They understood that by branding themselves as different, superior and authentic, they’d get under our skin. They’d be noticed.

Try and guess their names. You’ll find the answer at the end of this article.

What is Personal Branding?

Personal branding is where you package your skill, personality and uniqueness into a powerful identity which helps you stand out in the crowded, competitive marketplace.

Right now, whether you like it or not, you’re a brand. You’re either perceived as a no-name brand or as a SUPERSTAR brand. If you want to move up in your organisation, attract more clients or just want more dinner invites, you seriously need to take stock of the perception you’re creating.

One of the ways to find out how people currently perceive you is to ask a couple of trusted friends and colleagues what image you project. Don’t make it personal and get hurt if their perception of you is different to the one you have of yourself. You need to be brutally honest if you want to succeed in the branding stakes. Based on their answers, you’ll know if you’re on track or if you need to make some changes.

Who needs a personal brand?

If you’re living, breathing and working in South Africa, you do! If you’re in your own business you know that the competition is snapping at your heels (if they haven’t already overtaken you). And, if you’re employed you know that there are 50 people that are just as well qualified (if not better) to take over your job. Best you stand out and become noticed. If you want to get ahead in any endeavour you need to understand the rules of the game and then learn how to play the game to the best of your ability. Because, as you probably already know, it’s not always about who works hardest, its about who creates the best perception that ends up with the spoils.

How do you brand yourself?

Your personal brand is not only about differentiating yourself through your talk, walk and dress, your education, the car you drive, your follow up and how you keep commitments. It’s about being original, of superior quality and authenticity.

By creating the perception originality, superiority and authenticity, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a brand that will be noticed for the right reasons.

In his book, The Brand Called You, Peter Montoya gives some tips on how to brand you:

- Specialise – package yourself as a specialist in a smaller, more precise range of services.
- Positioning – stake out a place for yourself in the minds of your target market so that they identify you with a single powerful idea.
- Visibility – be seen. Become a master of public relations so that you can stay top-of-mind in your clients’ minds.

Take action now so that you can become an authentic, powerful and superior brand that’ll attract the right clients to yourself.

*    John Cleese, Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Aniston and Ralph Lauren

Jacques de Villiers is a motivational speaker in South Africa

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You've nothing to loose

Reading adverts and copy as I do, I've noticed that spelling is not high on the priority list for most businesses.

The latest villain in this litany of uselessness is "loose". Loose weight now. You have nothing to loose. Are you loosing your mind and so on. You obviously know that it should be "lose".

The problem with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors is that it indicates that your company has sloppy thinking, no eye for detail and a cavalier attitude. Imagine if someone read one of your proposals and it was littered with spelling mistakes. What would be your thought process if you got a sloppy piece of work? "If they can't even get their proposal right, how are they going to get my business right?"

God and the devil are in the details. Focus on the detail so that you can get more business.

Jacques de Villiers is a motivational speaker and marketing consultant.