How to Turn your Talent into a Brand

Exceptional skills and a broad range of expertise are important to succeed as a bartender. But it's no use if no one knows about it. Angus Winchester explains how to become a brand.

Travelling to gain experience is extremely important for bartenders. So, I felt like I was on the safe side when I moved for the first time without having a job in my pocket beforehand even tho it was big move: from London to New York. I was confident because I had worked in great bars in the UK, had mad skills and a decent knowledge. I was sure it would be easy to get a job.

How well known is your talent?

However, when I started applying, I was totally nonplussed by the questions: did I have a following? Who knew me and would come see me at work? How many clients would I bring with me if I got a job here? They were the kind of questions I used to ask DJs when I managed nightclubs. And it made me realise an important lesson: it's not so much how good you are, but how many people know how good you are. You are your brand, and as we all know, brands have never been as important as they are today.

What actually is a brand?

Now "brand" is a tricky word to define. You can't build a brand without understanding the word. So, some think of a logo or a slogan and certainly some bars and bartenders have something like that. From Salvatore "The Maestro" Calabrese to Dale "King Cocktail" de Groff or our favourite holdout gaz (small g) Regan: they have all created an identity. For others, a brand is more the philosophy of a product or a company that explains who they are aimed at and what they stand for. Still others confuse brand with reputation, which is easy but dangerous. Put simply: "Brand is what you want to be known for; reputation depends on whether you're good at it or not."

"It's not an insult to be a walking encyclopaedia."

That's a good place to start when talking about brand building. Whether it's as an individual, a bar or a product, what do you want to be known for? As a bartender, I still remember being fascinated by stuff I learned and how much I wanted to share that knowledge with others. Whether it was about that one left-handed woman who dipped Makers Mark bottles (the ones with the longer wax drips) or the history of the 20th Century cocktail, I loved learning and teaching so it was no insult to be known as a 'walking encyclopaedia'.

Make a brand of what you're good at

Start by choosing something you are good at and have a passion for and focus on that. Maybe you want to pick something that other people don't know about and become an expert at it. Or you might choose a popular topic and try to find a different angle to discuss or explain it. But the key is to be good at it and take a different approach – think about the brands in your backbar and why you stock them....

"Be a Jedi at using hashtags."

Then perhaps the easiest bit to do is let people know who you are and how good you are. I say "easy bit" as with the advent of the internet and social media, it's comparatively easy to get the word out there. Be a good photographer. Be a Jedi at using hashtags. Follow the key players in the segment of the industry you want to be active in. Join online discussions and contribute (dont just lurk) and propose real-world talks at a variety of bar shows around the world. Write a blog or host a podcast or go live on Instagram. All of this is effective and free.

Give yourself a push. Write a book.

But perhaps the most effective part of branding is the analogue method: writing a book. While the younger generations seem to be somewhat unfamiliar with the concept of words printed on paper the boost that our career will get to be able to be introduced as “the author of…” is amazing.

Brand is followed by reputation

As I alluded at the beginning, creating and building a brand is comparatively easy. The real key to success is to build a reputation that is compelling and highly regarded. And for that, unfortunately, there is no shortcut. Being consistent and showing integrity, understanding that the only thing you can control is how hard you work, being great and both starting and finishing strong, and learning the power of focus: these are all great ways to build a reputation.

And finally, "Just do it".

And perhaps the best advice lies in the words of Nike - one of the most admired brands on the planet - "Just do it". Activity beats deliberation any day. Stop reading this article about building your brand and get out there and start doing it....