For Christmas, we got my son two tickets to the Portland Trailblazers vs. Milwaukie Bucks game. We live about an hour from PDX, so technically, the Blazers are our home team. And we love them – always have. I grew up watching Clyde the Glide take on Jordan, Pippen and Grant in the 1992 Finals (they lost to the Bulls, by the way). I'm not sure who was more excited about the tickets – me or my 10 year old son!

If you're not familiar with Damian Lillard, aka Dame time, you should be! Drafted in the first round (6th overall) of the Blazers in 2012 out of a small school in Utah, Damian has spent his entire career in Portland – until this season.

When the opportunity to play with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks came, no one could blame him for taking the opportunity for a chance to win a championship.

You'd think the people of Portland and Oregon, for that matter, would be crazy.

Far from it.

When my son and I went to the game, you could smelt THE love and appreciation for Damian. The organization even placed half of its iconic Rip City structure on the green in front of the Moda Center! It's usually just red and black.

When they announced his name, there was a two-minute standing ovation. I have her video; I can prove it. Some signs read, “Earn Your Ring and Come Home,” and many read, “We miss you.” Adidas dedicated a basketball court to him on their Portland campus the day before the game. It is the first and only time they have dedicated a building to an athlete. Portland was still selling Lillard jerseys (for double last year's price, might I add!)

So after seeing all this and feeling love for him in the game. I wondered, what makes it so different? Why do people feel so connected to it?

Connected: I emailed 30 NBA owners, asking them to meet with me. Here's what happened.

What makes Dame different

He really has connected with his fans. But on a personal level. Yes, he shares pictures of his adorable kids, his music, and his brands on social media, but it's more than that.

As mentioned above, he came from a small school. He shared how he wasn't always wanted and how he had to work harder. He has shared how he had to spend time behind the scenes when no one was watching (or, frankly, cared) and didn't know if he would actually make it to the NBA.

I feel like a lot of us can relate to this. Especially entrepreneurs. We have put LOT of work behind the scenes, and we are not sure if it will be enough.

All mega-successful athletes, celebrities and entrepreneurs are real people, but we don't always get to see that side of them or really connect with them. Damian has brought us along for the ride.

In addition to his personal story, Damian has spent (a lot) of time giving back to the city of Portland. Not only is he the all-time leading scorer for the Blazers, but he also founded the Lillard Foundation, was heavily involved in the RESPECT program at multiple PDX high schools, and gave his time to the Special Olympics. He is like a family member at college for a semester and we are ready for him to come home.

A few weeks ago, Blazers played the Bulls in Chicago. Guess who was in the game? Dame time. He literally traveled from Milwaukee to Chicago to support his old team. For most people, driving two hours to watch an NBA game wouldn't be that crazy, but for a professional athlete on a Monday night?

This shows who Damian is. I honestly don't know how many professional athletes would do that on their night off. And that's why people love it. He shows that he cares. He gives without expectation.

Connected: 5 simple steps to build a personal brand

How to improve your personal brand like Damian Lillard

Marketing will always be based on RELATIONS. Their creation. Their construction. Their strengthening. Enjoying them.

Damian presses this.

Personal branding is becoming more important because people want more connections (especially after the pandemic). And the fact is, like Dame Time, we all have one personal brand like it or not, so it pays to put some effort into your branding. We may not have the exposure of it, but we all have a story to tell. People to help. Dreams to follow.

A personal brand is much more than your color scheme, tagline or logo. It's your atmosphere. It's how you want people to feel when they come across your social media platforms, sign up to your email list, or browse your website. It's more than pictures of your products, travels or children. Don't get me wrong, they are part of it, but you make them feel.

Remember Maya Angelou's quote, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Connected: 6 Tips for Leveraging Your Personal Brand to Create Partnership Opportunities

Feeling = Memories

What is your mission? What is your experience? What have you pushed? How can you connect with your ideal customers? What do they need to feel from you to reach you?

How do you do it? people feel when do they meet you in your business? How do you make them feel when they read your content or watch your videos?

This will permeate everything.

Action steps

Take some time to review yours messagingbrand, social media profiles, websites and any other marketing channels you use to connect with potential and current customers.

Try not to:

1. Think about it a lot.

2. View this as a chore item on your to-do list.

Remember why you started your business and have fun with it! Take an hour and think about your brand.

If you need inspiration, just Google Damian Lillard!