Have you ever wondered how you are really perceived by your colleagues, clients or employers? How quickly do they make a decision about you? What do you want them to remember about you after you leave the room?
How you present yourself determines the answer to these questions.
Personal branding is the process whereby people and their careers are marked as brands. While previous self-help management techniques were about self-improvement, the personal branding concept suggests instead that success comes from self-packaging. How you look and the knowledge you pass on defines other peopleís judgments and leaves an indelible impression that is uniquely distinguishable.
Personal branding is unavoidable. As others interact with you, theyíll automatically form mental associations that connect you with certain labels, often within the first few seconds. You canít avoid being labeled, and other people canít avoid labeling you. It happens automatically because our brains are wired to recognize patterns and form associations. The labels people attach to you become part of your personal brand.
If you type an email, youíre branding yourself. If you have a conversation with a friend or family member, youíre branding yourself. How you dress, what you eat, and how you talk all contribute to your brand. Think of your brand as the summation of all the associations about you that are stored in peopleís minds.
Projecting an image that fits who you really are is important. For example if youíre a very neat and organized person, but you have a scruffy beard, youíre broadcasting an incongruent message, whether you agree with it or not. This is why facial hair and salespeople donít go well together. Many people think that if you have facial hair, youíre trying to hide something, and that isnít good for work that requires you to build trust, a key element to any successful marketing plan.
By branding yourself effectively you will:
ï Establish yourself as an expert in your chosen field
ï Build a solid reputation within your industry
ï Increase your notoriety and improve your perceived value in the marketplace
ï Feel better about yourself
The key to successfully branding yourself and doing it effectively is to first establish a personal brand identity. Whilst you want to retain the unique features that make up you, accentuating the positive points and disposing the bad will make a good you, even better. In almost all instances you need to be perceived as knowledgeable, articulate, well presented and personable.
Running concurrent with this there are some key points to consider:
1. Who is your main target audience? If you are a jobseeker you need to stand out from the competition. Developing your brand will help employers become more aware of you.
2. When was the last time you bought a suit? What you wear and how you look wearing it tailors to the inherently superficial nature within almost all human beings.
3. How long is it since your hairdresser last asked if you had any holidays booked? An untidy mop can be a sign of someone who doesnít care.
4. What impression do you deliver when you speak? Poor communication skills lead to mumbled messages and you will not be seen as a reliable source.
5. Where do you go after work? Trundling off home to the same local boozer might be good for your social life but are you likely to meet your next employer there? Take some time to mingle at targeted events and mix business with pleasure.
The retention and malleability of ëbrand youí is essential to your success. Take for example, Madonna. She is her own brand. And a very good one she is, too. Since the start of her career in the 80ís she has continued to adapt, moving with the times, updating not only her music but the way she looks and how she markets herself. This made her stand out from among other performers and strengthened her individual brand. In an ever-changing society remaining static will ensure your brand appeal is quickly lost. Look at trousers: big and baggy one day, tight and skinny the next. Self-branding is just like fashion.
Your final step is to get the word out through a variety of media channels that are viewed by the people most likely to be interested in your message. Social media has completely revolutionized the way in which we are able to communicate with others and you should give careful consideration to which ones you engage in and how you use them. As a business professional you are likely to have already engaged with LinkedIn and you may have a Facebook account. Twitter may also be consuming a large part of your day. There are many options to your social media strategy but whichever vehicle you decide, make sure you use them wisely.
As people begin to see your name and become aware of the benefit and knowledge that you offer, you will not only become known but they will begin to seek out your services and expertise. They will identify with your brand which is YOU, both on and offline.
Whether you are looking for a new job, strive for promotion in an existing one or just want to be taken more seriously by your peers and colleagues, how you look really can give you an unfair advantage over your competitors.
Learn more about how personal branding can help you manage the way other people view you by reading an extract by Tessa Hood, the UKís leading expert on Personal Brand and Reputation Management.
Treat yourself as a product, and sell it!
Simon Lewis | Only Marketing Jobs
How viewing yourself as a brand gives you an unfair advantage over the opposition
Have you ever wondered how you are really perceived by your colleagues, clients or employers?
