Your Personal Brand
By Dr David Solly, Executive Career
Coach
Movie stars, professional athletes, corporate
gurus, icons of all types possess the one characteristic
that is needed for them to be fully in command of their
careers and their lives, and to be in demand –
a unique personal brand. For years, American and international
companies have been “branding” themselves,
developing an image of who they are, what they do best
(or exceptionally well), establishing that they are
a leader in their field, engendering loyalty from customers,
and building repeat business and profits.
Companies pay Madison Avenue and local
firms billions of dollars each year to help them develop
and promote their brand. When a company (employer) hires
an employee, they are also making a purchase, buying
services, knowledge, expertise, or some combination
to meet their needs. In the same way that icons of the
corporate world rely on their “brand” to
sell themselves to the public and other companies, professionals
need to develop and use a “brand” to sell
themselves and maximize their personal profit.
Each of us has talents (hidden and not
hidden), passions, interests, unique ways of doing things,
“personal tricks of the trade”, and unique
experiences that make us one of a kind. Personal branding
takes effort, but unlocks the unique features that make
each of us, as a professional, special – and valuable.
Learning how to brand oneself involves
using strategies and tactics to tap into personal strengths,
employ the power of words, use the principles of visual
identity, think in terms of marketing and target markets,
and execute a consitent, self-marketing strategy that
is unique and memorable.
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