Success through Personal Branding!

Have you wondered why Oprah Winfrey’s talk show is still the most popular talk show in TV? Or why is Madonna still a very sought after pop singer after more than two decades? Well, the answers lie not only on the talents possessed by these individuals but something beyond that. These personalities have ‘branded’ themselves well and they make efforts to consciously do or refrain from doing things that affect their brand image.

We all know that business is becoming more and more competitive. There are numerous others who seem to be offering the same stuff that you do. Whether you are a senior executive, the president of your own company, or a worker at a small organization, you need to stand out from myriad others so that you can be in control of your business or career.

Personal branding is a powerful way of communicating and clarifying the unique promise of value that you have to offer your boss or your clients.  Management guru Tom Peters in book The Brand You 50 states: “Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding: we are the CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc.”

In this article, I will take you through 6 P’s in helping you to make your own personal brand alive:

1.    Personal

Like any other good marketing plan, you must begin by understanding your true self. Remember you are an original – there is no one else quite like you.  What do you stand for? What are your beliefs? Jot down a few phrases that describe your unique value, vision, purpose and passion. Take some time to discover your strengths, weaknesses and hidden talents. Ask yourself what impacts you the most and what drives you.

2.    Perception
It is imperative that you must be aware of how you are communicating yourself to those around you. In this area, you will need to know your attributes and how others perceive you as an individual. Develop a focus group comprising of close friends, colleagues and family members to ask, collate responses and consolidate their perceptions about you. For example, are you seen as reliable, trustworthy or adventurous with a natural instinct for business?

3.    Position

You must know your target audience, business or job competitors.  How can you stand out unless you know whom you are standing among? When people see your name or face consistently over a period of time they assume that you have something special and that you must be successful. Having your own brand keeps you visible within your marketplace as it sends out a clear message about you that makes you worth contacting.

4.    Performance

Establish yourself as an expert in your field because expertise can bring you increased recognition and therefore you can position yourself well in the hearts and minds of your target audience. Get good testimonials from your satisfied customers and for employees, create outstanding portfolios of your past accomplishments. Create a personal mission statement and tagline. Do seek out new and challenging assignments that will build your brand. Write articles to showcase your knowledge and get them published, or better, give speeches or presentations to share your expertise and your past achievements.

5.    Promoting

You can have an amazing brand, but if no one knows about it, you are not going ahead. Nothing in marketing is more powerful than a promotion tool called word of mouth. What your network of friends, colleagues, clients and customers say about your brand is what the market will ultimately gauge as the value of the brand. If you do not have a personal website, now is the time to buy a domain (such as myname.com) and the let the world know. Take your personal image seriously because your appearance is the packaging of your own brand. Remember, YOU are the product and your packaging will either attract or detract from your product.

6.    Planning

Make an appointment with yourself at least twice a year to re-evaluate your personal brand statement. Also, obtain honest and helpful feedback from your focus group on your brand performance, value and growth.