When you think Wall Street Journal, you think business. You probably know who Madonna is. These brands rake in cash, recognition, and imagery with a mere mention.
What about the brand called YOU? In our WorkLife Nation, we toggle between our living and working experience so frequently, that our unique offerings as individuals and professionals seem to get lost in the mix. We are in the most challenging job market since the great depression. Unemployment continues to soar, and employees who still have a job are concerned about keeping it. To rise above the competition in your workplace, or for existing jobs, there’s one solution that is uniquely yours – your brand. And in our 24/7 global marketplace, it’s important to take ownership of that brand, and spread the word to your networks. (Personal Branding is the topic of my keynote at an upcoming conference at Hofstra University, the information follows this article)
Your Brand
A “brand” is a tangible label that immediately associates, expresses and reinforces – a niche, visual image, concept, or underlying values of a person or business. That brand creates expectations and makes a promise. Think about what comes into play when you make an indelible impression on an employer or client. Your reputation is your calling card, credibility is a must, and you will often be judged by the company you keep in clients and associations. All of these items are threads in the fabric of your brand, but what will make it unique, is your individual PDF – passion, determination and focus.
Internet wizard Alejandro Reyes, of Successfool.com advises, “Stay as close to your god-given gifts as possible. That strength of passion will take you a long way. Essentially you are fired up and adding value to peoples lives with that positive product, experience or wisdom. If you externalize that passion, it will be easier to monetize it.”
Your Brand at Work
That guidance is not limited to those who run their own businesses. In his Advertising Age column, marketing strategist and blogger, Steve Rubel (micropersuasion.com and senior VP Director of Insights for Edelman Digital) wrote that some companies are cultivating what he calls corporate on-line all-stars. No longer mired in the traditional web of keeping the employee voice under lock and key, they are instead encouraging them to blog. Such an approach allows for more public interaction with clients and customers, thus building the companies brand name along with the employees individual brand and network.
Your brand carries weight whether you work for a company, or for yourself. You are your company’s ambassador, according to Dan Schawbel, author ofpersonalbrandingblog.com. Schawbel says that corporate America is starting to wake up to the fact that their employees have their own social and business networks which are infused with their own unique brand.
In his blog, he suggests that technology has impacted the way we run our careers to such a degree that “we must turn to personal branding as our savior.” The 25 year-old is a social media specialist for tech giant EMC Corp., but he’s also building his own brand and publishes an on-line magazine of the same topic.
“In the digital age, our name is our only currency,” Schawbel states on his website, adding that your brand establishes a competitive edge. And as you develop that brand and build your social and business network on the foundation of that brand, Schawbel says it makes you a more valuable player. “Today, there is absolutely no job security, and your only protection is the strength of your network,” adding that it’s your insurance policy if you were to get laid off. It’s one of the themes in his upcoming book, Me 2.0 being released in April.
Your Brand Message as Leverage
In a blog post last year, I wrote about Personal Branding: Aligning your talking points with your purpose. In that post which now lives on WorkLifeNation.com I stated the following:
“There is a depth to your message as an expert which no one else on this planet offers. That’s because you are delivering it through your lens of awareness – in your voice. Deliberate talking points will be heard above the rest no matter what kind of work you do, and in fact are a part of your personal branding power. It’s about articulating successfully, with serenity and significance. Again, tapping that inner warehouse of resilience and brilliance to allow creativity to emerge.”
In a dismal economic climate enduring record job losses, personal branding is one path out of the doldrums. In his blog, MicroPresuasion.com, Steve Rubel maintains, “There’s no doubt that a powerful personal brand, especially if it is backed up with a track record can help you weather the storm.”
Here a game plan toward developing your personal brand:
1. Identify what you are passionate about. Whether you work for yourself or a company, write down the aspects of your job or business that drive your creativity and innovation.
2. What unique traits do you embody that feed that passion? Focus on those attributes and nurture a skill base around them. Reach out to your network of friends and business associates to brainstorm on what makes your voice, unique.
3. Develop laser sharp talking points that distinguish your message and talents from others in your field. What makes you qualified to brand yourself in a particular niche? Communicate your experience, unique story or narrative. See and be seen as you develop your brand through face-to-face networking.
4. Develop your online presence. Start a blog in your voice, on the foundation of your unique brand. If you are not ready to do that – make a commitment to read and comment on other blogs in your niche on a regular basis. You can start to test your brand in an unobtrusive way.
5. Through social media such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter – network on a regular basis to connect with like-minded businesses. Developing connections will help you to spread your brand message like wildfire. Building those networks will also make you more enticing to prospective employers.
Please join me: Personal Branding: Standing out in a challenging job market is the title of my keynote at Hofstra University’s upcoming conference: Women in Career Transition: Possibilities, Opportunities, and Strategies. Saturday March 7th. Click here for more information.
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