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by: Andrea Watkins
In today's market, branding is everything. No longer is it just corporations and
businesses that need to take heed of this advice in order to sell their
products, but so too do individuals. The business landscape is changing, and
anyone who really wants to get ahead needs to think like a brand manager. So
what exactly does this mean?
In short, an individual needs to cultivate an image for themselves that they
tirelessly promote through knowledge, experience, visibility and appearance. The
idea itself is quite simple although there may be some creativity and ingenuity
required to implement it successfully. This article acts as a start up guide for
anyone wishing to plan and execute a well thought out "rebrand" of themselves.
Step 1 - What is unique or distinctive about you?
Personal branding is all about standing out. It is easy to become just another
worker in just another company without carving out a particular niche for
yourself or creating a specific role to play. Think about what service you offer
better than anyone else. To make this an altogether easier process, start by
defining a list of qualities or character traits that set you apart from your
co-workers. Are you reliable or popular with customers? Do you solve problems
quickly before they have a chance to wreak havoc? Are you particularly good at
explaining tasks or projects to others? From the sublime to the ridiculous, make
a list of what makes you, you.
Step 2 - Prepare a list of previous successes
Successes can range from completing a large project on time and on budget to
reorganizing the stationary cupboard. Anything and everything that you have done
that you are proud of or that added value to the company or the customer should
be included in the list. These accomplishments will be important later when you
need to promote, promote, promote.
Step 3 - Gain visibility
This does not mean take out an ad in the paper or commission a series of
television adverts. Subtlety is the watchword for the next step in this master
plan. At this stage you should have defined your "uniqueness" and prepared a
list of accomplishments to which you have full bragging rights, now you just
need to start promoting these. This is where ingenuity comes into play because
there is no end of ways you can enhance or shape your reputation. Getting others
to spread a positive word about you is the most efficient way to raise your
profile - perhaps there is a project you could volunteer for that gets you
working with new people in the organization. Perhaps you could turn yourself
into an "expert" by teaching colleagues a certain skill you possess. Put your
thinking cap on and there will be plenty of opportunities to execute this part
of the plan. Act with confidence and leadership and your reputation with spread.
Step 4 - Be aware that everything matters
From the clothes you wear to how you conduct meetings or write emails,
everything is important when it comes to creating a personal brand. Everything
you do works together to provide colleagues, competitors and customers with an
overall impression of you. You need to be aware of this and conduct yourself
accordingly to create the right impression at all times.
Step 5 - Be powerful
Not only must you act confidently, but you should attempt to gain greater power
here and there wherever possible. This only requires a small amount of work -
perhaps offer to prepare the minutes of the meeting you just attended. By doing
this you get the power to choose how the meeting is recorded. You could offer to
construct the agendas too - thus allowing you greater power as to what is
discussed next time. Little strategic moves here and there will let you garner
greater power. So long as you capitalise on this by acting powerfully and with
credibility your personal stocks will soar.
Step 6 - Ask for feedback
Companies with products do this all the time. They put together user groups who
provide constructive feedback about the product or service they are developing.
This enables the company to make tweaks and alterations where necessary in order
to better serve the customer. Do the same with your personal brand. Get
feedback, comments and ask for input from colleagues and others in your network.
Although this may seem like a lot of work, it is really just a question of
making one or two alterations to how you conduct business and interact with
others. There may be the odd additional task or project that you need to take
on, but any additional work now will pay off ten fold in the future. By applying
these steps and acting in a strategic way, you will see great success in your
future with your new, personal employment branding.
You should also try and look at situations from a human capital management point
of view. What are your bosses looking for? What do they want from you? If you
hit the right notes then you could find yourself rising to the top. Effective
leadership is a major issue in organizations right now, and finding talent
within a company is almost always preferred to buying it in. Who knows, in a few
years time you could be making these decisions for the company!
About The Author
Andrea Watkins writes articles for Kenexa, a HR solutions provider of human
capital management which is especially effective when coupled with employment
branding. Kenexa also offer tools for research, career site development as well
as surveys to develop effective leadership.
http://www.kenexa.com/leadership-solutions
The author invites you to visit:
http://www.kenexa.com
Article Source: http://www.articlecity.com/articles/marketing/article_6220.shtml
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