BRAND YOU

The most important determinant of individual success is marketing. What will make us stand out from other individuals in the field is knowing how to market ourselves.

 The key aspect of marketing oneself is branding. Successful people build themselves up to create brand value. Just like products sell in the marketplace due to brand recall, you will sell yourself in the employment space by branding yourself. The hallmark of successful branding is when you donot need to seek out jobs or promotions, others seek you to offer them to you. 

The definition of marketing is to sell your skills to earn money, by making customers eager to buy. That is exactly what you need to do to develop yourself into a successful brand.

Think that you are in business. Better still think that you are in the business of marketing your products or services. For example, if you work in the treasury of a bank- you are in the business of marketing your skills in the bank dealing room.

Have people first walk through the door with excellent marketing. When they do, offer exemplary services to retain them.

There are two steps to branding:

You know what you have to offer

Others know what you have to offer

Knowing what you have to offer is about knowing your brand. There will be millions of others out there seemingly offering the same services as you are. You will have to find your uniqueness, that which makes you stand out. That will be your USP (unique selling proposition). Your brand has to be built around your unique selling proposition. Every time you market yourself, your USP will be what shines through. Hunting for and finally narrowing down on your USP is the first very important step. Unless you are totally aware of your USP, you will not be able to make the world aware of it. Remember, know your core areas and concentrate on fine tuning those. Practice those skills whenever you have an opportunity. You will not be good at everything and you need not be either. What you are not good at can never be your USP. Instead, focus on your strengths and hone them to make them your biggest assets. As an example, you are not a great team player, but work very well as an individual contributor. Instead of troubling yourself about not being a team player, accept the fact. It is not everyone’s strength to play to a team. Infact some of the best minds throughout history have achieved wonders by working alone; they have found that teams slow their pace. So if you are one of those, see what you can bring to the table in individual projects. Seek out opportunities to excel at them. Of course, you cannot completely avoid dealing with people, however donot project it as your strength, because quite frankly- it is not!

Now that you are aware of your USP, the next step is of course to make others aware of it. Find your target audience and market your USP. Just providing a world class product (you) will not be sufficient if it is not marketed well. Image and branding are what will sell you to the world. Your prowess at marketing is what is going to ensure that you make the cut. Sell aggressively. Remember you have to sell so hard that the customer will walk up to you, rather than you hunting around for prospects. Everything you do professionally should focus around your USP. Keep your USP at the centre. Become the USP you want to project.

How will you now sell yourself to the world?

Why would customers buy what you sell to them? The only reason is that you will be providing them a value. Remember to always have your USP provide value to customers. You will have to answer two questions that your customers / target audience (corporates/ recruiters) will be asking you

Why should I invest my time in this USP?

Why should I get this USP from you?

These are different ways you can cultivate your image. Use whatever combination works best for you:

Problem solver

Most people are looking for solutions to problems when they hire. You need to be viewed as a problem solver. You should stress that your USP will solve problems of individuals/ organisations. That is the biggest value addition you give to any organization. Nobody appreciates a person who only highlights issues. A person who provides a solution on the other hand is valued. So, never discuss problems without also focusing on their possible solutions. If you were a Business Owner, who would you chose to lead an organization? Become that person.

Talent provider

When you get into the job market, donot think of yourself as a job hunter. Instead re-imagine yourself as a person of talent. Imagine that the world is now going to be sold this talent- you- and you will demand a fair price from the highest bidder who is worth your time.

Industry events

In the initial stages of your career, never say no to attending any events that may be organized by companies/ chambers of commerce in your sphere of work. They are a good platform for you to build your connects and showcase your skills. Always attend these with your business cards. Get in the space of the people who matter and cultivate your network.

Opportunities to showcase your authority

Never pass by opportunities to showcase your USP and authority over your subject/ in your industry. Actively seek out opportunities to talk at industry events in your chosen field. Contribute to your office magazine. Contribute to any industry magazines you are aware of. Write short papers on your chosen field and try to get them published. Always remember this- beyond a point never do any of the above for free. Asking for remuneration will only help increase your influence as an authority figure in your area. If you have been working in the same area for a while, you are bound to receive invitations to showcase your viewpoint as an expert. If not, gain the expertise and seek out invitations.

Social media

Marketing your value online is equally if not more important than marketing your value offline. Ensure you have a good social media presence. Update your LinkedIn profile regularly. Highlight any events you have attended on your social media page. Try to keep your audience engaged with interesting content revolving around your subject matter. Donot use a professional networking platform to highlight your personal life. Upload only professional content and professional media. However, bringing a personal angle to your professional communication is a must. Don’t make it dull and drab. Try to make your online conversation (and offline as well) experiential. Try to get senior colleagues to recommend your work on social media platforms. And remember- ALWAYS maintain a professional image. Your social media presence needs to be strong enough that your name with relevant information will be highlighted in the first 2-3 pages of any google search done on it.

Resume

Your resume should prove that you have state of the art knowledge and skills. Avoid obsolescence and gaps in the resume. Ensure that even if you have not been employed for a certain period of time, you have stayed relevant by building up on your skillset. Donot make your resume drab – more than 50% of resumes are weeded out even before they reach the desk of the recruiter. Your resume needs to showcase that you are an authority in your field. Highlight your qualifications that make you an expert- including ones that may be in progress. Highlight all forums where you have contributed to your field, rather than just listing out your job experiences. Your experience in your field is taken for granted. Expertise is why you get hired. Also highlight instances where you have done something outstanding for your organization- no of leads converted, costs saved, automation implemented, projects undertaken. Try to substantiate wherever possible with numbers. If you have to list your experience in chronological order- focus on why your experience makes you the best candidate for the job. Needless to say, research on the organization that is going to hire you. Then, highlight to them how your USP can help the organization solve problems. Always look for the right fit.

There are several other ways to build a strong professional image. There will be several opportunities in everyday interactions when you will need to leave an impression in the mind of someone who is a decision maker. Or just simply garner equity for yourself so when the next promotion or project is being discussed you are top of the mind.

Your demeanor

Be always professionally attired. You should dress infact for the role you aspire to be in, not the one that you are in now. Respect your organisation’s dress code. Your body language needs to convey authority. Have a firm handshake and a confident tone. When you speak in meetings, speak up. Always make it a point to speak in meetings. Always be on time for scheduled appointments. Never occupy a corner, inconsequential seat in a meeting. Always occupy a chair when you are called in to a superior’s office, whether invited to do so or not (standing before the superior is especially prevalent in certain Asian cultures, however globalization is fast changing the norms). Always address people by their first name. This is now the accepted norm, unless the organization culture dictates otherwise. All of the above however inconsequential they may seem to you are being noticed. Let your demeanor add to your brand!