Last month I had the pleasure of speaking at the YWCA SheLeads conference on how to build your personal brand.
When most people think of a brand they think of this:
But this is not a brand, this is a logo. The brand is the emotional response to the product and the logo (and it’s the reason why my 12 year old son paid an extra $40 out of his own money to upgrade his sneakers to ones with this particular logo!)
Your personal brand is how people feel about you.
As Dan Schawbel says, “Personal branding is all about discovering what makes you special and then communicating it to the right people through multiple channels”.
You can do this by thinking of yourself as a brand and applying
5 P’s of Marketing: Product, Price, Place, Promotion and people.
1. Product
The product is you – who are you? What are your strengths and superpowers? If you don’t know, it’s time to find out – you can’t market a product you don’t understand. Have a look at PwC ‘Your Personal Brand Workbook’ and get to know and understand your greatest asset: you!
2. Price
Know what you are worth. Find out what makes you valuable and what is more important to you than money. Understand what makes you unique and the ‘value added skills’ you offer. Invest time and money in you to fill in the gaps.
3. Place
What is the place that energises you? Where will you work? Do you prefer autonomy or working with a team? Today we have choices so make sure you know what you want.
4. Promotion
Increase your visibility. Stand out & speak up, be known and be seen. It is a myth that good products sell themselves. Get busy and get networking. Can you be easily found? Don’t forget about your online profile – go where your target market can find you:
o LinkedIn
o Facebook
o Twitter
o Instagram
5. People
We all need our own personal ‘board of directors’. What assistance do you need and from whom to meet your goals? Invest time in building a strategic network and don’t forget to help others with their journey as well.
In this ‘high tech’ world, people are becoming more ‘high touch’. The old adage ‘People buy from people that they like know and trust’ is more relevant today than it has ever been. People are looking to work with people they can build a relationship with, relate to and trust. When an individual thinks of themselves as a ‘business unit’ they can focus on their own personal brand and market their strengths.
- The Three Networking Circles You Need - April 15, 2024
- Mind Matters - February 1, 2024
- Are you a boss or a leader? - September 22, 2023
