PERSONAL BRANDING, YOUR LIFE
I was on East Africa
Radio to talk about Personal branding on the breakfast show. It was fun. Special
thanks to all those who listened and joined in the discussion via Facebook and
Twitter. We succeeded in defining branding in a way that connected with the
people. It is the process of developing a product or self to have a meaning
that connects with your audience. We said that a brand is what people say about
you when you are not there, or when you have left the room. It is the 'You'
that people connect with.
It is a process that
starts with you discovering what you can do with ease and better than others as
well as your Point of Difference, and developing it to have 'a meaning'. If
properly done, this process can help you stand you out as an expert in your
field or career.
We said a great brand
must have some basic qualities. They must be authentic, distinctive, compelling
and excellent. This means that you must consciously work on yourself to become
a brand. Having developed a brand for yourself, you now need to market it. This
is where the 'work' is. You need to be able to craft a message that captures
you and what you are to be known for (brand). Then you will need media to
communicate the message. Finally, you need to be in touch with your audience.
Do you have a message
about yourself? If yes, how do you currently communicate the message? Don't
tell me you don't have money to buy media. There are so many free media around
you. Think of 'word of mouth', your network of friends, colleagues and
associates etc. What of social networks? It is free to get an account on
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc. Do you even have a business card?
Your choice of media
will depend on your message and your audience. We buy into media and fail to
use them properly and profitably. I think it is because we do not have a clear
and compelling message. In some cases, we do have a message but it is not
delivered in a consistent way across media. Don't forget, you brand yourself
through practically everything you do - the way you look, talk, act, write etc.
We are now in the era of Education Based Marketing where you are known and
appreciated for the contributions you make on your blog, Facebook, Twitter etc.
What the branding
process does for us is to help us understand and channel our efforts to
leverage our Point of Difference to create and sustain value.
Can there be a conflict between Personal Branding and
Company Branding? Yes, but it is just like anything that is not properly
managed. They should complement each other. Great companies employ great
employees. It really pays to brand yourself properly. Personal branding will
increase your appeal to employers. And if you own the business, your
personality should come through in the culture of the company such that you and
the company are one and the same.
And just to recap - a brand is a meaning. Personal
branding is about you, your brand and your career. It is a process that we need
to go through consciously. If done properly, it can help you stand out as an
expert in your field and you can make a living of it.
Once you have
discovered what you do well that connects positively with others, try and
develop a message to capture it. This message is what you take to the market
place through word of mouth, your network of friends, colleagues etc and social
networks like Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn etc. The way you organize your
website and other social network pages / groups and the content / frequency of
your post must align with the meaning you have given people about yourself as a
brand.
Remember, a brand is
what they say about you when you have left the room...
Finally, stay in touch with your audience and keep
seeking for ways to improve your 'meaning' and the tangible ways you
communicate with you audience. I will be glad to read your comments.
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