When it comes to Managing Your Personal Brand, as your coach, it is my job to remind you how important it is for you to be On Brand In ALL You DO!
This topic is so incredibly relevant that I really want to keep driving home this message called Personal Brand.
It is easy to forget now where you were when the economic tsunami hit because things are on the move again. I know where I was: taking inventory of my own personal brand and those of my clients and taking us all to the next level – a time well spent.
I believe we all need to remember what occurred so we can now be over-prepared and build reserves for the next big challenge. For some of you, what occurred recently was outright painful, fearful and sometimes downright pathetic because you did not have the structure in place to maintain a sense of calm through the storm.
The rest of us had a bit of a bumpy time, but we came out with only a few minor scratches. That’s because our brands were strong, we had reserves — a sustainable plan — and we stayed true to our core values. We were focused and stayed the course and did not cave or capitulate!
To bring my continued message of Managing Your Personal Brand home even further—again, no matter where you are in your career—I’m going to give you a succinct, easy-to-remember definition of a Personal Brand so you can continue to marinate about your brand and then do something to raise your PERSONAL BRAND IQ.
Personal branding, as defined by Wikipedia, is the process whereby people and their careers are marked as brands, suggesting that success comes from self-packaging. It is further defined as the creation of an asset that pertains to a particular person or individual; this includes, but is not limited to, the body, clothing, appearance and knowledge contained within, leading to an indelible impression that is uniquely distinguishable.
In other words, your personal brand is an assessment of who you are and how you “bring it” to the world.
NOTE TO SELF: If I do not define my own personal brand, the marketplace will do it for me!
PERSONAL BRAND EXERCISE FOR APRIL – CLEARLY DEFINE YOUR BRAND
Follow me each month as I take you through our MYPB process, helping you to build a strong brand foundation.
How You See Your Brand vs. How It Is Perceived by Others
Answer the following questions:
- What do you consider to be the essence of your brand, i.e., features, benefits, UVP?
- Select five people within your various constituencies to interview, i.e., clients, colleagues, family, friends, and ask them the same question.
- Prepare a gap analysis highlighting what’s different and what you were most surprised about.
Send me your comments and thoughts and what happened to you when you answered one or all three of these questions.
If you are feeling a bit confronted by the current conditions and your brand doesn’t seem to be resonating in the marketplace, contact me. I can help you jumpstart your PB development plan.
MYPB BOTTOM LINE: A personal brand is an earned reputation! You have to work smart to obtain a powerful personal brand. But that’s only the first step. You have to continue to work smart to keep that powerful personal brand and grow it.
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