Develop Your Personal Brand

Having a good professional reputation is an obvious key to success, but many people don't take the time to nurture it, or they don't know how. We find it helpful to think about a reputation as a personal brand. Developing your own unique brand is considered not a luxury but an essential for future employability and success.



We work with corporate clients in the area of brand development, and we've identified the DNA that makes up a good brand. This DNA, the basis which guides the development of a brand, also applies to individuals as well as to products and organizations.


DNA is, coincidentally, an acronym. To get you started on your journey of ongoing individual brand development, contemplate these three concepts, which form a similar acronym:


Dependability
A good brand is consistent. With a good brand, there are never any unpleasant surprises. You can count on a brand to help you quickly sort through an unlimited list of options to identify "a sure thing." In the old days, there was a sales adage that went something like this: "Nobody ever got in trouble for purchasing IBM." If you aren't old enough to recall exactly what that meant, it alluded to the fact that IBM was not always the "best" or "most innovative" or "most anything" for that matter, but it was certainly a dependable brand.


“Are you an IBM of today? Can your family, friends, customers, or your supervisors rely on you to not only do what is expected, but always impress them with a little more? Are you on time, or the person that is always late? Do you show up to a meeting or event prepared, or do you throw things together in the last minute? Are you organized enough to get things done before deadlines, or do people need to remind you about the deadline?


For whatever that you decide distinguishes you in the marketplace of talent, make sure consistency is the bedrock of your brand.


Novelty
OK, so what makes you different? It's not enough to be as dependable as everyone or anyone else. Brands always have substantive identifiable differences -- perceptually if not in fact -- in the mind of the marketplace. Being a generalist isn't a bad thing, but being a generalist without any discernible specialized skills, abilities, or talents isn't a great thing, either.


Fortunately, in today’s business world, it’s easy to be novel. Simple things can make you stand out. For example, personally hand written “Thank you” notes, whether personal or business, are almost a forgotten tool, but they can be incredibly effective.

Attitude
Attitude isn’t only about being upbeat or happy. Attitude is also about your desire to help others and perform your job at a higher level. Do you call on a client with something in hand that can improve their business, or just go to ask for more orders? When you talk to a neighbor, do you offer to help, or complain about your work day? A big step in attitude is to add value to the person you’re with. Again, it doesn’t matter if it’s business or personal. If you focus on making sure each conversation helps the other party in some way instead of being all about yourself, you will definitely be recognized!


DNA - Dependability. Novelty. Attitude.


As a first step toward marketing yourself better, take some time soon to write out the DNA of your brand.