As many of you read in my last newsletter, I am a firm believer in leading with our strengths. It is our strengths that make up our personal brand. When was the last time you checked to see where your personal brand currently stands? Included with today's article is an opportunity to find out. Please stop for a moment, ask yourself "What more can I be doing to build a strong personal brand?" And then take the self-scoring short Branding Quiz.
My best,
Linda Yaffe
Performance and Development Coach
"We all have brands worthy of remark" - Tom Peters
PERSONAL BRANDING
Companies develop brands to help market their products and services. And today more than ever, so should you be looking at developing your own brand.
Just as with corporate brands, your personal brand is your promise of value. It's what separates you from your peers, your colleagues, and your competitors. And it allows you to communicate in a way that is relevant and effective for your target audience. Personal branding is not about building a false image for the outside world or building a series of marketing activities; rather it is about understanding your unique combination of rational and emotional attributes--your strengths, skills, values and passions--and using these attributes to differentiate yourself to guide your career decisions and attain higher levels of achievement. Successful brands are not created but rather uncovered, strengthened, and nurtured.
So, whether you are president of your own company, a senior executive, or an employee of a company of any size, managing your brand is critical to achieving your professional goals. When you have built and nurtured a winning brand, you will reap the many benefits, including:
Understanding yourself better
Increasing your confidence
Increasing your visibility and presence
Differentiating yourself from your peers
Increasing your compensation
Thriving during downturns in the economy
Expanding into new business areas
When building your brand, it's best to work with a coach or mentor who can lead the way with the specific skills and tools needed for uncovering your personal brand image.
You too can build and uncover your personal brand. In a world where cities, CEOs, politicians, and highways are branded, you too need to think about yourself in the same terms. People today want to surround themselves with brands because strong brands produce great results. Personal branding is one of the most important business development tools you can use.
Content used with permission from William Arruda, Reach Communications Consulting, Inc.
HOW STRONG IS YOUR PERSONAL BRAND?
Take this Quick Self-Scoring Quiz and find out. Mark each question with a "Yes" or "No."
Personal Branding Quiz
BRAND POSITIONING
Yes
No
Can you state your five most relevant and compelling brand attributes (adjectives that describe your promise of value)?
Do you have a brand positioning statement or tag line describing your unique promise of value?
Can you clearly describe your target audience - those people who need to know about you so that you can achieve your goals (demographics, psychographics)?
Have you documented a clear purpose and vision?
Have you documented your short and long term goals?
Are your brand goals specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and have a timeframe?
Do you have a brand communications plan for the year?
When people introduce you, do they all use the same words to describe you?
Do you know who your competitors/peers are and what their strengths and weaknesses are?
Can you clearly describe what differentiates you from your competitors and peers (others with similar skills and experience)?
Are you comfortable with your presentation skills?
Do you mark every project in which you participate with your personal brand?
Do you have a plan for diminishing or eliminating any less desirable brand attributes (things that get in the way of your own success)?
Does your office/work environment communicate your brand?
Is your personal style (image, appearance, wardrobe) consistent with your personal brand and appropriate for your target audience?
Are your leisure activities (vacations, hobbies, entertainment) consistent with your brand?
Is your social network (friends/pals) consistent with your brand?
Do you know what the next step in the evolution of your brand is - and when you are going to take it?
Do you have a coach or mentor?
Scoring
If your "Yes" answers totaled...
Then you:
16-19
Have a strong, winning brand. Congratulations! Keep it up!
9-15
Have built a foundation for a strong brand. You're almost there. Keep at it!
0-8
You have some components of a strong brand but you are missing an opportunity to expand your success. What are you waiting for?
Courtesy of William Arruda, Reach Communications Consulting
WorkingMatters' principal, Linda Yaffe, specializes in working with up and coming business leaders who are ready to apply the leadership competencies and personal branding strategies that will move them to a greater level of achievement.
Linda's clients are young, motivated business professionals and entrepreneurs who want to leverage their existing strengths and talents to reach their full leadership potential. As well, Linda works closely with companies focused on "high potential grooming and leadership performance enhancement" geared toward their younger generation of workers.
Linda incorporates her 16 years of front-line business experience including senior and executive positions, to provide the essential competencies and strategies needed to perform, advance and lead in today's workplace environment.
In addition to coaching, Linda delivers a "Leadership Foundations" coaching workshop series to small and large businesses. As well, she also presents workshops to colleges and universities designed to help students market themselves in today's workplace.
Linda abides by the strict code of confidentiality and adheres to the highest standard of ethics in accordance with the International Coach Federation.
For more information, please contact Linda by email
