Branding is a process started by large corporations like Nike
as part of a marketing strategy in the 1980’s. It is a concept
which had them selling their customers an image and an idea.
Soon, along with the pair of running shoes you were buying, you
were also buying into the concept, and "just doing it"; and your
Bell telephone service isn’t just about a tool, it’s about the
way we are all connected. Advertising has become less about the
product and more about the feeling the company wants you to
associate with what they sell.
Branding isn’t just for
companies. People in all walks of life and various career stages
are starting to use self-branding to get ahead. Like a company
and its product in the marketplace, self-branding means looking
at yourself as a winning brand. It’s being aware of the things
that set you apart from everyone else and make you memorable and
unique - your skills, abilities, personality traits. Being
self-aware means you become clear about what you stand for and
what you have to offer. Doing a good job is no longer good
enough to guarantee your career will go well.
Branding
yourself means you become associated with what sets you apart
from others and the added value you bring to a job, business, or
situation. Self-branding demands self-awareness and communicates
that you feel comfortable in your own skin. When you know what
you’ve got to offer, you become powerful and intentional about
how you communicate that through the quality of service you
provide. You are your most important asset. Self-branding
provides direction and clarity of purpose for how you work, not
just what you do for a living.
Because you are self-aware
and focused, the benefits of branding are many. Self-branding:
* Increases your confidence and self-motivation
* Increases
your visibility and presence
* Differentiates you from your
peers and colleagues
As a result, you will:
*
Achieve your personal and professional goals
* Increase your
salary
Personal branding is the strategy behind the
world’s most successful people like Oprah, Madonna, Donald
Trump, Richard Branson and Bill Gates. It demands commitment to
what you value, consistency in what you deliver, and the guts to
market who you are. It is the difference between an ordinary
career or business and an exceptional one.
Get clear on
the brand "You", and be faithful to it.
Recommended
Resources:
* "The Brand You 50" book by Tom Peters. In it
he creates a process in which you can empower yourself to stand
out, both personally and professionally.
* Self-Branding
e-course by Cecile Peterkin, Cosmic Coaching Centre
Copyright 2005-2006, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.
About the Author:
Cecile Peterkin is a Certified Career and Life Coach. She is
author of The Career Athlete, an e-book on managing your career.
Sign up for Cecile’s F*ree e-course "7 Steps to Success" at
http://www.CosmicCoachingCentre.com
.