Developing Your Personal Brand

What is personal branding? “Personal branding describes the process by which individuals and entrepreneurs differentiate themselves and stand out from a crowd by identifying and articulating their unique value proposition, whether professional or personal, and then leverage it across platforms with a consistent message and image to achieve a specific goal. In this way, individuals can enhance their recognition as experts in their field, establish reputation and credibility, advance their careers and build self-confidence.” - Dan Schawbel, author of Me You're branded, branded, branded, branded. It's time for me -- and you -- to take a lesson from the big brands, a lesson that's true for anyone who's interested in what it takes to stand out and prosper in the new world of work. Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You. - Tom Peters, author of The Brand Called You 1997

Commodity vs. Brand Mass produced Can be copied Short lifespan Commodity Price Functional Value Designed for it’s market Is unique Long lifespan Premium price Emotional connection Competitive advantage: Price/Value Competitive advantage: Relationship CommodityBrand

Brands have characteristics or “brand markers” Differentiation – A brand has a distinctive position in the market Relevance – A brand is at the right place at the right time for the right consumers Esteem – A brand is well-regarded - respected Reputation – A brand is widely known – has advocates

Top 10 Global Brands RankGlobalNorth America Latin America EuropeAsia 1Coca-Cola ITAUNokiaToyota 2Microsoft BradescoMercedes-BenzHonda 3IBM Banco Do BrasilBMWSamsung 4GE CEMEXLouis VuittonSony 5NokiaIntelClaroHSBCCanon 6ToyotaMcDonald'sTELMEXNescafeNintendo 7IntelDisneyPETROBRASSAPHyundai 8McDonald'sCitiTELCELIkeaPanasonic 9DisneyHewlett-PackardUnibancoUBSLexus 10Mercedes BenzMarlboroBanco De ChilePhilipsLG Best Global Brands 2008 Source: Interbrand

Differentiation ? Relevance ? Esteem ? Reputation ? Compare these two global brands...

Name the CEO ! Larry KellnerWolfgang MayrhuberChew Choon Seng Richard Branson

A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts. Sir Richard Branson Differentiation ? Relevance? Esteem ? Reputation?

Developing your brand markers...Differentiation Basic service offering PLUS... –I am a solid program manager AND also a very capable project manager –.... AND I have a proven ability to design websites –.... AND I am conversant in 3 languages other than my own What have you done in previous positions or situations that make your personal service offering unique? –In a previous position I developed and managed the department’s budget How do you differentiate your brand ?

Developing your brand markers...Relevance Are you aware of new initiatives in your organization? Do you adapt easily to changes in technology or process? Can you talk about how your service offering supports the overall mission and strategy of the organization? What makes your brand right for today?

Developing your brand markers...Esteem Quality of your work Credibility / Trust Ability to support team initiatives Emotional intelligence What do people say about your service offering?

Developing your brand markers...Reputation Do you have a mentor? –A trusted advisor at the next level of your organization can be instrumental in helping you build relationships Networking –Do you network well? –What strategies do you use to spread your influence? How big is your audience?

Closing thoughts... Your brand is not what you say about yourself. In simple terms, what you say about yourself falls under the category of "freedom of speech." You can say whatever you want. Does not mean a thing. Your personal brand is an assessment the marketplace makes about who you are and what you bring to the marketplace. A brand is not something you are entitled to. It does not come with a job position or a title. A job or title might help with your personal brand, but it can't be a proxy for your personal brand. A brand is not permanent. It's not something that you can get and keep it for life. You have to work hard to get a powerful personal brand. But that's only the first step. You have to continue to work hard to keep that powerful personal brand and grow it. Authenticity counts! Those who pretend to be someone they are not run the risk of being exposed. If you brand yourself as an expert in developing budgets you’d better not have to ask how to add a column of numbers in Excel.

Exercise....beginning to understand your personal brand How have you differentiated yourself or your service offering from the crowd? What makes your service offering relevant in your environment? What do you do create esteem around your service offering? How have you grown your reputation?

gmail.com