Kudzu Principle #1—Personal Branding: Realizing that branding is a new ‘buzz’ word that is spreading like wildfire, one should not look at the concept as a passing fad or as simple window dressing. In fact, branding has always been an essential part of career development; someone finally figured out how to sell it in a wide variety of books on the subject. We walk through stores every day and see different ‘brands’ of products that we buy and use. When walking down those aisles or flipping through catalogs, what is it that makes us choose to buy one brand over another? Quality, price, and company reputation are all selling points that assist in our decision making ability when it comes time to open up our wallets and make the purchase. But what about your brand? What is it about you that ‘stands out’ to a hiring board or promotional panel and gives them reasons to give you the job or the new position? The answer is in how we brand ourselves. Yes, people can promote themselves in a way in which they ‘stand out.’ What’s important is that we don’t cross the line of personal branding and let it lead into self-promotion! To expand on this topic, there are several recommended books that can bring the topic of personal branding right to your front door. ‘ME 2.O’ by Dan Schawbel and ‘The Brand Called You’ by Peter Montoya with Tim Vandehey will enlighten anyone to build their personal brand for sustaining success.
As we discussed in the Indispensable article, there are certain traits and practices that will help make a person ‘fireproof’ in their careers. Often times these qualities and attributes show up when it comes time for promotion and selection for cool company projects. Getting in the door is a different story because potential employees rarely know people already embedded in the organization who can vouch for them. Some ambitious job seekers mistakenly believe that merely having a ‘pretty’ package (good looks, nice suit, and fancy resumes) is a guarantee to knock the door down and walk right into a company. It’s true that appearances matter, and we will get to that, but substance behind the smile gets the jobs and builds the person’s brand into a solid rock! If you are an online shopper and see a great product, reading the reviews goes so much farther than just the photographs!
The first impression is a critical element of a brand. Many companies, government agencies, and people live or die by the first thing that pops into a person’s head when they hear the name of the brand. Some are positive and some are not. In the many lectures I have given on the branding subject, I will mention a brand and usually garner the same response:
Nike……………Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, child labor!
FEMA…………..Hurricane Katrina!
Exxon……………Valdez oil spill!
Chick-fil-a founder Truett Cathy………….Generosity & character!
Oprah Winfrey……………………………..Success!
That first impression can hold into a person’s mind for a long time and the negative ones are often tough to shake off. What kind of first impression do people get when they hear your name? Do they think of dependability, promptness, good character, and hard worker? If not, then your brand might need some work. If they don’t think of you at all, then you definitely need to get cracking on building your brand.
It is important that when building a personal brand we first understand a common definition for the principle is “what is TRUE and UNIQUE about YOU and letting everyone know it.” After all, a brand is an ASSOCIATION and/or EXPECTATION that follows you to your first interview or through your working career, and in some cases, all the way to the grave. Without spending time on reputation management, there is one basic axiom of branding that will set your career in motion and, like kudzu, will make your success grow and form deep roots for ultimate success. In her article, “Tips on Creating and Growing Your Personal Brand,” Laura Lake points out that if you don’t develop your own brand, others will do it for you. This is great advice because others don’t know you and what you are capable of, so don’t let them write your narrative for you. If you know your strengths, proclaim them and tie them into what makes you unique and marketable. Do this in social media accounts and perhaps your own web page. But wait, is there a line between self-promotion and personal branding using social media? You bet there is, and the wise person knows the difference. Developing a proactive and dynamite social media footprint is a very powerful tool in getting the word out that you are a great potential hire. But take warning, you live and die by the same sword if you are not careful. Here’s why. Does your Facebook page or Instagram account have one selfie after the next and constant uploads of where you have been or what you have bought? If it does, employers are going to see a true narcissist and run for the hills! Does your social media page have too many controversial political topics? If so, the person doing the background (and they will look at your social media…I do) thinks you might bring controversy with you, then don’t be surprised when the phone doesn’t ring. This is not to say that having a political voice is bad because it’s just the opposite. Just watch out for posts that could be considered radical in their genre and cause an instant bios. Finally, doing a blog is an inexpensive way for someone to see a snapshot of you in a fresh and enlightening way.
As we journey through the Kudzu on this blog, there will be many more additional insights offered on the topic of Personal Branding. Start today with a great social media platform and begin designing your blog! Success is on the way!