‘Self-Branding’ is the term used for marketing
your self. It is a strategy that will
turn YOU into a well-known, well-respected,
sought-after, leading brand. If you want to be the only
candidate to be considered for that sought-after position,
you will have to write your self-branding strategy as
soon as possible – and more importantly, you will
have to start taking action immediately.
Writing
your Self-Branding Strategy
Your strategy is a plan to get you from where you are
now to where you want to be. Planning The New YOU –
the latest “in” brand.
It has to be written down and every step has to be diarised
- because every step must have a due
date. A strategy will [forever] remain a strategy unless
each step is purposefully implemented before or on the
planned dates.
Consider the following questions before writing
your Self-Branding Strategy:
a.
WHAT
would you like to achieve long-term? WHAT
will your focus be? WHAT
does the brand called ‘YOU’
look like? WHAT
will you wear? WHAT
are your values?
b.
WHERE
do you want to be? Your ultimate goal?
c.
WHY
do you want it? Is it for the right reasons?
d.
HOW
will you make it happen? HOW
will you get there? (The process goals –
the short-term goals which will ensure that you
achieve your ultimate goal) HOW
will you create YOU as a brand? HOW
will you communicate? HOW
will you remain focussed?
e.
WHEN
will it happen? Dates for every step.
1.
The
first step is to decide exactly what
you want. Describe it in detail. The more detail
the better. Make a long list. If you want a promotion,
go after it! Don’t deny yourself a top job
by having negative thoughts or beliefs about yourself
and your capabilities. If you lack certain skills
or knowledge, you can acquire it.
To
help you with this step, write your own mission
statement. Writing a personal mission statement
is profoundly important. It helps you to focus
on who you are, what you want and where you want
to go.
A
personal mission statement needs the following
elements:
i.
It
has to describe an important personal achievement.
ii.
It has to describe an important
future event.
iii.
It has to describe your goals and
expectations.
iv.
It must be realistic.
v.
It must motivate you.
f.
f.
Or write your very own advert, advertising yourself
as a brand. It will help give you direction and
focus and it forces you to acknowledge your own
talents, abilities and strengths.
2.
Once
you’ve decided what
you want (your ultimate goal), obtain or write a
Job Description for the position with clear Key
Performance Indicators (Key Result Areas).
3.
List
ALL the tasks and activities of each Key Performance
Indicator (K.P.I.) For example: If you want to be
the Sales Manager in your organisation, one of the
K.P.I.’s would be: Managing Staff. Some of
the tasks and activities of managing staff are:
a.
Interviewing
and placing staff;
b.
Mentoring and
coaching;
c.
Communication etc
4.
Once
you have listed all the Key Performance Indicators
(K.P.I.’s) and ALL the tasks and activities
of each of the K.P.I’s, make a list of the
competencies (skill and knowledge) you need to acquire
for the position. This is called a gap analysis.
5.
Decide
how,
when
and where you will acquire each of the competencies
you lack. It is vital to set deadlines
for each step in your strategy. It creates a sense
of urgency and it forces you to take timely action.
If you don’t take action, ask yourself whether
you really want it. If it is really your dream job,
nothing will stop you from getting there! So, if
you find yourself making excuses and dragging your
feet, be honest about how badly you want it. People
procrastinate for various reasons. If you are one
of them, read my article on Procrastination on my
website www.successfactory.co.za.
Click on Articles.
6.
Self-Branding
is about being or becoming an excellent, outstanding,
knowledgeable, emotionally mature, intelligent,
professional, skilful person, employee, candidate,
entrepreneur, etc. Make a list of ALL your skills,
knowledge and talents – and include ALL of
it in your strategy so that you can use ALL of it
to promote and brand your self.
7. Where do you want to
be? – Your ultimate goal.
8.
Why
do you want it? This question will help you to determine
whether you want it for the right reasons. Setting
up your own business because that is what your spouse
wants is not a good idea! You will set yourself
up for failure! You must want
it – badly!
9. How
will you do it? If you want to be a sought-after brand,
following my A – Z plan:
a.
Self-Branding
requires that you make an outstanding effort to
obtain a diverse portfolio of competencies.
b.
Emotional
intelligence (maturity) is invaluable. The good
news is that you can deliberately become more emotionally
mature — it is one of the most important aspects
considered by management for advancement in the
workplace. It will also make a very big positive
difference to all your relationships, both personal
and in business. Here are some things you can do
to develop emotional maturity:
Intend
to change those behaviours which do not
serve you or others.
Introspect: face reality; acknowledge
any problematic flaws or issues that you may
have.
Ask for
feedback from your partner and/or others
regarding your behaviour. Do a ‘Stop,
start, continue’ assessment: ask them
to tell you what you should stop, what you
should start and what you should continue
to do. Listen without argument to what they
have to say.
Become and remain unselfish.
Do not
try to control others. Seek to resolve differences
amicably and do not be demanding.
As far
as possible, socialise only with people
who bring out the best in you.
Embrace your spirituality.
Search for the meaning of life.
c.
A
good attitude is a choice – it can mean
the difference between success and failure. If
you want to become an outstanding Brand, then
you need an outstanding mindset. Describe
an outstanding mindset in your strategy –
then be it!
d.
YOU
as an outstanding brand need credibility which
equals integrity and trustworthiness. Make your
values known and live them daily.
e.
Good
communication skills mean good conflict management
and prevention.
f.
Professionalism
is of the utmost importance. (Read my book “Up
The Corporate Ladder – Professionalism in
the Workplace.” Your professionalism will
be judged by your:
Image.
We judge someone within 50 seconds of meeting
them – just by the way they look, dress
and behave. Hire an image consultant if you don’t
have good dress sense and ask others for feedback
regarding your body language and your behaviour;
Business etiquette. If you don’t
know how to behave, find out!
Telephone and
e-etiquette. People form opinions of you through
your spoken and written words;
Manners. You have no chance if you
don’t have good manners;
Communication.
Do whatever it takes to learn good communication
skills – then use it;
Competence.
Good skills, knowledge and attitude are of paramount
importance. Learn from others and study as much
as you can – the impact of self-study is
hugely under-valued;
Body language. You speak even when
you don’t.
Trustworthiness. Trust is earned.
Without it you fail.
Empathy. Sincere empathy will create
brand loyalty.
Respectfulness. Respect starts with
self respect! Display the behaviours you expect
from others;
Caring and compassion.
Emotional Maturity.
g.
Learn good
financial skills. A good ‘brand’ will
know how to work with their money – and
if they don’t they will find out how;
h. Project Management skills. Know how to implement great
projects and ideas.
i. Management of resources. Time, money, products, tools,
equipment etc.
j.
Assessment
tools, such as DISC will help you to assess others
and guide your behaviour and toward them.
k. Good leadership and management skills. Not all good
leaders are born that way.
l.
Industry knowledge. Unless you know
the industry you work in very well or your client’s
industries (at least fair knowledge) you may be
doomed to failure. The more homework you do, the
better advise you can give and the greater your
insight will be when making decisions;
m.
Start doing environmental scanning. It is the
exploration phase of a strategic planning process
to identify potential opportunities –
it means detecting important economic, social,
cultural, environmental, health, technological,
and political trends, situations, and events;
n.
Start doing
outstanding things that will get you noticed by
the right people and to create brand loyalty.
Remember, outstanding does not necessarily mean
big. ‘Outstanding’ also means small
things, like remembering someone’s birthday
or making tea when the tea lady is off sick. Remember
to be sincere otherwise people will notice that
too. ‘Outstanding’ means doing
the right things right;
o.
Write articles
or reports (if you have a talent for writing)
on anything useful in your field of expertise
and send it to people who may benefit from it
or publish it on your company’s intra-net.
Go a step further and have it published by the
right magazines, newspapers or websites. Why not
write a book!
p.
Make a list
of your ‘target market’ - people you
need to focus on, on your way up the corporate
ladder – internally (in your own organisation)
and externally (your opposition, clients, potential
clients – even people you would like to
be friends with.) If you remain in integrity with
everyone and your intentions are always good,
you will be successful in your Self-Branding efforts.
If you step on others on your way up the ladder,
you will set yourself up for failure;
q.
q. Network with
the right people. Networking is one of the most
important activities of branding your self successfully.
See my article on Networking on my website www.successfactory.co.za.
Click on articles.
r.
You will be
known by the quality of your clients – make
sure they are the best. Your service delivery,
skills and knowledge will create more brand loyalty;
s.
If you come
across an article that may be of use to one of
your networking partners or an important ally
in your organisation, pass it on to them;
t.
Make yourself useful. Help others
whenever and wherever you can.
u.
Get yourself
a coach and mentor. Someone who has your best
interest at heart so that you can start achieving
your goals;
v.
Photo image
- don’t be shy to publish a very good photograph
of yourself on your website; on a report you wrote
for your company’s intra-net and your email
stationery. A well-respected, trusted brand is
recognisable!
w.
Work late or go to the office early
if the job requires it of you.
x.
Make sure that
the right people know who you are; what your capabilities
are; and what you ambitions are.
y.
Prove your worth – daily.
z.
Have courage. Think big. Dare. Do!
Don’t talk about your Self-Branding efforts to
others. JUST DO IT!
Services
Seta
Accreditation
SETQAA
Decision Number 2075
COMENSA
Membership
Number
J00147_MEMT_SF
Awards
The
Greenpepper Enterprise Award is awarded to South African companies
that excelled in their industries, created economic growth or new
job opportunities for the people of South Africa.
