I understand the importance of visibility. As a small business owner, being “known” can be the difference between a steady flow of revenue or closing your doors. Yet, being visible is not enough. Being remembered is most important and means you occupy some prime real estate in the mind of someone. Garnering “share of mind” means that somewhere along the way they sampled your character and competence and you became memorable.
Marketing, by definition, is creating an exchange environment. For an individual, that could mean exchanging a referral, speaking positively on your behalf, a promotion or an introduction. Branding, by definition, is an emotion or image tied to a product.
You are the product. [tweet this]
Even in businesses, people are the brand and define the company, more than any mere mission statement hanging in the lobby. So, how does an individual create “buzz” for their brand for visibility and more importantly to be remembered so that they can develop credibility?
1. Know what makes you unique.
Whether you’re job hunting or wanting a position on board of director’s, you need to confidently know what value you bring to the table.
2. Get really good at communicating what makes you valuable.
Ninety-three percent of communication is tone and body language. Spend time on the words so that what you say and how you communicate are congruent with your value. Yet, know that communication includes your image, the way you present yourself, your workspace, your phone skills and even your lunch meeting etiquette. They must all be congruent with what makes you valuable. Any discrepancies will jeopardize your credibility and could produce negative word of mouth which is a problem that I will address in future articles.
3. Manage that communication.
If you’re creating “buzz” around your brand, it will require you proactively managing the communication. For example, if you’re new to a company or a position you will need to build a credibility wall. Yes, a physical wall if possible. It showcases every plaque, certificate, service honor, licensing, certification and degree you’ve received. This wall is your visual third party testimonial on the character and competence of your brand. Since that wall cannot travel with you, make sure that anytime you’re honored for volunteer service or recognized for a contribution that a copy of the “thank you” letter, note or card be placed into you personnel file.
Even if you’re on your own, these “proof of credibility” tools will take you far. As the vice president of a business fraternity in college, I booked speakers to speak to our fraternity for professional development. I asked each of them to write a letter for me about their experience working with me so that I could include that in my personal portfolio. Many of these speakers went on to become regional directors, chief operation officers, chief financial officers, company presidents and further that my portfolio has become quite valuable. Actively “buzz” your brand! Doing that will develop credibility; credibility will lead to influence; and influence will lead to leadership.
This past week we covered:
- Start Your Own Business in 2014 by Crystal Washington
- Why Cheating is the Secret to Success by Nance Rosen
- Why Online Job Applications are Not Effective by Ceren Cubukcu
- 6 Ways to Work Smarter in 2014 by Heather Huhman
- Communication Style Magnetically Attracts Your Clientele by Elinor Stutz
- Taking Action: An Interview with LVLXIII CEO Antonio Brown by Bill Connolly
- Why I Fired One of My Business Coaches by Eddy Ricci
- New Year’s Resolution: Quit My Job by Richard Kirby
- The Civic 50: A Guide To Boosting Your Corporate Civic Engagement by Antoinne Machal-Cajigas
- While in Transition, Focus – But on What? by Alex Freund
- Increase Brand Loyalty Through Giving by Susan Gilbert
- Three Words for 2014 by Jeff Shuey
- How Much Growth is Healthy? When is Maintenance Better? by Beth Kuhel
- How to Increase Social Media Engagement by Leslie Truex
- 15 Qualities for Becoming the Ideal Job Seeker by Ken Sundheim
- Building Your Brand in 3 Easy Steps by Nick Inglis
- 3 Methods to Build Your Personal Vocabulary by Marc Miller
Some tidbits from last week’s posts that are useful and that you can tweet about are:
- It is of utmost importance that before posting a résumé, it be solid and strong. You never know where it could end up. http://ow.ly/sshUh [tweet this]
- There is brilliance in simplicity: have a clear message and don’t get caught up in anything but what you’re focused on. http://ow.ly/ssl89 [tweet this]
- Asking others how you can help them during an interview uncovers needs you may be able to address. http://ow.ly/ssnhW [tweet this]
- To find a good mentor, you have to put the time and effort to find the right one whom you feel confident with. http://ow.ly/ssnDI [tweet this]
- Twitter is one of the easiest platforms to connect with other influencers and potential customers for your brand. http://ow.ly/ssqvj [tweet this]
- Success is directly tied to others. Embracing humility, serendipity and giving back can make 2014 the best year yet. http://ow.ly/sstn1 [tweet this]
- Advice should stand on its own merit, not by the behavior of the advisor: no one is capable of upholding all truths. http://ow.ly/ssugu [tweet this]
- Before setting 2014 goals, review your 2013 goals and your progress toward achieving them. http://ow.ly/sswgZ [tweet this]
- Your LinkedIn photo should make the kind of impression you want to project through your personal brand. http://ow.ly/sswv3 [tweet this]
- Connecting personally and striving to build solid relationships serves to build your personal brand. http://ow.ly/ssC4z [tweet this]
- According to a recent study by 1 and 1, 53% of American adults have considered starting their own business. http://ow.ly/ssCz8 [tweet this]
- High achievers consistently look like they are cheating, because they work faster and produce more and better outcomes. http://ow.ly/ssCSF [tweet this]
- It’s always better to connect with the person that you are going to work with in the future rather than with the HR personnel. http://ow.ly/ssE4k [tweet this]
- Planning your work day and understanding your personal work ethic helps accomplish more than you ever thought it could. http://ow.ly/ssGvD [tweet this]
- It is yourcommunication style that essentially sells your personal brand. http://ow.ly/ssHzN [tweet this]
- A coach’s job is to clarify, understand situations and make sure they are on the same page with you. http://ow.ly/ssIbl [tweet this]
- The best time to look for a new job is when you’re employed and doing well in your current role. http://ow.ly/ssJmM [tweet this]
- 88% of companies now evaluate their employees’ performance in part based on their participation in community service. http://ow.ly/st8mn [tweet this]
- The most important element in brand marketing is people. What better way to connect with your audience than with giving? http://ow.ly/st8nC [tweet this]
- 60-80% of people get their jobs via networking. http://ow.ly/st8ou [tweet this]
Thank you for your comments and feedback! And, most importantly thanks for taking the time to read and join us here!
