Golden Job

It's all about Job and Career!

The next phase to attract new clients for your business isn’t necessarily in the way of snazzy marketing techniques, it’s bigger than that. So what is it and what do business consultants and professionals need to know to stay ahead of the massive changes that are about to occur in the realm of marketing their services?

It’s personal branding!

What is personal branding?

It is your own personal signature that is unique to you and to you only. It leaves an impression on those that you come into contact with. It could be positive, negative or indifferent. But whatever it is, it must be memorable in such a cluttered market space that you as the individual stand out and stand out for all of the right reasons.

It’s a dog eat dog world out there and if you want to stand out and attract new clients you’re going to need to lift your game and develop your own individual brand. You are literally your own billboard after all aren’t you?

We’re running out of ways in which we can differentiate ourselves from one another. I guarantee that what is unique about you is also the same selling point hundreds of other consultants are currently pushing. Simply conduct a Google search on your competitors and you’ll see what I mean.

This then ultimately leaves us to focus on our own individual personal brands to in-still positive impressions that assist in converting more prospects. We literally need to see ourselves as a complete package and ask ourselves if that package is marketable and will it be attractive to prospective clients?

To develop this package and your own brand, the following needs to be carefully considered;

Creating the Package of You – The first person you need to sell yourself too is you and if you don’t like what you see then why will others? Clearly define who you are as a person in your field, what’s unique about you, personality traits, your image, the way that you manage clients. Identify these clearly, are they marketable or do you need to groom yourself to become so?

Visibility – Developing your own individual brand is phenomenal, however if you’re not being seen you’re not going to be attracting new clients. Networking is one of the most cost effective ways to brand yourself effectively to generate referrals. Attend the same networking events consistently so everybody recognises you. Be the first to introduce yourself, start conversations and be the person that everyone loves. If this isn’t you, work on it. It is a skill that can be learned. Other areas to make yourself visible are YouTube, Facebook, blogging and local papers.

Consistency – Whatever exposure you can get is fantastic. Consistency is king. If they don’t see you they forget you! Get out there in your market place, write articles and have your picture plastered everywhere. If you receive media exposure, plaster it all over your website and send the link to the article to your clients. Leverage the hell out of it.

Relevant/In front – The ideal personal brand is someone like Seth Godin or Richard Branson. They always remain relevant and in front of their competitors in the market space in which they play. Think leader of the pack in your industry and you have a brand that is saleable.

Culture – Know the culture of your industry and be willing to push new boundaries, ask questions everyone else is too afraid to ask. It is important that you stand for something as a person and as a personal brand. By doing so you may potentially polarise those around you into two categories, those that are raving fans and those that can’t stand you. This is the perfect situation to be in, after all is there any one person on this earth that everyone loves? I very much doubt it, even Oprah has her critics. Critics are a healthy part of ongoing development, if no one is criticising your work then no one really cares enough about what you do?

Image – What you wear will ultimately determine how people treat you and how you treat yourself. Don’t attend business events dressed like everyone else in the room. Men, wear a stand out tie, women wear unique pieces of jewellery that people are going to gush over. The minor details make the major differences in memorability.

Reinvention – Part of building your personal brand is reinventing yourself on a regular basis to ensure you stay current and relevant to your ever changing ever growing consumer base. Watch videos on YouTube to observe what the rest of the world is doing, there is a wealth of information online available at your fingertips that will assist you in gaining the cutting edge. Artists such as Kylie Minogue and Madonna have continually re-invented themselves over the years. Why should business consultants be any different? Clients want to know that you’re innovative, leading the pack and the best in your field. A failure to reinvent is a failure to market yourself effectively.

These are all key aspects of branding yourself as the complete package that your clients want to buy. Focus on these and you will find that you attract new clients at the drop of a hat. Failure to do so and you’re just going to be another business consultant looking for just another client.

Everyone has a personal brand, but most people are not aware of this and do not manage it strategically, consistently or effectively. You should take control of your brand and the message it sends and affects how others perceive you. This will help you to grow in a specific direction and distinguish yourself as an exceptional professional.

Most traditional personal branding concepts focus mainly on personal marketing, image building, selling, outward appearances, promoting oneself, and becoming famous, which can easily veer into an ego trip and lead to perceptions of egocentricity and selfishness. They define personal branding from a personal marketing (selling) point of view.

Personal branding is more than just marketing and promoting yourself. Your personal brand is the synthesis of all the expectations, images, and perceptions it creates in the minds of others, when they see or hear your name. Consider the images which come to mind when we think of some well-known individuals:

Most people see Oprah Winfrey as powerful and influential, but also warm and caring.

Tiger Woods is considered an intense competitor and the greatest golfer in the world.

Bill Gates brings to mind gadgets, geeks, and philanthropy.

Donald Trump is associated with ego and a decisive ruthlessness.

Mother Teresa is the epitome of helping the poor, selflessness and saintly behavior.

Albert Einstein is remembered as a great and gentle genius.

Barack Obama is seen as a man of intelligence, integrity and vision, who is fighting for change. His passion for change is the pillar of his authentic personal brand, and it is the primary theme of many of his speeches. “America is a land of big dreamers and big hopes. . . And it is because our dreamers dreamed that we have emerged from each challenge more united, more prosperous, and more admired than before. . . The true test of the American ideal is whether . . . chance of birth or circumstance decides life’s big winners and losers, or whether we build a community where, at the very least, everyone has a chance to work hard, get ahead, and reach their dreams. . . I don’t want to settle for anything less than real change, fundamental change – change we need – change that we can believe in. It’s change that I’ve been fighting for for over two decades. Because those dreams – American dreams – are worth fighting for.”

Note how many times he references authentic dreams. Barack Obama has succeeded by living according to his dream and doing related work that he loves. It’s important to be true to your own dreams and to become the CEO of your personal brand.

The Genius Within You

Anyone can deliver peak performances and be successful in life, because all of us have the genius within us to do so. Success is not something that will come automatically or something that the world will define for you. It’s what you define in your ambitious dream (hope) and in the way you pursue this dream. Remember what Marva Collins said: “Success doesn’t come to you . . . you go to it.” You must have a dream in life, follow your heart and love what you do, if you expect exceptional success. Take the initiative and the responsibility to develop, implement and cultivate your authentic dream, and keep it at the forefront of your mind each day.

Your personal brand should be authentic. Authentic personal branding provides a roadmap for a journey toward a happier and more successful life. Your personal brand should therefore emerge from your search for your identity and meaning in life, and it is about getting very clear on what you want, fixing it in your mind, giving it all your positive energy, doing what you love, and developing yourself continuously. Your personal brand should reflect your true character, and should be built on your values, strengths, uniqueness, and genius. If you are branded in this organic, authentic and holistic way, your personal brand will be strong, clear, and valuable to others. You will also create a life that is fulfilling and you will automatically attract the people and opportunities that are a perfect fit for you.

If you are not branded in any unique way, if you don’t deliver according to your brand promise, or if you focus mainly on simply selling and promoting yourself, you could be perceived as egocentric, selfish, and a unique jerk – and branding will be a cosmetic and dirty business.

Love and Respect

Love is an important element in this personal branding equation. It is about loving yourself (self-respect), loving others, and loving what you do. You should love yourself in at least equal measure to others or things. This can be found in most religions: “to love others as you love yourself.” Abraham Maslow said, “We can only respect others when we respect ourselves. We can only give, when we give to ourselves. We can only love, when we love ourselves.” Without knowing who you are, it’s very difficult to love yourself or others. You need to make a positive emotional connection with yourself and find yourself interesting before others can do the same.

An organic, holistic and authentic personal brand will help you unlock your potential and build a trusted image that you can project in everything you do; a brand that is in harmony with your dreams, life purpose, values, passion, specialization and genius.

With an authentic personal brand, your strongest attributes and values can separate you from the crowd. Without it, you look just like everyone else.