Apple has announced its latest innovations to much fanfare – just like it always does. The brand is known for not only its range of iconic products and amazing design but for its launches and promotion of the products.
Since around 2007, when Apple’s first iPhone was launched, brand management has come of age. No longer is it solely a professional marketing discipline, confined to managing the promotion of products.
Today brand management for both professional and personal brands, is also a masterstroke of self-promotion. To succeed in your career or business you don’t want to leave your reputation to chance; ideally you want to proactively differentiate yourself from the competition in a positive way.
Brand management can deliver significant benefits and opportunities to business executives, entrepreneurs and evolving leaders. If you are career savvy, it is time to consider how you can devise a personal brand, along the lines of product branding to get noticed.
Personal branding is popular right now.
As an executive or entrepreneur, you want the competitive edge that comes from establishing yourself as an expert and leader in your chosen field. You also want to inspire loyalty and respect in your core audiences, making personal branding even more appealing.
No matter what level of career success people attain, it is still important to communicate what you stand for and the benefits you offer in order to stay ahead of competitors. Personal branding is the perfect solution.
But before you position yourself as a guru in your niche market, you need to do your research first. Because personal branding relies on strength and consistency, it is vital to be clear about who you are.
You need to do a personal audit to determine your personal brand essence before you can build on it. Consider your personality, appearance, competencies and differentiation, and what will best communicate your unique message. You may find this quite challenging.
A solution is to think about what sets you apart from your peers, colleagues and competitors. This will not only give you a clearer understanding of who you are but with a bit of vocational soul-searching, give you a confidence boost as well.
When it comes to maintaining your personal brand, other tools to consider are personality profiling, colour analysis and image consultancy. These useful tools give you a clearer understanding of who you are, but can also be used to determine how you’re perceived by others and what your needs are.
These tools are particularly good for people forging an entrepreneurial path or wanting to stand out as a leader because they provide that much needed extra insight. Plus the “packaging” of your brand in a unique way, just like Apple products, will help you shine.
In terms of evolving your personal brand, all strong brands need to remain relevant to their target audience. Strive to stand out from the crowd by regularly assessing your strategy.
Your personal brand should be an accurate reflection of who you are, so integrate it with your unique style and personality. This not only increases your perceived value in the marketplace, but helps you live your personal brand and deliver on its promise.
In my free video series, NOOK, LOOK, HOOK, 3 Steps to Build a Stand Out Personal Brand, I share more about uncovering your personal brand and the art of self-promotion. Find out more here.
Sue Currie is a speaker and the author of IMPRESSario, Present and Promote the Star Within You. She is recognised as a leading authority on personal branding to boost image, profile, brand and business. Through her image management and profile building programs, workshops, consulting and keynote presentations, Sue helps businesses and entrepreneurs position and present an influential professional brand.
