USING CONTENT TO BRAND YOURSELF FOR SUCCESS

What do Fortune 500 firms, your favorite café, Hollywood celebrities, professional athletes and social media stars have in common? Each invests time and money into creating and protecting a very important aspect of their business: their brand. Branding sets these companies and individuals apart from their competition – and their success depends on it.

That’s why every professional, no matter what field or industry, should learn the value of combining professional credentials with a personal brand. If you’re new to the concept, this guide will take you through developing and maintaining a personal brand for your career success.

What is Personal Branding?

Think of your favorite shoe brand, coffee chain, clothing store and restaurant. Each has qualities that make it different from the rest, and inspire you to choose it instead of other options. Now, transfer that line of thinking to yourself. What makes you different from others in your field? How can you communicate your unique qualities to current and potential employers, colleagues and networks?

When you create a personal brand, you create a way to communicate your value and professional reputation to the rest of the world. The first step is to combine your professional credentials and personal qualities.

Think Beyond Your Credentials

Thanks to modern technology, professionals today have access to more training, education and certification courses than ever, each offering tools that can help them achieve success. It’s clear that earning a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or professional credential – such as a Mini MBA Certificate – can make you more marketable and enhance your resume. But today’s employers are looking for more than just outstanding credentials.

Build Your Personal Brand to Build Success

Your resume can only communicate the facts: the degrees and certifications you’ve earned, your work experience, and the skills you offer. At best, a great resume opens doors – but offers no guarantee of success. This is where your personal brand becomes important. Your brand can do the job of communicating the qualities that make you different – and worth a second look.

Along with the valuable skills and knowledge you can gain from advancing your education, you need a plan for how you’ll achieve your goals and long-term career success. One key to consistent success is establishing a strong professional reputation. Start by asking yourself:

• What accomplishments am I most proud of?
• What strengths and personal traits make me stand out?
• What skills do I possess?
• What do others say are my best qualities?
• What can I do better than anyone else?

Once you’ve determined your strengths and standout qualities, the next step is to create a message that will communicate your story quickly and completely to your audience.

In this competitive business environment, your reputation is the product you are selling. Your brand is what others will think of each time they think of you, so take the time to protect and manage your professional reputation.

Protecting Your Personal Brand

Protecting your brand means ensuring that what others think about you is in line with your goals. It begins on the Internet. Once something about you is posted online, it’s difficult to remove it, so think about your goals each time you post a photo, respond to an article, write a blog post or comment on a discussion. Remember, your online activity reflects on your professional reputation, so take the time to regularly review your status.

Here are five tips to protect your brand:

1. One negative comment can derail your carefully crafted brand reputation, so respond with care. Don’t ignore a negative comment. Quickly and politely respond. Apologize whenever you’ve stepped on someone’s toes. Avoid mistakes at all costs, but when one is made, own it.
2. Resist the temptation to vent online, even if others are making you feel angry or defensive. You may be better off ignoring a discussion, rather than adding to it. Ask yourself if your actions will enhance or hinder your personal brand.
3. Monitor your presence on social media platforms. What is being said about you? What sort of reaction do your comments receive? Do you need to tone down your rhetoric? Learn the difference between a malicious comment and a genuine disagreement.
4. Politely defend yourself against any rumors of false allegations you may find.
5. Conduct regular Google searches of your name, and stay on top of the results. Are potential employers seeing what you want them to see?

Combine Your Qualifications with a Stellar Personal Brand for Long-Term Success

You are more than what your job title or work experience say you are. But without a personal brand, you may have difficulty promoting your best qualities and standing out from the crowd. Create a plan to reach your career goals and experience success. Be sure it includes continuously learning the skills needed in your industry, as well as developing and maintaining an outstanding professional reputation.