I read a great article in one of the Promotional Product's Industry magazines that talks about branding and I wanted to share it with you.
Do you have a personal brand? Have you ever thought about it?
Branding is simply the emotional reactions and attachments that customers have to companies, products or services. Judgments about brand are created in the hearts and minds of customers.
A personal brand provides the same benefits as a corporate brand. Your brand is what you represent; what you stand for in the hearts and minds of others. It is not posing, pretending or posturing. It is about who you are every day, consistently.
Remember, it only takes a second for people to make decisions about everyone with whom they come in contact. While you are forming opinions about the people around you, they are doing the same. The way you dress, your business card, tone of voice, body language, work ethic and the words you use form mini impressions in the hearts and minds of others. These impressions are brand touch points, and collectively they form your brand image. You need to remain aware of and responsive to how your everyday actions create the impressions others have of you. Harness the power of your personal brand -- it helps you stand out from the crowd, demonstrate your value and help you sell yourself more successfully.
Following are five areas to focus on:
1. How you look. Whether you like it or not, you are judged on your appearance. Are you well dressed? Is your hairstyle both flattering and contemporary? Do you look well groomed? Do you look successful? You want to be judged on merit; but if you don't make a positive physical impression, you may never get a chance to impress others with your knowledge.
2. How you communicate. No matter how wonderful your physical impression, you have to support it with good communication skills. Your body language needs to say that you are confident and relaxed. Comfortable eye contact says that you believe what you're saying. Varying your vocal tone, pitch and pace says that you are worth listening to.
3. What you do. You can promise people the world, but if you don't follow through, your promises are meaningless. You need to be seen as someone others can count on in a pinch.
4. What you know. If you're asking people to believe in you and take your advice, you need to tell them. What makes you qualified will vary with what you're trying to do or sell. The key is in giving your listener the information needed to make an informed decision.
5. How you reach out. You need to make your communications compelling and effective. People will also want to do business with you based on what they see on paper or in an e-mail. Be aware of using proper grammar, and always check spelling and punctuation. Mistakes make you look unprofessional or uneducated.
Source: Laurie Brown is an international speaker, trainer and consultant who helps people improve their sales, service and presentation skills. She is the author of The Teleprompter Manual for Executives, Politicians, Broadcasters and Speakers.
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