SURPASS YOUR DREAMS--E-Weekly Action Tips

MONDAY MORNING ACTION TIP #294

BRAND YOURSELF

Follow us on Twitter...

Welcome to Surpass Your Dreams. The goal of the weekly tips is to help you recognize your potential and surpass your dreams. Included are tips for either transitioning into a career you love, excelling in the career you have now, or loving what you do for a living everyday.

If you are thinking about making these changes in your career, (and your life), Deborah Brown-Volkman offers 30-minute complimentary calls to those who want to experience coaching, to see if it is the right tool to help them move forward. To find out more, please visit http://www.surpassyourdreams.com.

Many people talk a lot about “branding” themselves. When I discuss branding with my clients, I hear the “overwhelm” in their voices. To them, branding seems like an insurmountable process. Branding is important, and it is doable. But first, it’s vital to understand what branding really is.

Branding, or your personal brand, means that you are zeroing in on what makes you different or unique in the workplace. Maybe you have extraordinary marketing skills. Maybe you are a whiz with numbers. Maybe you can write and speak exceptionally well. These skills, traits, and abilities are pointed out in your résumé and cover letter. They are also emphasized when you introduce yourself, as well as during interviews.

Your challenge this week is to discover your brand. There are seven elements to branding yourself*:

1. Brand Equity — your strengths.
2. Brand Advantage — your core competencies.
3. Brand Passion — your interests.
4. Brand Values — what you care most about.
5. Brand Essence — your personality traits.
6. Brand Image — your presentation and appearance.
7. Brand Reputation — how others see you and what they say about you.

*I saw this list on a blog called Mobile Talk. It sums up beautifully the elements needed to create your unique personal brand. Each one holds the clue to what makes you better, stronger, or faster than anyone else.

Branding will bring focus to your career. Focus is powerful. Once you tap into it, the people you’ll meet in your career will sense your strength. You’ll have that quality about you that they’ll admire. They’ll want to know and work with you.

So what do you say, you only have one life to live so it might as well be a life you love!