A personal brand is probably the most important thing to manage. Call it reputation, but I like the concept of a brand better. A reputation is only connected to the people you know, or have worked with. A brand can carry well beyond that.
It is sensual, visual, emotional and also part of your reputation. In any brand development program, one must be careful to only expend resources on the target markets that truly matter. If money or time is expended on the markets that don't matter, you've truly wasted your time. And there comes a critical time in a brand program whereby you might get this reaction: I don't really care, never really have, so stop bothering me. OK, big clue your personal brand is under attack! Run! Flee! Don't turn back! You're focusing on the wrong target market here, and they've let you know. But.......
The funny thing is that it is so hard to hear this, and we fight it. As a sales rep, my greatest weakness is that I try to win each and every deal. Sorry, can't help myself. However, I've learned to temper this. Not that I'm hearing the words I Don't Really Care, Never Really Have, So Stop Bothering Me but I need to have these as an internal barometer. Choosing the wrong target market, the one really doesn't want you or your product/service, will damage the brand development we are all working so hard to manage.
It is sensual, visual, emotional and also part of your reputation. In any brand development program, one must be careful to only expend resources on the target markets that truly matter. If money or time is expended on the markets that don't matter, you've truly wasted your time. And there comes a critical time in a brand program whereby you might get this reaction: I don't really care, never really have, so stop bothering me. OK, big clue your personal brand is under attack! Run! Flee! Don't turn back! You're focusing on the wrong target market here, and they've let you know. But.......
The funny thing is that it is so hard to hear this, and we fight it. As a sales rep, my greatest weakness is that I try to win each and every deal. Sorry, can't help myself. However, I've learned to temper this. Not that I'm hearing the words I Don't Really Care, Never Really Have, So Stop Bothering Me but I need to have these as an internal barometer. Choosing the wrong target market, the one really doesn't want you or your product/service, will damage the brand development we are all working so hard to manage.
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