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Have you thought about what makes almost everyone choose peak milk over any other milk in the Nigeria market or why children prefer Coca-cola over Pepsi at a birthday party? The answer is simple – Branding. These products might not necessarily be the best, but with the way they are branded and advertised, they have succeeded in winning over the many hearts of its customers. More so, they have stayed long enough in the market and have been able to understand its targeted customers so well. This causes them to keep bringing up new products or rebranding their products in a way that it appeals most delectably to the masses as well as remain competitive with other brands.
But then, branding is not just for products anymore. It also involves people, which we know as SELF BRANDING. You may ask, what is branding? Branding is a promise of value & quality. It is all about building a reputation for great service, honesty and trust.
In the career aspect, a lot of people are always asking 'why others are more successful than they are?' okay lets take an example of Bill Gates, we all know his story, he took the leap of faith and proceeded to act on his ideas and knowledge. Today he is an entrepreneur and his company is highly successful, he has made a name for himself. So much that whenever, you hear of Microsoft Bill Gates comes to your mind. Branding played a critical role in achieving such an enviable status. Many people probably called him a crazy man at the initial stage when he opted to quit school and pursue his ambition; but the point is that he has built a successful career, created more jobs in his country, revolutionalized the IT industry, helped millions of people around the world through his foundation and has made lots of money too. I have no doubt that he is a fulfilled man.
So back to the topic again, 'How can one brand his/her career successfully? Branding is all about building a reputation for yourself, showing what it is that sets you apart from the rest of the crowd. You can successfully brand yourself by choosing to live intentionally. That way you can consciously take charge and responsibility of your actions and do things for a reason. Don\'t just wake up in the morning to do what every other person does. That is a mediocre way of life, rather make your decisions because it is the right thing to do and you will be proud any time to defend your actions if the need arises. Think long term and standard too.
For example, you are a job seeker, 'has the thought of branding yourself ever crossed your mind?' Most jobseekers are not very proactive in establishing their career brand. Let\'s say you were invited over for an interview, and you turn up an hour late, looking shabbily dressed. You have obviously given the interviewer the impression that you are the wrong person for the job, even if you are an 'A' student.
So also the people that have a job, but are not contributing towards the growth of their company. Or maybe you are contributing but your efforts aren\'t noticeable simply because you are not VISIBLE in the organization. The result of this situation is that someone else will take the credit at the end of the day. You need to do something fast otherwise you will not be useful to the organization in the near future.
By the way, how can you enjoy earning a salary without showing anything or contributing positively? That is age old industrial thinking. Those days during our parents time when you have so many companies recruiting in mass. You can get away without performing much and still get a paycheck. Now there are crises and downturn, so many companies are having financial problems and are retrenching people frequently. Some intentionally want to minimize expenses and maximize profit. The job that is supposed to be done by five people can now be carried out by one person with the help of computer. You can\'t run away from the sledge hammer with the notion that you are a good team player, because most times you will be given a role to carry out without supervision. The moment you mess up, you are immediately dismissed, and some one else will gladly take over your position. Remember the number of people searching for jobs surpasses the number with jobs today in our country. The only way to get ahead is to acquire more skills, knowledge about what you do and then brand yourself in such a way that will make you visible in your organization.
Branding will give you the unfair advantage that you desire. Look at other successful people watch what they do and learn from them. That is the only way you can get better at what you do. Experience, commitment and attitude speak volumns. So with all that, I have no doubt that you will begin putting more effort into branding yourself in the following area's;
- Your career (acquire more knowledge)
- General appearance
- Your dress sense (dress for success)
- Your attitude to work
- Your communication pattern
- Your presentation skills
- Your personal hygiene
- Your integrity (never compromise standards)
- Your networking style etc.
PUT into action what you have learned from this piece on branding and then watch your career skyrocket to the next level. Success is ours. You will, you can and you must achieve it.
Wishing you Success,
Vick
About the Author: Author & entrepreneur
