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3 Reasons Why Everyone Should Have a Personal Brand

3 Min Read
Sara   |   December 11, 2018
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I believe that company branding is the most important element today when it comes to success in attracting potential and returning customers. Nowadays, it is not only companies that need to ensure they are differentiating themselves through their branding however.

It is individuals too.

Personal branding is the art of promoting yourself and one, core skill to sell yourself in life and in work. It is the tool that distinguishes candidates and ensures you are memorable against others who are competing for the same jobs. It seems everyone has a degree these days, and is seeking more certifications, awards or listing new and exciting experiences. Therefore, when relying on traditional recruitment methods, it is getting harder and harder to see the difference between hiring certain people above others. That’s when having a Personal Brand comes in to help understand someone's reputation and what level of expertise they can bring to the table. Here are the three main reasons why having a Personal Brand helps people be more competitive.

 

1. Distinguish An Area of Expertise

When building a personal brand, it is important to decide what area of expertise you want to be recognised for. Ask yourself: “What can I offer that will help a company make money or save money?”. For example, if a “Marketing” graduate claims to be an expert in Marketing - it is difficult to understand how specifically. Instead, it would make more sense for a marketer to highlight what area of marketing they have mastered throughout their experience such as Market Research, Social Media Management, or Content writing. Focusing on things that brought an ROI or “Return On Investment” such as, the percentage open rates increased by when they started writing email headers, will be a more tangible asset for a company in need of a Content Marketer.

 

2. Leaving a Digital Footprint

The lines between our personal and work lives are becoming increasingly blurred, so some advice I give to job seekers is to publish work related achievements or events on their social media profiles, especially if they are related to their niche specialisation. This way they are building an online portfolio of “what they want to be known for” in the eyes of friends, contacts and colleagues. Seeing someone promote themselves through things they've done helps employers see the value they can bring. Moreover, it reveals their passion for their niche inside and outside of work, excitement and pride in the results. These qualities are incredibly appealing and helps to identify the "Golden Star" candidates

 

3. Build Trust and Credibility

Trust is so important when it comes to anything in life. You just don’t do business with someone that you don’t trust. Naturally, it is easier for a company to hire someone who has gained their trust. Someone who is being open with their personal and professional development allows others to trust they are legitimate and trustworthy. Being discoverable under the social media spotlight not only builds a credible brand but also earns trust.

 

Personal branding is important when looking to transition into a new job, but is also vital to move up within a company as well. For larger enterprises, visibility across departments or between offices can be limited so the quiet, "head down" type of employee who just gets on with the tasks at hand without going that extra mile may be forgotten in favour of those that do. Gaining respect and appreciation of your talents builds confidence in your abilities. In an era of “likes, shares and comments”, if these talents are recognised and endorsed by others too, people outside your network are going to feel more confident someone is as great as they say they are. Everyone can see their capabilities and know you are someone that can be relied on and can get the job done. Check out my Facebook page for more tips and tricks on how to showcase your skills by using your Personal Brand.

 

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We were the proud partners of World Forum Disrupt’s Women of the Web event last week which saw over 250 smart and engaged female leaders from the front lines of Sydney’s most influential digital organisations, come together to learn, share knowledge, connect and eat banana bread together. The irony of the event being hosted above an old-fashioned Gentleman's Club was not lost on us, but the energy and empowerment from that room was strong enough to drown out any whiffs of cigar smoke, single malt whisky, or patriarchal leanings that may have been lingering in the air.

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  • Equal Pay
  • Building inclusive and equal company culture
  • Breaking into C-Level leadership
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  • Corporate social responsibility
  • Embracing obstacles and redefining 'failures'

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Purpose to Profit: The New Business Paradigm

 

The argument for companies to elevate social purpose within their business priorities rather than hide them away within “Corporate Social Responsibility” initiatives is becoming impossible to ignore.

J.Walter Thompson research  adds to global evidence, revealing that:

  •  89% of respondents “care personally” about protecting the planet
  •   83% would always pick the brand that has a better record of sustainability
  • 90% agree that companies/brands have a responsibility to take care of the planet and its people.

From Unilever’s success through sustainability to Adidas’s selling over a million shoes made from ocean plastic, the uplift to these businesses’ bottom line is proof that doing good is good for business. Susie shared her own purpose journey and that of Guardian Australia, demonstrating that everyone can make a change through their work.

debbie sale

“My Purpose journey started at the age of seven, making my best friend help me run a sale for the Cancer Research Campaign in her garden! I was obsessed with reading about inequality all over the world and through history and really wanted to make a difference in the world. Before university, I taught English for 6 months at a Tanzanian high school, climbing Mount Kilmanjaro with the students. Then, with a deep interest in understanding people and their motivations, I studied Social Psychology. But after I graduated, I got distracted by having fun marketing Paramount, Universal and 20th Century Fox films.”

 

A New Chapter

Susie came to Australia looking for change, and unfulfilled by her first role at a publisher, was delighted when she was contacted about a role at The Guardian.  The news publisher’s unique ownership by The Scott Trust ensured editorial independence and Susie loved their in-depth reporting on areas that weren’t getting the media attention they deserved, including immigration, indigenous issues and the environment.

Joining “Guardian Labs”, the content team, as a Group Account Director, she was responsible for creating ideas and innovative solutions that would help brands connect with readers to achieve their commercial goals.  6 years since its launch in Australia, The Guardian was rapidly increasing audience numbers (now over 5 million Australians) but reach no longer equated to revenue. All publishers faced a challenge: with Google and Facebook taking almost all new digital advertising dollars, how could news pay its way?

Other publishers assumed people wouldn’t pay for content and resorted to clickbait to maximise advertising impressions or thought the only way to get reader support was to gate content behind a paywall. The Guardian chose a different, unique path,  predicated on their unique ownership structure and inspired by their mission

“Through clarity and imagination, we will make space for hope”. 

They supplemented advertising and brand content by asking those who valued them for voluntary support -through reader contributions and philanthropy. With this mixed revenue model, The Guardian broke even and their unique purpose now makes their civic journalism sustainable.

 

Finding “Ikigai”

At 2015’s Purpose conference, Susie came across the Japanese concept of “Ikigai”. She realised this captured the pivot she wanted to undertake and looked at how her work could drive positive change which also achieved client objectives. She started to show clients and The Guardian alike the value of creating content that connected to the audience through their values and purpose.

IkigaiIt’s 4 years since she started this journey, demonstrating a totally new way of working and it hasn’t always been easy.  The hard work has now paid off and her new role allows her to create purpose-led brand partnerships with influential partners from Bank Australia to Powershop.  She’s even partnered with Coca Cola, highlighting that 70% of their bottles are now made from recycled plastic, providing a pathway to a circular economy.

This work fulfils The Guardian’s mission statement “using clarity and imagination to inspire hope.”.  It provides organisations with an authentically relevant way to scale their positive impact by investing in storytelling from The Guardian’s trusted voice.  

 

What’s your Purpose?

Susie is adamant that, whilst it can be hard, everyone can make change through their work. “If you feel like you want more purpose, think about what you care about and what the world needs - finding out more from initiatives like The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

You don’t have to leave big business to bring purpose to your work. Once you know what impact you want to create, mastering intrapreneurship can help you achieve it:

  •              Make a compelling business case (Providing data to back up your hunches)
  •              Negotiate your internal political system (Identify the decision makers)
  •              Build communities of purpose (advocates within your business)
  •              Learn from existing stories and models (do more with less) and
  •              Foster personal resilience (be obsessed with your mission and spend time with your supporters)

Connect with the League of Intrapreneurs for more 

Susie believes that together, we can be a force for change. Purposeful business makes sense for all business and is proven to help companies better innovate, invest, serve customers and engage employees. She recommends communicating purposeful initiatives effectively to see maximum return on investment, ideally with a trusted third party voice such as Guardian Labs.


“You can choose courage. Or you can choose comfort. You can’t choose both.”

She concluded with Brené Brown’s quotation, encouraging us to choose the former. Read more content from the Women of the Web event below.

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