In a tough business climate, there has never been a more important time to STAND OUT from the crowd.
It’s no secret that the world of work has changed forever. The internet, globalization and increased competition have forced companies, entrepreneurs and employees to move at much greater speed in an environment where change is the only constant and innovation the key to success. Companies used to want loyalty and longevity from their employees; they now treasure innovation. Conformity is the enemy of innovation and successful companies know this. They actively search for and highly value a diverse, highly creative and flexible workforce. They know and accept that employees will not be with them for ever, however, whilst they are with them, companies want and expect the best from their employees and key to this is creativity and innovation.
To be successful in such a crowded and highly competitive market place, businesses, entrepreneurs, teams and individuals all have to make sure they stand out and clearly differentiate themselves from the myriad of others who seemingly offer similar services and products. Corporate Branding is a familiar concept for most people, however, it is Personal Branding that is the new millennium’s hottest topic.
As Tom Peters, bestselling author and business management practice guru said in his groundbreaking article published in FastCompany magazine in July 1997:
“Big companies understand the importance of brands, however, today, in the Age of the Individual, you have to be your own brand…
…It’s time for me — and you — to take a lesson from the big brands, a lesson that’s true for anyone who’s interested in what it takes to stand out and prosper in the new world of work.
Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.
It’s that simple — and that hard. And that inescapable.”
The harsh truth is that the world is a much more competitive place than it was even five years ago, and businesses are having to focus more and more on clearly and consistently communicating their brand values both on and offline if they are to retain their customer base and successfully attract new clients. As mentioned earlier, the same rule now applies to entrepreneurs and individuals as the boundaries between ‘employed’ and self.-employed’ become increasingly blurred in the new world of work.
In today’s global market, many businesses and professionals compete for the same contracts, clients and jobs. In the end it’s their Reputation, or Brand, that sets them apart from their competitors and peers. Their Brand builds over time, both in the ‘real’ world and online (internet / web 2.0), and becomes synonymous with how people describe them to others, their experience of them and the value they know they can expect from them.
Strong Brands command a premium even in a highly competitive market, whereas generic brands primarily compete on price. During tough economic times, strong brands – corporate and individual – survive and even flourish, whereas many weak brands disappear from the map or suffer serious setbacks.
Corporate & Personal Branding is therefore the most effective way to clarify and communicate what makes you, your team and your business different, special, and valuable to your target audience. It does not mean creating a fake image for the outside world. Branding is all about authenticity, relevance and a unique promise of value.
The fact is that you already have a Brand whether you have consciously developed it or not. They key is to discover whether your Brand is actively supporting or sabotaging your business and career goals and how best you can manage the Branding process.
Joanne Shawcross is a New York trained Personal Branding expert, speaker and coach. She has an international, multi-cultural b
ackground in General Management, Human Resources, Corporate and Personal Image Consultancy. She is fluent in English and Spanish and has been coaching multi-disciplinary teams of professionals and entrepreneurs in career management and professional development for over 20+ years in Spain and Latin America.
Joanne has a natural talent to easily connect and relate to people. She uses her passion and enthusiasm for people and business together with revolutionary Corporate and Personal Brand Management strategies to motivate and inspire companies, teams and individuals to successfully develop, communicate and manage their authentic, relevant and compelling brands.
In conjunction with Rebuzzna Communication, Joanne will be presenting a Personal Branding Keynote speech at ParcBit, Mallorca on 30th of September 2010.
