What’s so special about you??
Whats so special about YOU??? That is a major question if you decide you want to brand yourself. It is like comparing shoes. Nike makes a better shoe than a 10 dollar pair of sneakers. A better product deserves a brand. So what is special about YOU that deserves to be recognized.
The first step to persoanl branding is visability.
Make a List
What makes you special? What skills do you possess that will get you noticed in the workplace or in the public eye?
After you have your list, Look it over and see what things you could improve on.
There’s no limit to the ways you can go about enhancing your personal profile. Try moonlighting! Sign up for an extra project inside your organization, just to introduce yourself to new colleagues and showcase your skills — or work on new ones. Or, if you can carve out the time, take on a freelance project that gets you in touch with a totally new group of people. If you can get them singing your praises, they’ll help spread the word about what a remarkable contributor you are.
If those ideas don’t appeal, try teaching a class at a community college, in an adult education program, or in your own company. You get credit for being an expert, you increase your standing as a professional, and you increase the likelihood that people will come back to you with more requests and more opportunities to stand out from the crowd.
If you’re a better writer than you are a teacher, try contributing a column or an opinion piece to your local newspaper. And when I say local, I mean local. You don’t have to make the op-ed page of the New York Times to make the grade. Community newspapers, professional newsletters, even inhouse company publications have white space they need to fill. Once you get started, you’ve got a track record — and clips that you can use to snatch more chances.
And if you’re a better talker than you are teacher or writer, try to get yourself on a panel discussion at a conference or sign up to make a presentation at a workshop. Visibility has a funny way of multiplying; the hardest part is getting started. But a couple of good panel presentations can earn you a chance to give a “little” solo speech — and from there it’s just a few jumps to a major address at your industry’s annual convention.
Pick up a new language. Nothing impresses people more than being able to speak in languages other than your native tongue. If you are fluent in several languages you can bridge culture gaps in your personal brand and open up a whole new marketplace for yourself.
All of these are great ways to get the word out there about YOU. Build on YOU and expand YOU and YOU will get noticed!!!
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