"Strategic branding is long-term, underpinned by deep insights into the market, and goes to the core of the offering.
"So in developing your own brand, ask yourself some inside-out questions: What are my values? What do I want to be known for? What are my strengths and weaknesses? Also, consider some outside-in questions: What is the market/my boss looking for? How can I differentiate myself from competitors? Which aspects of my work matter most? Questions such as these will help you shape your own brand. Don't look for quick fixes but for the sustainable development of YOU (Inc)."
Some fundamental principles of branding can be easily transferred to YOU (Inc). "Firstly, the market has to be aware of the brand. In a promotion context this means that those responsible for promotions have to be aware of you, your performance and your career aspirations. Being good is one thing. Being known to be good is another.
"Secondly, successful brands tend to have a strong brand image. Their image is built on favourable, strong and unique brand associations. Think of your favourite brand. You will have a positive impression of it, you know what the brand is about and what it stands for, and you will be aware of its point of difference from competing brands. You can apply these same principles to your career.
"This step can be trying for those who are just starting out, but embrace the challenge. Differentiation and relevance are important, otherwise your job application has zero stickiness."
He adds, "Again, think long-term and develop YOU (Inc) to be in unison with your inside-out and outside-in questions. Following these steps in all aspects of your career, particularly in highly visible social networks such as LinkedIn or Facebook is important."
For companies, hiring a person is a risky business. "Developing YOU (Inc) will reduce that risk for the employer and make you a sought-after brand."
Senior lecturer in the Department of Marketing at The University of Auckland, Dr Richard G. Starr jnr, agrees that a social media presence is vital for self-branding.
"I've noticed that whenever I need to phone someone, I just Google them to get the number. What comes up first on the search? Invariably LinkedIn.
"It's important that people spend time and effort on their profile - it's personal branding they'll maintain even when they move to another company. Whatever is on their old company's website will be removed."
Starr says that when considering whether personal branding is important, consider the economic background. Where there are job shortages, it's easy to find work if you've got the right skills, but when there's an excess of people for a particular job, which is more usual, personal brand is vital. It also helps with being noticed for promotion.
A LinkedIn profile carries a network and endorsements - vital for personal branding. Facebook, of course, needs to be used with caution. Starr says younger or less experienced employees should purge any information/pictures about them that could make them less appealing for employment. "Employers tend to look at these things carefully."
He adds: "Even the most experienced of us are naive about the digital future. There is no privacy, so be careful. The upside is that there are great opportunities to create your brand and it's essentially costless - this enables us to do things that we could not achieve in the past."
Networking outside the company is another way to build your brand. "Getting involved with organisations such as Rotary, Toastmasters, the Chamber of Commerce or charities is an interesting way to increase network contacts.
"It's about visibility and presence and communicating a clear and consistent view of who you are. If you are going in 30 different directions, it's difficult for people to see what you actually do."
If you are trying to get noticed within your company, Starr says, "You need to be aware of the internal politics of an organisation. You need the company to know who you are, how you see yourself and what you have to offer. For them to know this, you need to know it. You need to have a good sense of what you're offering."
If, however, the company's needs are not consistent with what you're wanting to bring in, and if your values are not consistent with those of the organisation, Starr says it may be better to look elsewhere to grow your brand.
"You own your brand and your career, yet corporates want to own you. It's a delicate balance."
The components of your personal brand are: who you are, what you do, how you do it, and how you communicate in all ways: through your manner, dress, appearance, speech, email, body language, etc.
Of all things, Starr says, it's important to be authentic and to really live your brand. "An example of people who have seen their personal brand destroyed are Lance Armstrong, Bill Clinton and now Bill Cosby. I ask my students what they think of when you mention the name Bill Clinton, and they laugh - they're not thinking of a successful US President, they're thinking of Monica Lewinsky."
• To obtain a workbook for building your own personal brand, PricewaterhouseCoopers has an excellent one at: http://www.pwc.com/us/en/careers/campus/assets/img/programs/personal-brand-workbook.pdf
