Adopting a personal brand for success

Helen Clark, Richard Branson, Tony Blair and Madonna apparently have it, while Don Brash and Bill Gates are improving. It's strong personal branding - the ability to sell yourself and your ideas so you are heard and people know what you stand for. Far from being a touchy-feely concept, personal branding is being sought by career professionals on a regular basis, say HR and motivational trainers.

Frank Pohl, director of learning and people development for management training firm Encore, says 'personal brand' is a marketing term developed in the late 90s and describes knowing, articulating and living your unique selling points.

"People undergo a period of self exploration to discover these unique differentiators, then test them with a training coach or by talking to colleagues," says Pohl.

International educationalist and personal branding guru William Arruba says a strong personal brand exhibits the 'three Cs' common to all branding: clarity, consistency, and constancy.

"People with strong brands are clear about who they are and who they are not and have a unique promise of value that sets them apart," says Arruba.

He says consistency describes a brand that keeps on doing what it is known for, even if it is to consistently change as Madonna does, while constancy is about remaining visible and present to a specific target audience.

"People with [constancy in their] personal brand are always there for customers, prospects and those who can help them achieve their professional goals. American talk show host Oprah Winfrey never goes into hiding," says Arruba.

While anything involving Oprah is likely to be labelled lightweight by the average New Zealander, international human branding experts insist the benefits of personal branding are sound. These include higher pay or fees, career growth during economic downturns, choice of business clients, assignments or positions, and easier career transitions.

Similarly, a poor personal brand can result in lost opportunities for worthy individuals.

Pohl says advances in information and communications technology means people are much more easily accessed, seen, observed and heard. If they're unsure of what they want to say, or prefer to just keep their heads down and work, they're likely to be passed over for other candidates when it comes to promotional opportunities, pay rises and praise. It would be nice if sincerity was enough, but it isn't.

Author and motivator Andrea Molloy says an employer faced with two equally qualified and competent candidates will always choose the one that communicates the most clearly and that presents well. She says while 'be yourself' is still good advice, if that self is introverted or could do with a spruce up, it's worth the investment.

"Personal branding enhances your positive points, it doesn't make you into someone you are not" says Molloy.

Both trainers work on the precept that first impressions create a long-lasting perception. Molloy says psychological research reveals 55 per cent of first impressions are formed by the physical appearance of the individual, and 38 per cent by the tone of their voice. Looking and sounding the part is therefore a significant factor in personal branding.

"Because few people go into meetings or discussions and get straight down to business, a strong impression is formed before the person has had a chance to show their unique selling points, says Molloy.

She says many people just freeze in social or work situations, yet have much to contribute. Personal branding helps them work out what they are trying to achieve, and improves areas of challenge. These might be small talk, appearance, posture, body language or presentation skills.

New Zealanders are less than ideal candidates for personal branding because they prize quiet achievement and humility and shun show offs. But Kiwis still have to literally sell themselves like a product when it comes to getting a job, a new client, a promotion or simply recognition for good ideas, says Molloy.

Pohl says some people have grown up in families where selling was a dirty word and were encouraged to take up a profession instead of sales.

"So there are doctors, engineers and accountants that have a negative attitude towards sales and selling and that includes themselves. But once they get their professional skills under wraps, they find out they need to sell their unique strengths and ideas to progress in their field. People with an innate selling ability are then at an advantage," says Pohl.

The good news is almost anyone can develop a personal brand, says Pohl, and follow it with improved presentation skills, personal appearance, public speaking abilities or media savvy. He says people need more coaching skills than they used to and increasing numbers of senior managers are requesting presentation training for recorded presentations or those that require them to front up to the media.

Employers and recruiters also respond well to people who know their own brand because it is then easier to match the personal brand of the job candidate with the employment brand of the employer.

But is it okay to always sell your personal brand? What if it makes you constantly arrogant - or wrong? Pohl admits people with strong personal brands can succumb to arrogance, but the goal of personal branding is to enable an individual to listen to a need and then demonstrate how their personal brand matches that need.

Molloy says rather than stating how fabulous they are, people with successful personal brands support and build others up, but still speak up and list their own accomplishments and strengths when seeking a promotion, pay rise, or buy-in to an idea.

She says as long as a personal brand matches the actual personality and behaviour of an individual, a brand builds trust because it prevents unpleasant surprises.

"The person who is more open and engaging and knows how to sell themselves is probably going to be more successful," says Molloy.

How to build a personal brand

Discover whether you have any inherent negative psychological attitudes towards selling. If these are not addressed, you may listen to personal branding advice, but you probably won't follow it

Many people also have complex emotional barriers that prevent them developing a personal brand. These need to be identified and addressed first.

Professional coaching and training is probably the fastest route to developing a personal brand, but also the most expensive. On average, you might pay $300 an hour and need 12 sessions.

Psychological analysis and discussion may need to precede personal branding training and this costs an average of $100 an hour for up to 20 sessions.

A less expensive approach is to talk to people you and ask them what they think your unique selling points are. Analyse these and consider how to use them as a personal brand. Ask people what first impression you create on others, and improve your presentation, tone of voice or delivery accordingly. Don't ask defensively or you won't get a straight answer.