Being in the public relations, marketing and event management business requires the team at Durée & Company to find the “unique selling proposition” (USP) of each of our clients. That USP is what makes them special, and it doesn’t have to be a large or grand characteristic – simply something that sets them apart.
Building the brand of an organization or company and building the brand of you aren’t that different.
We at public relations firm Durée & Company are huge fans of building the brand of you. When people say your name, we believe something fabulous and wonderful should come to mind. For example, with regard to our clients, when someone thinks of Feeding South Florida™, we want the color orange to fill their memories and the recollection of changing lives on a grassroots, community level. When someone thinks of one of our legal clients, we want them to think “trusted, expert, successful.”
So when someone thinks of you, what do you think they think first? That thought is your personal brand. Building the brand of you doesn’t happen overnight. Like a well-coordinated and multi-level PR campaign, building a personal brand requires planning, strategy and execution. Inc.com gets into the nuts and bolts of it here, and we agree with all five of the writer’s suggestions.
But we have a few of our own to add to the list:
6) Figure out your philanthropic side. We’ve previously blogged about our position on lending your talents to community non-profit organizations. Establishing a brand means not only determining your area of expertise, but also showing that you have a heart. Be known for supporting a cause that is genuine to your personality and shows that you are human.
7) Make friends, make friends, make friends. Inc.com says, “network, network, network,” and Durée & Company is all about networking. We create the events where people network, for goodness sake. But amidst all of that smiling, chatting and handshaking, try to make a real connection. A friend – either professional or personal – will make that true recommendation that will really help cement your brand with others.
8) Don’t kill yourself on social media. Yes, your brand should be supported with relevant, timely social media posts, but don’t get overwhelmed with it. Durée & Company has a staff of people to keep us current. However, if you’re a team of one, pick one or two social media sites, and focus on keeping them up. Your brand should support your professional persona, and that means maintaining one or two sites well versus five or six sites poorly.
9) Be yourself. It seems obvious, but just as with our clients, we champion the genuine. Let your USP reflect your values, beliefs, quirks and customs. At Durée & Company, we love pink. It’s our cheery, upbeat signature shade. If someone would have told us, “red is more on trend,” ah well … pink is just more us. So let your personal brand be a realistic representative of you, not what’s in vogue at the moment.
“Building the Brand of You” is great fun once you get started. Do you have tips you’d like to share? Comment on Durée & Company’s Facebook page.
