Find a Great Self Brand Strategy to Get Great Career Results

Strategy is the brains of branding. This is true formovies and books tweak "the establishment,"
products,whether it was
for companies and for people.One way to figure outbig industry (Roger and Me), the NRA and the gun
the best self-brand strategy is tolobby
look at brand strategies from the commercial world.(Bowling for Columbine) or President Bush and the
Start bywar in
devouring good books on individual companies andIraq (Farenheit 9/11).The Anti-position can be very
products.risky, particularly in you
Successful brands always attract analysis. Or readwork in a corporation (although many of them have
about howa few
brands develop winning strategies. Once you startmaverick employees who ride the Anti-position
studyinghorse). It is
the world of commercial branding, you'll see how thea self brand strategy adopted mainly by people who
are very
branding strategies and tactics have lessons for youconfident in their position or have nothing to
too.Here are four brand strategies from thelose.However, the Anti-Position can be a great
commercial worldpositioning
that people have used to build a strong self-brand.strategy for entrepreneurs. You build your point of
And theredifference for your company as the antidote to the
is no reason one can't work for you, too.Self-Brandleader.
Strategy 1: Be the FirstEveryone knows being first isYou and your company symbolize everything the
an advantage. The firstleader is not.
mover generally ends up the leader in the categoryYou position the leaders strengths as
and isweaknesses.So, if you like to go against the grain,
often the one we keep in mind. And because it's thethe Anti-position
leader,may be for you. The strategy is simplicity itself.
everyone believes it to be the best in itsWhatever the leader in your industry or line of work
category.Being first is a formidable advantage. Michaelis
Dell was thedoing, think of doing the opposite within reason. You
first direct seller of personal computers andcould
dominates thefind a market that is looking for someone just like
business. Jeff Bezos created the first online bookyou.Self-Brand Strategy 4: Own an AttributeThe
andmost common positioning strategy for brands is to
retail marketplace, and it is now number one. Andown an
the listattribute. Mercedes-Benz's brand strategy is built
goes on and on.You're probably thinking, "These arearound
business giants, and this kind of accomplishmentprestige, BMW's is driving performance, Subaru's is
would beruggedness, and Volvo's is safety.For this strategy
impossible for a mere mortal like me. How can I beto work best, you should select the brand
numberattribute that is credible for you to own and gives
one in anything?"You don't have to be a brilliantyou
inventor or geniusmaximum opportunity in your category.For example,
to create a first. New categories are popping up allwhen Pampers first developed the disposable
thediaper in the early 1960s, sales were poor. The
time, as you'll see once you start looking. You justmarketing
needwas positioned around convenience, a brand
the proper mind-set. Often, you can slice theattribute that
category tohad a clear-cut benefit for busy moms. Moms didn't
create a new subcategory and be first in that. Thinkhave to
of itdisinfect and clean the diapers themselves or use an
as carving a new niche out of a category.The "be
the first" strategy is a very successful one forexpensive diaper service. Convenience was especially
entrepreneurs,
but executives can use it too. Enterprisingbeneficial for moms on the go with their babies.
employees orThey didn't
entrepreneurs often create a new markethave to carry stinky cloth diapers around with them
niche-whether it isuntil
a new type of product, service, or customer niche.they got home. But that attribute positioning didn't
Theseresonate with mothers. They felt guilty. Cloth diapers
firsts may end up being enormously profitable forwere
thebest for babies, while paper diapers were best for
company and for the employee's self-brand. Andmoms. So
there aremoms voted with their hearts, and sales were
lots of different ways to slice up a category andpoor.Then Pampers changed its brand positioning to
create a"better
new area to be first in. If you can't think ofabsorbency," which was a benefit for babies.
anything, readMothers could
The Origin of Brands, by Al Ries and Laura Ries. Ifbuy the diapers and feel that they were doing what
you still come up blank, think about the questionwas best
againfor their babies, not best for them. Sales took off,
before going to sleep, and you'll have answers in theand
cloth diapers and diaper services went the way of
morning.Self Brand Strategy 2. Be the LeaderTherethe buggy
are many ways to define yourself as a leader. Youwhip.Every category is associated with attributes
canthat are
be the leader of your department, your company,important to customers and prospects. And you can
or yourslice your
favorite charity. Or you can be the leader in sales atindustry, profession, or job category to find the
yourbest fit
company, or a leader in sales of a segment of thefor the attribute you want to own and the category
market.Many professionals have a leadership claimin which
and feel they areyou want to do it. This is true regardless of your
doing leadership things, yet they are not perceivedindustry,
as awhether it's financial services, manufacturing,
leader. To be perceived as a leader, you have tomarketing,
lead withlaw, medicine, academia, or what have you.Your job
ideas and lead by example.As a leader, you have toas a self-brander is to stake your claim to the
have toattribute that is best for you and is not owned by a
be able to articulate ideas that are worthy of being
remembered and you have to be able to inspirecompetitor in the arena where you will have the
others.most impact.
Ideally, you want to "own" a word or an idea in theBenjamin, had just been promoted to president of
minds ofhis
your employees (or whoever the target audience is)company. The good news: it was a great job. The
so theybad news: it
will know what your battle cry is. Most important,was a difficult job. Sales revenue was down, and his
you have
to underscore your ideas with actions, preferablyindustry was in a serious slump. Benjamin's first task
boldwas
actions that demonstrate what you stand for.Bianca,to rally the troops and unify the company,
had recently been promoted to head a departmentparticularly the
atdivision heads, most of whom were strong
her company. Bianca's first task was to rally herpersonalities with
team undera tight grip on their fiefdoms.We built Benjamin's
her leadership. (Bianca had been promoted overpersonal-brand strategy around the
them.) Toattribute of follow-through. It was an important
articulate a department mission, Bianca created aattribute,
mantra,one that many colleagues and employees associated
"Full Engagement." She wanted to introduce a newwith him
sense ofbecause of his track record. Other executives might
"engagement" - a passion for excellence, a focus onhave
clientsgreat creative skills or people skills, as Benjamin did,
and innovation.Bianca asked each of her managersbut
for a five-page memonone had his sense of accountability and
outlining key initiatives, including what the companyfollow-through.Follow-through was an important
shouldattribute for the company at
do to get employees more engaged with clients andthis juncture. In Benjamin's estimation, the company's
in its
businesses. And she implemented the bestproblem was not a lack of innovative ideas but the
suggestions oninability
"engagement." Her group's focus on "fullto follow through internally (by getting all the various
engagement" landed
more business and created a dynamic spirit at thedepartments to work together) and with clients (by
company.focusing
And positioned Biana as a leader.Self Brand Strategyon being a real business partner, not simply on
3. Be the OppositionAs much as leaders are part ofclosing).Benjamin wanted to lead by example in terms
the mythology of ourof
country, so are underdogs. We have a soft spot forfollow-through with colleagues and clients, and he
thealso took
rebel, the lone convention-defier who takes thepositive action to embed the attribute in the
oppositecompany
path of the establishment (the leader).Volkswagenculture. One of the first things he did was broadcast
put the Anti-Leader Position strategy on the maphis
when it introduced the VW Beetle to the Unitedmanagement philosophy to all the employees. His
States in therallying cry
late1960s. The brand was positioned as the antidotewas "Follow through, everywhere, all the
to thetime."Catherine Kaputa is a brand consultant who
big car habit with now classic advertising headlinesworks with
likepeople, products and companies (sign up for free
"Think Small" and "Lemon."That's why being thecareer tips newsletter Corporate icons, star
opposite of the leader can be a goodathletes, entertainers all understand what it takes to
self brand strategy. Michael Moore is a classicbe in control and in
example. Hisdemand. In her new book, U R A BRAND!