Find a Great Self Brand Strategy to Get Great Career Results

Strategy is the brains of branding. This is true for				movies and books tweak "the establishment,"
products,				whether it was
for companies and for people.One way to figure out				big industry (Roger and Me), the NRA and the gun
the best self-brand strategy is to				lobby
look at brand strategies from the commercial world.				(Bowling for Columbine) or President Bush and the
Start by				war in
devouring good books on individual companies and				Iraq (Farenheit 9/11).The Anti-position can be very
products.				risky, particularly in you
Successful brands always attract analysis. Or read				work in a corporation (although many of them have
about how				a few
brands develop winning strategies. Once you start				maverick employees who ride the Anti-position
studying				horse). It is
the world of commercial branding, you'll see how the				a self brand strategy adopted mainly by people who
				are very
branding strategies and tactics have lessons for you				confident in their position or have nothing to
too.Here are four brand strategies from the				lose.However, the Anti-Position can be a great
commercial world				positioning
that people have used to build a strong self-brand.				strategy for entrepreneurs. You build your point of
And there				difference for your company as the antidote to the
is no reason one can't work for you, too.Self-Brand				leader.
Strategy 1: Be the FirstEveryone knows being first is				You and your company symbolize everything the
an advantage. The first				leader is not.
mover generally ends up the leader in the category				You position the leaders strengths as
and is				weaknesses.So, if you like to go against the grain,
often the one we keep in mind. And because it's the				the Anti-position
leader,				may be for you. The strategy is simplicity itself.
everyone believes it to be the best in its				Whatever the leader in your industry or line of work
category.Being first is a formidable advantage. Michael				is
Dell was the				doing, think of doing the opposite within reason. You
first direct seller of personal computers and				could
dominates the				find a market that is looking for someone just like
business. Jeff Bezos created the first online book				you.Self-Brand Strategy 4: Own an AttributeThe
and				most common positioning strategy for brands is to
retail marketplace, and it is now number one. And				own an
the list				attribute. Mercedes-Benz's brand strategy is built
goes on and on.You're probably thinking, "These are				around
business giants, and this kind of accomplishment				prestige, BMW's is driving performance, Subaru's is
would be				ruggedness, and Volvo's is safety.For this strategy
impossible for a mere mortal like me. How can I be				to work best, you should select the brand
number				attribute that is credible for you to own and gives
one in anything?"You don't have to be a brilliant				you
inventor or genius				maximum opportunity in your category.For example,
to create a first. New categories are popping up all				when Pampers first developed the disposable
the				diaper in the early 1960s, sales were poor. The
time, as you'll see once you start looking. You just				marketing
need				was positioned around convenience, a brand
the proper mind-set. Often, you can slice the				attribute that
category to				had a clear-cut benefit for busy moms. Moms didn't
create a new subcategory and be first in that. Think				have to
of it				disinfect 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 for				expensive diaper service. Convenience was especially
entrepreneurs,
but executives can use it too. Enterprising				beneficial for moms on the go with their babies.
employees or				They didn't
entrepreneurs often create a new market				have to carry stinky cloth diapers around with them
niche-whether it is				until
a new type of product, service, or customer niche.				they got home. But that attribute positioning didn't
These				resonate with mothers. They felt guilty. Cloth diapers
firsts may end up being enormously profitable for				were
the				best for babies, while paper diapers were best for
company and for the employee's self-brand. And				moms. So
there are				moms voted with their hearts, and sales were
lots of different ways to slice up a category and				poor.Then Pampers changed its brand positioning to
create a				"better
new area to be first in. If you can't think of				absorbency," which was a benefit for babies.
anything, read				Mothers could
The Origin of Brands, by Al Ries and Laura Ries. If				buy the diapers and feel that they were doing what
you still come up blank, think about the question				was best
again				for their babies, not best for them. Sales took off,
before going to sleep, and you'll have answers in the				and
				cloth diapers and diaper services went the way of
morning.Self Brand Strategy 2. Be the LeaderThere				the buggy
are many ways to define yourself as a leader. You				whip.Every category is associated with attributes
can				that are
be the leader of your department, your company,				important to customers and prospects. And you can
or your				slice your
favorite charity. Or you can be the leader in sales at				industry, profession, or job category to find the
your				best fit
company, or a leader in sales of a segment of the				for the attribute you want to own and the category
market.Many professionals have a leadership claim				in which
and feel they are				you want to do it. This is true regardless of your
doing leadership things, yet they are not perceived				industry,
as a				whether it's financial services, manufacturing,
leader. To be perceived as a leader, you have to				marketing,
lead with				law, medicine, academia, or what have you.Your job
ideas and lead by example.As a leader, you have to				as a self-brander is to stake your claim to the
have to				attribute 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 inspire				competitor in the arena where you will have the
others.				most impact.
Ideally, you want to "own" a word or an idea in the				Benjamin, had just been promoted to president of
minds of				his
your employees (or whoever the target audience is)				company. The good news: it was a great job. The
so they				bad 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, preferably				industry was in a serious slump. Benjamin's first task
bold				was
actions that demonstrate what you stand for.Bianca,				to rally the troops and unify the company,
had recently been promoted to head a department				particularly the
at				division heads, most of whom were strong
her company. Bianca's first task was to rally her				personalities with
team under				a tight grip on their fiefdoms.We built Benjamin's
her leadership. (Bianca had been promoted over				personal-brand strategy around the
them.) To				attribute of follow-through. It was an important
articulate a department mission, Bianca created a				attribute,
mantra,				one that many colleagues and employees associated
"Full Engagement." She wanted to introduce a new				with him
sense of				because of his track record. Other executives might
"engagement" - a passion for excellence, a focus on				have
clients				great creative skills or people skills, as Benjamin did,
and innovation.Bianca asked each of her managers				but
for a five-page memo				none had his sense of accountability and
outlining key initiatives, including what the company				follow-through.Follow-through was an important
should				attribute for the company at
do to get employees more engaged with clients and				this juncture. In Benjamin's estimation, the company's
in its
businesses. And she implemented the best				problem was not a lack of innovative ideas but the
suggestions on				inability
"engagement." Her group's focus on "full				to follow through internally (by getting all the various
engagement" landed
more business and created a dynamic spirit at the				departments to work together) and with clients (by
company.				focusing
And positioned Biana as a leader.Self Brand Strategy				on being a real business partner, not simply on
3. Be the OppositionAs much as leaders are part of				closing).Benjamin wanted to lead by example in terms
the mythology of our				of
country, so are underdogs. We have a soft spot for				follow-through with colleagues and clients, and he
the				also took
rebel, the lone convention-defier who takes the				positive action to embed the attribute in the
opposite				company
path of the establishment (the leader).Volkswagen				culture. One of the first things he did was broadcast
put the Anti-Leader Position strategy on the map				his
when it introduced the VW Beetle to the United				management philosophy to all the employees. His
States in the				rallying cry
late1960s. The brand was positioned as the antidote				was "Follow through, everywhere, all the
to the				time."Catherine Kaputa is a brand consultant who
big car habit with now classic advertising headlines				works with
like				people, products and companies (sign up for free
"Think Small" and "Lemon."That's why being the				career tips newsletter Corporate icons, star
opposite of the leader can be a good				athletes, entertainers all understand what it takes to
self brand strategy. Michael Moore is a classic				be in control and in
example. His				demand. In her new book, U R A BRAND!

It Career

Find a Great Self Brand Strategy to Get Great Career Results