In today's economy and work environments, it is very essential to personally brand yourself. Some people may know a little bit about this subject, but others may have no idea what it means to "brand yourself." To help out in this area, the absolute mastermind on the subject, Guy Kawasaki, provides his best 5-tips to personal branding:
"1. MAKE MEANING, NOT MONEY
If you’re into personal branding with the goal of making money, stop now. You will attract the wrong kind of people into your life. Instead, start with the goal of making meaning. What better way to align all your actions with your long-term goals.
What kind of meaning will you make? Kawasaki suggests two ideas for inspiration: 1) right a wrong, or 2) prevent the end of something good. What will you do to make the world a better place?
2. MAKE A MANTRA
In three words or less, what are you all about? Kawasaki believes that mission statements are useless. He says, make a mantra instead. What do you stand for? FedEx stands for “peace of mind.” I stand for “connecting passionate people.” What do you stand for, in the simplest terms?
3. POLARIZE PEOPLE
Personal branding pundits often advise against being a “jack of all trades,” or a generalist that isn’t very good at something specific. They say choose a niche and dominate it. Be great at something, not just good at a lot of things.
What does Guy believe? He suggests being great for some people rather than trying to please everyone. Do not be afraid to make people react strongly for or against you. As my former business partner used to remind me, you’re not doing something right unless you’re pissing someone off. That doesn’t mean be a jerk. That means just don’t try to appeal to all people, or you’ll end up a mile wide and an inch deep, mediocre to everyone. You’ll never find soul mates that way.
4. FIND A FEW SOUL MATES
We’re all on this journey together. It’s silly to think we are alone in our careers or in our life. Find people who balance you. Then make time for them. If you’re busy, make plans in advance so you have to schedule around them. You’re only one person, so surround yourself with people whose skills round you off.
5. DON'T LET THE BOZOS GRIND YOU DOWN
Not everyone is going to like you. Not everyone will always agree with you. That’s a fact of life. So don’t let criticism or doubters bring you down. As you live out your mantra, it’s your responsibility to be strong in the face of “no,” and “you can’t do that.”
Guy says, ignore people who say you won’t succeed. I agree. Use negative words as motivation. Prove people wrong (isn’t that the best feeling?). The more success you find, the more visible you will become, and the more people you will come into contact with. Not everyone is going to like you. Not everyone is going to agree with you. Knowing this, don’t let the bozos grind you down."
- These tips were taken from Guy Kawasaki's book, Art of the Start. This post was borrowed from the author, Pete Kistler, of www.brand-yourself.com.
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