START-UP ADVICE

INVEST IT
DEVELOPING
‘BRAND YOU’
Ann Pickering, HR Director, Telefónica UK
Creating a powerful brand identity is paramount
to all businesses, and is widely recognised as a
valuable commercial asset. And yet, one thing
that often strikes me is how few businesspeople
consciously apply this logic to their own careers
by developing a recognisable personal brand, or
‘brand you.’
While ‘brand you’ seems like a strange concept,
it’s actually incredibly important. It affects how
people perceive you professionally. Having and
projecting a strong personal brand can not only
give you greater confidence, but can open up
more opportunities at work and have important
business benefits too. These could include more
productive teams, more effective relationships
with clients and improved customer service.
Having a clearly defined personal brand also
helps you make that all important first impression
– formed within seven seconds of meeting.
Research has shown that it can take as many as
20 further interactions to change someone’s first
opinion of you so it’s vital that you make every
second count.
So, how do you go about creating your own
personal brand?
Firstly, it’s important to identify what makes
up your personal brand. Assess everything from
style, body language and tone of voice, to how
you communicate on email or by phone. They
may seem worlds apart but what is the one thing
that successful women like Clare Balding, Victoria
Beckham or Deborah Meaden have in common?
All three have strong personal identities and have
worked hard to get them. Even the Iron Lady,
Margaret Thatcher, wasn’t afraid to seek extra
help to refine her brand, famously employing a
vocal coach to lower the pitch of her voice and
subsequently progressing from Cabinet Member
to Prime Minister.
Next decide exactly what it is you want people
to know about you. A good place to start is to
think about why someone would want you in their
team. Ask yourself key questions including: What
are my values? What motivates me? What are my
key skills, strengths and achievements? What can I
bring to a team?
When constructing your personal brand, it’s
essential to focus on the areas in which your key
strengths lie. Once you have identified these, build
on and make the most of them by seeking out
opportunities to demonstrate your skills – whether
it means putting yourself forward for a specific role
on a project or working with someone who brings
out your strengths.
Focus on the things that make you different –
what makes you, you? Concentrate on the positives
on both a personal as well as a professional level.
Consider the way you react in everyday situations
– so whether it’s the way you manage people, how
you deal with stressful situations, your creativity, or
the way you think and process information. Write
your answers down so you have a clearly defined
set of objectives.
Finally, critique it. Look back at what you’ve
written and be ruthless. Remove any irrelevant
or unnecessary detail and make sure that you’re
using simple, impactful language - no jargon. Once
you’re happy, seek feedback from others. Ask
friends or family, or if you’re comfortable, other