As CEO, Steve Jobs built a strong, innovative and remarkable personal brand that has become bigger each day. The company’s new CEO, Tim Cook, is quoted as saying that Jobs’ vision and leadership “guided Apple to its position as the world’s most innovative and valuable technology company”.

Because of that, the company’s future is still upbeat. In his resignation letter, Jobs wrote “I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it”.

Jobs' reputation serves as a proper model of how essential personal branding is when establishing customer loyalty and targeting market success. Personal branding is very similar to company branding, you just need to adapt some concepts.

Specific images and icons become associated with the brands they represent. By developing a unique approach for yourself, you are not only maximizing your opportunities for exposure but constructing a career that distinguishes you from others.

Whatever brand symbol you develop, it should also reflect your personality, background and interests.

Here are some tips to help you structure your personal branding statements and, as a company does, project yourself to the world.

1. Creating a personal brand

The first step in marketing yourself to a public audience. It is all about how people see you. So first of all, you need to organize what you like to do, your goals and how you want people to see you and feel about you.

2. Design your brand and promote it.

In a product, you can see how a company communicates with their clients. This is also visible in the type of advertisement companies choose and how they make themselves available. That means their visual and verbal vocabulary is expressed in design, advertisement and networking.

So first, you need to take care of your image and plan your actions. Visibility can equal credibility.

3. Use social networking tools

Use LinkedIn and Facebook to fully optimize your public profile and also promote yourself. The social networking websites expand your network and help reach people that interest you.

This is sure to get you noticed. Just remember you want to use a visual and verbal vocabulary that suits what you want to transmit.

4. Use “emotions” to show your brand

Having a vision is important. Let people understand what you think about things that happen around you. This way you sound approachable and involved in other people’s causes.

Companies that have a vision statement, ethics and remain interested in clients’ lives are most likely to succeed. Just remember to establish a target so your goals are clear to your public.

5. Putting yourself into your target’s shoes

This helps you explain why you are an expert in doing something and how you can be useful to other people. Using Steve Jobs as an example again, he said Apple’s employers ask themselves what they would want as clients. That is now company motto.

6. Maintaining your public image

This can benefit you in numerous ways. Everything you do impacts on your image, including your online presence, communication skills, resume-writing style and even how you dress.

Because you only have a few seconds to make a lasting impression, it is important you get it right the first time. Make sure your personal brand reflects who you are and that you continuously make an effort to improve it.

7. Take your message on the road

Market your brand and message. To take it to the next level, go in person to events that provide networking opportunities. Get together with people of your field and strengthen your professional connections.

8. Clarify, not persuade

Constructing a brand is more than just trying to sell your product – or yourself, in this case. The best way of gaining credibility, after making yourself visible, is to educate your audience.

Clarify your accomplishments, use numbers, facts and ROI (Return On Investment). Be clear about what you can do and what you have done. Do not try to persuade by selling, but by educating.

This is also one of the intricate strategies that a brand like Apple has used to capitalize their success.

No matter what, keep in mind that the brand you present must be consistent.

How effective is your personal brand? Submit your resume and we'll let you know!


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