A great quality of WordWrite Communications as an employer is the agency’s nurturing of professional development for its employees. While it’s not always easy to balance professional development with the turbulence of agency life and client deliverables, I recently was able to squeeze an hour of time out of my day to attend a PRSA webinar that really resonated with me.
The webinar, presented by public relations pro and Building Brand [You] author Cyndee Woolley, focused on the matter of self-branding and how to stop selling yourself short in your career. As a young professional, I was attracted to the topic, primarily because I believe not enough of the millennial workforce markets itself for success. My hope is that summarizing some of my key takeaways from the webinar will spread to other young professionals in the WordWrite network, as well as my own.
Here’s the very first point that hooked me: If you’re spending time complaining about other people’s self-promotion, you’re not spending enough time focusing on your own brand. Speak up if you feel I’m wrong, but this is a commonality that seems to be even more prevalent in females. Becoming flustered and annoyed by someone else’s initiative (as over-extended as it may be) will in no way benefit you. Take that energy and channel it into your own success. What was irksome about this other person’s brand? What did you envy? How can you feel comfortable with self-promotion and make your brand authentic to your own personality?
Woolley uses Lean In’s Ban Bossy campaign as an example here. Don’t be afraid to establish your brand, show relevancy and close the deal by speaking up. There may be a “bossy” stigma, but we’re working towards fixing that. As Beyoncé puts it in Ban Bossy’s promotional video, “I’m not bossy. I’m the boss.”
Now that you have the right focus, there are some key factors to consider when expressing your brand.
Appearance – We think this is a given. We know how to dress appropriately for our career, but this is about more than fashion. Do you come in to your morning meeting clutching your Starbucks cup for dear life? (Guilty.) Do you come in looking tired, disheveled and burnt out? Reconsider the vibe you’re giving off to your co-workers and the people you interact with on a daily basis.
This idea piggybacks with friendliness and approachability. Some days just aren’t good days, but do you really want to be known as the resident office grump? Furthermore, when going to a networking event, plan to actually interact with other people. Too often, cliques are formed at these events with a few people you know, and whether you realize it or not, you appear to be unapproachable.
Imagine your own vision of your brand. Woolley describes this as your “Youtopia.” Stop chasing other people’s priorities and develop a clear vision of your ideal life. She notes your vision should be both personal AND professional. This is key here, because as much as you may try, you cannot separate your personal and professional life when self-branding. It isn’t authentic if it doesn’t show your true personality. I witness this mistake being made often with young professionals creating two Twitter accounts – one for personal use and one for professional tweeting. By doing this, you’re excluding others from seeing the real you. There’s nothing wrong with incorporating humor into your brand, and this ties back to the approachability factor. (We’re all adults, and there’s nothing wrong with showing you have a life outside of work; just make sure you’re keeping it clean.)
Why is authenticity important? It establishes credibility. As ethical PR professionals, we don’t spin or manipulate a company’s brand to be something it’s not, so you should be following this same standard when it comes to your own brand. Another way to establish professional credibility is to list specific accomplishments on your LinkedIn profile. In person and on social media, show people why they should be supporting you.
Woolley encapsulates many other ideas, but the last I will leave you with is relevancy. How are you relevant to your industry? Be aware of what’s in it for your client and what’s in it for you. Knowing why your customers value you is vital, and it’s not always about the tangibles. She points to the ALS Association’s Ice Bucket Challenge here. Why was dumping a bucket of ice water on your head relevant to society and the association’s goals? Even if you didn’t have $100 to contribute to the charity, getting the message out on social media still raised awareness about ALS. Recognizing that abstracts like this are also relevant to your value is something that will create success for your personal brand, your employer and your clients.
Let’s talk more about this; provide your feedback in the comments below!
______
Rachel Borowski is an account executive for WordWrite Communications. She can be reached at rachel.borowski@wordwritepr.com and found on Twitter @RachelBro_ski.
