Social media has changed the way we live and individually, we are all effectively small businesses. My tweenage daughter is the perfect example. When I walk into her room she is listening to her iPod, updating her status on Facebook and Twitter, reading blogs and texting simultaneously – all while doing her homework and talking to the family. She, like the rest of Gen Y and children today have grown up growing their own network of friends and fully understand that they as individuals are a brand that needs to be promoted. For this generation, branding is something that comes naturally, but for Gen X and above it is something we are still having to learn.
With the rise of social media and the pressures around the global economy, it has never been more important to develop and promote your personal brand so that you stand out from the crowd.
If you are a leader – or an expert in your field, whether you like it or not, you are the captain of your brand. Developing your personal brand is the most effective way to stay ahead of the game – while your competition is worrying about issues now. Not that you shouldn’t be mindful of issues and pressures, but the smart companies will plan for the future. It is a tough climate, but history has shown us that in a recession brands that took the leap to innovate and promote themselves generally reaped the rewards. Look at the case of cereal brands Post and Kellogg’s in the 1930’s US recession – Post took shelter and Kellogg’s…well we all know the end to that story.
The moral is that there are opportunities out there and things will get better. Just today, a Consumer Confidence Survey from the Westpac-Melbourne Institute, revealed that a substantial majority now expect their finances to improve over the next year, while the number of people pessimistic about the economy over the next year is falling sharply. You just have to be brave enough to position yourself ahead of your competitors and developing a personal brand is an effective way of grabbing the bull by the horns so you are in a strong position beyond the GFC.
Only the most confident and resilient will survive.
Tip of the week:
Difficult times see the strong and the weak divide – so focus now and take advantage of the green shoots of recovery – it is just around the corner. And remember the stronger a CEO leadership brand, the closer the link with stronger corporate performance.
