Brand YOU
“Companies are interested in personnel executive branding,” says Jessie Paul, chief marketing officer, Wipro who recently launched her first book, No Money Marketing that looks at frugal marketing.
It isn’t just about marketing products or services, Jessie doles out tips for individuals — on how each individual can be a brand. Personal branding is gaining popularity as people are looking at lifetime “employ-ability” rather than lifetime employment.
Jessie says the first thing to do, whether for a product, service or self, is to ask three simple questions — who am I? why buy me? why me and not the other 99? The 99 came up when she suggested that the disadvantage in India is that, “if you have a certain skill, there are high chances that 99 other Indians will raise their hands and say they have those skills too”.
Emphasising the need for uniqueness, she suggests individuals need to, “sit down and list their assets”. And the simplest way, she says, is to look at “own academic career or a cause.”
Create a vision
Once these “product attributes” are defined then you need to focus on the “I want to be” aspect. Figure out what you want to be. “It helps if what you want to be is closer to what you are,” advises Jessie. She doesn’t rule out re-inventing oneself, but points out that once an individual sets out to do something new, “they have to start from the scratch”. Thereby, such a person will have a big road map. It is certainly easy if one chooses a niche in their given field.
Once you have identified — what you have and what you want to be, it is about “narrowing down interest”. Picking a space, will help one focus on achieving a distinct character or skill set. And then try to find superlatives for yourself, “the best, only, biggest, etc”, she says.
Citing her own example as the only Indian author who has written on frugal marketing, she says, “Although I am not the first to write a book on marketing, I am the ‘first’ in India to write on frugal marketing.” Interestingly, Jessie believes that each individual has one unique quality, but that he or she needs to “scout around for that ‘first’”.
Fame through media
It’s more easy to be famous today, than it was say five years back. “Start your blog,” is Jessie’s advice. This medium puts one “out there” and there are two benefits to it, “first you are announcing that you have something unique — a perspective, analysis — on the chosen subject. Secondly, if you get a following that indicates you are offering them something new on the subject”.
Although networking is crude in India, networks are important. Jessie feels these are platforms help you place yourself better. She suggests one signs up on Linkedin, the onlineprofessional network. But she warns that it is of no use if you just sign up. Join round tables or discussion groups and answer queries, she advises. Individuals need to market their expertise, so if you, in your identified niche, can help provide solutions on discussion groups then it enhances your visibility.
Twitter is another media she wants more people to try, “experiment with it”. It isn’t just a place for 18-20-year-olds but also a place to find professional types, she says de-bunking another myth.
Hopefully, she says, that there is a slow shift in mindsets. People are looking beyond government jobs and turning entrepreneurs. More people are networking. People are looking at lifetime employ-ability rather than just employment. And to achieve that projecting oneself as a brand surely helps.
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