Monday, September 24, 2007

Brand Yourself

Hard work and luck alone aren't enough to create success. To rise out of the generic talent pool, you need to differentiate yourself. You need a recognizable, positive and relevant personal brand.

That's the position brand consultant Catherine Kaputa addresses in a new book called U R a Brand! How Smart People Brand Themselves for Business Success. Kaputa makes the case that personal branding is the key to success whether you are a first time job seeker or a C-level executive.

U R a Brand! is loaded with advice and tools that will help you develop your personal brand. Kaputa offers tips, tools, exercises, principles, and an array of real-life examples to enable you to realize your potential and increase your potential for success. You will learn how to create "brand you;" how to package yourself; how to find a winnable position that sets your brand apart; how your name identifies and defines you and how to boost business success through networking.

According to Kaputa, self-branding is about nailing the very thing that differentiates you and creates demand. Self-brand strategies she recommends include:

1. Be the first.

2. Be the leader.

3. Take the anti-leader position.

4. Own an attribute.

5. Use a magic ingredient or invent a new process.

6. Be the expert.

7. Be preferred.

8. Set a high price tag.

9. Use your special heritage.

10. Own a cause.

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