Brands are all around us. We are fed marketing pitches, ideas and feelings on TV, social media, in magazines and across the internet. Marketing professionals use the 7 Ps of marketing to piece together a story that connects with key customers to help their companies sell products and make money. Each combination of product, price, promotion, place, packaging, positioning and people has the power to appeal to the senses and make you the next paying customer.
Just as companies use marketing to communicate a brand image, so can you. You can harness the power of the 7 Ps to create a professional brand that gets the attention of the right people, in the right place and at the right time.
Some may call this a personal brand which can also be true, but I'll refer to it as your professional brand since the goal of using this strategy will be to leverage your strengths and story to land the job of your dreams.
Some may call this a personal brand which can also be true, but I'll refer to it as your professional brand since the goal of using this strategy will be to leverage your strengths and story to land the job of your dreams.
The idea of professional branding may seem daunting, unnecessary or self-indulgent. However, given the variety of ways in which you, your image, words, resumé, etc. can be viewed, a coherent professional brand strategy is necessary. It’s important that a potential employer see a consistent message whether they are meeting you in person, reading through your LinkedIn profile or doing a Google search with your name.
You have a brand, whether intentional or not. The choice to cultivate a brand you are proud of and one that truly represents you is a choice.
Whether you are in college and beginning to build the foundation for a future career, searching for a new job or happily plugging along at work each day, a professional brand strategy can be a game changer. This isn’t just about filter selection for flow on your Instagram or setting your Facebook to private with a public-appropriate profile photo. Your strategy moves beyond these online presence basics to help you streamline your goals, articulate your platform and shape your career path.
So where do you begin? That’s why I’m here to help. I’m going to break down each marketing concept from the 7 Ps and then apply it to the professional branding of a celebrity to see how she uses it to strengthen her career. With these powerhouse women as the starting point, you can then start brainstorming how to use the framework for your own professional brand.
