An Australian public relations and reputation management strategist has issued a warning to school and university leavers to be aware of the power of their personal brand.
Principal of Mercer PR, Lyall Mercer says many people aren’t aware they even have a brand.
“This leads to a failure to build value into their personal brand and even worse, a failure to protect their brand’s reputation,” he explained.
Mr Mercer said anyone who doubts they have a brand, only needs to do a Google search of their name.
“A search will showcase who you are, what you’ve achieved and in many cases, what you believe. It will reveal your thoughts, your adventures and your actions in words, photos and even in video.
“Your brand is worth protecting because we have reached the stage where your digital footprint will not be easily erased by the tide of time.”
He said school and university leavers in the current social and digital media age have a tougher time than past generations, but need to be aware that the brand they mould now will influence their future.
“Youthful attitudes and actions haven’t changed – young people have always pushed the limits – but the level of transparency has,” he said.
He suggested people use the tools available to them to sell their brand.
“A good presence on mainstream sites like LinkedIn, blogs that highlight professional knowledge and expertise, and injecting yourself into the right online forums and conversations, are smart ways to build a strong personal brand.
“Conversely, those whose problems are aired publicly will see their brand defined by these events wherever they go on the globe. There is nowhere to hide!”
He listed three tips to build a strong personal brand:
Principal of Mercer PR, Lyall Mercer says many people aren’t aware they even have a brand.
“This leads to a failure to build value into their personal brand and even worse, a failure to protect their brand’s reputation,” he explained.
Mr Mercer said anyone who doubts they have a brand, only needs to do a Google search of their name.
“A search will showcase who you are, what you’ve achieved and in many cases, what you believe. It will reveal your thoughts, your adventures and your actions in words, photos and even in video.
“Your brand is worth protecting because we have reached the stage where your digital footprint will not be easily erased by the tide of time.”
He said school and university leavers in the current social and digital media age have a tougher time than past generations, but need to be aware that the brand they mould now will influence their future.
“Youthful attitudes and actions haven’t changed – young people have always pushed the limits – but the level of transparency has,” he said.
He suggested people use the tools available to them to sell their brand.
“A good presence on mainstream sites like LinkedIn, blogs that highlight professional knowledge and expertise, and injecting yourself into the right online forums and conversations, are smart ways to build a strong personal brand.
“Conversely, those whose problems are aired publicly will see their brand defined by these events wherever they go on the globe. There is nowhere to hide!”
He listed three tips to build a strong personal brand:
- Promote yourself – particularly online - with enthusiasm and humility.
- Stay focused on your message. The more you talk about your message consistently, the more it will resonate.
- Protect your reputation by being very careful what you post online. Make sure you keep business and personal contacts and issues separate on social media.
