Referral from colleagues and friends who know you remain a good thing in business, employment and in social engagements, but getting a call or message from someone who has been following you online and believes in the value you have to offer is more intriguing.

As the world becomes more competitive, we need to cast our nets wider. We also need to take advantage of the global village by interacting, learning and adding value to people from all walks of life.

Do you have a brand that people can easily identify you with? Does the world know what you have to offer, what you stand for and the kind of people you would want to engage with? If you are still wondering how to create your brand and consistently manage it, follow below tips;

Think about what you have to offer in below areas;

• Hard skills – Based on your academic qualifications, what are you really good at. Being an accountant is not enough, what really intrigues you in accounting? Would you want to be known for it? Would you want to keep talking about it?
• Soft skills – Are you the analytical, detail oriented, friendly, organized or the great communicator. Does the world know that about you? How can that complement your brand or profession?
• Experience – What have you gained through your professional work, voluntary or other kinds of experiences. A single event can be a great experience and a learning point for you and others. Can you share it with the world? What are your achievements in those areas?
• Values – What do you stand for? ..honesty, transparency, quality, dedication, reliability….What is your deal breaker in a relationship either with a business partner, colleague or employer? Clarifying your values and speaking them allows you to attract your kind in business or relationships and get your fit for an employer.
• Passions – What do you do with your free time, almost for free and gives you great satisfaction? You might not want to create a brand around your profession, how about creating a brand around your passion, connecting with like minded people and maybe one day making it big in managing event, photography, fashion and design, football, drawing

If you clearly think through above five items you will have defined your DNA to a big extent. If you have challenges consider consulting your friends or a coach to walk you through it.

If you have answers to the five, then congratulations you are ready to sell your brand. It also means that you can easily create your elevator pitch which you can use offline when you meet people, on social media, on your CV, on cover letter, interview or personal website. For example;

Instead of saying;

I am John an accountant with ten years of experience. I am committed and can work well under pressure………………………..

You could say;

I am John detail oriented financial analyst who delivers practical knowledge in corporate finance and financial markets. I apply analytical skills to inform senior management on key trends. In 2020 I reduced company expenditure by 25%. I operate with a strong sense of urgency and thrive in a fast-paced setting. I was awarded as the executive of the year in 2019. I participated in the 2018 annual accounting conference………………

The idea is to sell your unique and genuine attributes, stand out from the pool of a thousand other professionals and meet your right match, whether a recruiter, a partner or client.