Neology | Marketing Communications

I was recently struck by an article I read on FAST COMPANY’s web site entitled “The Brand Called You” by Tom Peters. The article is two years old; but the topic acts as a good reminder for those who have fallen victim to today’s economy, and to those freelancers and consultants who rely on themselves for income.

This particular quote grabbed me: “…cast aside all the usual descriptors that employees and workers depend on to locate themselves in the company structure. Forget your job title. Ask yourself: What do I do that adds remarkable, measurable, distinguished, distinctive value?”

What Tom Peters does not really touch on is the difficulty of defining and communicating that value. Like any brand, understanding what differentiates us from everyone else takes a lot of thought. And figuring out how to reach our customer is no small feat. Fortunately, there are now many articles on how to identify your unique offerings that did not exist two years ago (”Personal Mission Statement“), and just as many mediums you can use to pitch yourself once you define those offerings (from LinkedIn to Plaxo, FaceBook to personal web sites and blogs).

Competition is stiff, especially now. You’ll need to use every tool you can. Taking the time to define the brand called YOU can help set you apart.