Brand Strategies to Grow Your Career in 2023!
January is the start of a new year, new goals, and new accomplishments. It’s also the perfect time to review and revamp your professional brand. Every year I spend time reviewing my brand and being very intentional about growing my brand. This year I want to share the process with you and help you create a professional brand that stands out.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll share my tips on creating your professional brand, identifying what makes you unique, why it’s essential to have an up-to-date online presence, and more.
What is a Brand?
What is a Brand?
Your brand is the image and reputation that you portray in your field. It sets you apart from the competition and helps you stand out.
Your brand is what people think of you. Your brand is the emotion that others feel when they hear your name. Your brand is the “fragrance” that lingers in the room long after you leave.
Review Your Current Brand
Every year, you must review your current brand and make intentional steps toward growth. In this blog post, we’ll cover steps you can take to review your existing brand and begin taking the steps needed to improve and grow your professional brand in 2023. This begins with understanding who you are and what unique skills, gifts and talents you bring to any organization.
Who Are You?
Before making any changes or setting any goals for 2023, it’s important to review where you currently stand with your professional brand. Take some time to look at how others perceive you as a professional.
- What unique skills do you offer?
- Which qualities make you stand out above the competition?
- What are some of the challenges that have held you back from achieving more success in 2022?
By reflecting on these questions, you will gain insight into how others see your work and identify areas for improvement that can help boost your brand in the coming year.
Understand Your Strengths & How You Serve Others
We all have unique abilities that set us apart from our peers in our professional fields. It’s important to take stock of your strengths and consider how they can best serve others. Identifying your unique abilities will help you differentiate yourself from the competition and help you stand out, doing what you do best.
Who are your Heros and She’ros
Everyone can identify brand heroes; these iconic figures have achieved immense success in their careers, developing brands we admire. Researching such brand pioneers and taking cues from them can lead to lasting success. It may seem daunting, but by immersing yourself in what’s made them successful — not only their brand strength, goals, and purpose — you’ll find blueprints to draw upon in your unique brand journey. When viewed through the right lens, studying the brand of those you admire can be inspirational and motivational on the path to becoming an industry champion.
Who Sits on Your Brand Board of Directors?
The book Think and Grow Rich introduced us to the power of mastermind groups – small brand boards of directors filled with inspiring peers and mentors with a shared dedication to success. With at least three members, your brand board of directors should include the mentor who believes in you and your brand, the information powerhouse who provides objective advice and feedback, and the influencer who motivates you to push forward and stay on track. Having this brand board of directors in place, ensures that you remain accountable throughout the year, helping your personal brand reaches its full potential.
Define How You Want To Be Seen In 2023
When people think of you, what is the first thing that comes to mind? What do YOU want people to think of when they hear your name? How do you want people to see you? Think forward twelve months. One year from now, where do you want your career to be? What kinds of relationships would you like to build with fellow professionals in your industry? A clear vision helps guide your efforts and objectives throughout 2023.
What 3 Goals Do You Want To Accomplish In 2023
Setting goals provides direction for career growth. You need to know where you’re going and how you will ever get there. Start by selecting three significant goals that align with your brand—goals related to improving relationships with professionals within your organization and growing professionally as a whole. Then create actionable steps toward achieving them throughout the year. Remember: small wins lead up to big wins!
What Will Your Future Self Say in 12 Months?
I recently saw a YouTuber post a video he created a year ago. In the video, he talks to his future self about his accomplishments. This video inspired me and made me think about what I would say to my future self in one year. In past years I’ve written a journal entry with a reminder to review that specific entry on the same day twelve months from now. This year I’m taking a queue from my YouTube friend and recording a video. In this video, I’ll speak as my future self. I’ll set the video to post on January 3, 2024. Here are the questions my future self will answer:
- What am I most proud of that I have accomplished this year?
- What are the biggest challenges that I overcame in 2023?
- How did this experience shape me as a person and professional?
- How have my relationships grown over the last year?
- Who has benefited from my work in 2023?
Reflection
With reflection, research, and goal setting in place, embark on your brand journey confidently. The path may seem long, but the destination will always be worth the climb.
As we begin 2023, now is an ideal time to reflect on our progress over the past twelve months and make plans for growth next year! Taking these steps when reviewing and revamping your professional brand will clarify where improvements are needed while helping craft a plan for success come 2023!
Now more than ever, you need a well-intentioned professional brand to grow your career. You will position yourself for promotions, new career opportunities, and professional growth by intentionally creating and developing your brand. For more information on career growth and strategies, be sure to grab your copy of my latest book, Principles of Promotion.
The keys to your success in 2023 depend on you.
Where will you be on January 3, 2024?
If I can help in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Your Career Strategist,
Andrea Oden