Channeling Your Brand

I recently got drawn into a Harry Potter movie marathon. I was totally intrigued by the internationally famous Gilroy Lockhart, the wizard who became famous by overplaying his exploits (or maybe making them up entirely). We all see through Gilroy.

And Gilroy and people like him are why many people do not tout their abilities, skills, experiences, and successes. We fear that as the audience knows that Gilroy is a phony, they will think the same about us or judge us in another way. And that is simply not the case.

‍It is not bragging- if it is true.‍

And also, let’s be honest... while Gilroy might not have been honest about his skills, his promoting of himself led to bestselling books, a new role, and other opportunities. People cannot think about you unless they know who you are, what you do, and how you do it. It is best that, unlike Gilroy that you are honest.

So how do you let people know about your brand? People learn about your brand through brand channels and as you think through your business or career development plan. It is best to decide which channels you will use and how.

Here are 5 brand channels to consider as you work through your plan.

Channel 1: Signature Stories

Stories are the best way to let an audience know who you are and how you work, without sounding like a braggart. They also have the advantage that people remember stories, not elevator pictures.

What stories do you tell during interviews? During cocktail parties? On panels?
How do you frame your capabilities?
Do you have signature stories or just “wing it”?

Think about your stories and how you can make them have a more significant impact.

Channel 2: Organizations and Committees

Being an active member of organizations, committees, or cross-functional teams, allows people to see you in action. And actions speak louder than words. People know who you are and how you work by seeing you in action.  

Think about which groups you belong to, whether they serve the purposes you want, and whether you are showing up in a way that emphasizes your positives and broadcasts your brand.

Channel 3: Social Media

Your social media profiles, especially on LinkedIn, are your proclamation to the world about your brand and who you are. In addition to that, what you post and comment on also tells the world who you are, how you think, and what and who is important to you.

Think about whether your profile proclaims what you want it to. You also want to consider how you are leveraging social media in a way that focuses on your strengths and increases your visibility. My clients have been told that their social media presence has increased their visibility and led to business or other career opportunities.

Channel 4: Speaking

Speaking is an excellent way to promote your brand and raise your professional profile. It has the advantage of allowing people to see you in action, although for a short time. You want to look for ways to leverage your speaking by following up with people and posting on social media about what you are speaking about.  

Think about whether you are speaking to the audiences you want to reach on the topics they want to hear about. Also, does what and how you speak add to the brand you are trying to promote? If you aren’t speaking and want to, leverage your network and ask them for opportunities or how they began to speak.

Channel 5: Writing

Not everyone loves public speaking, and while I would encourage you to take it on and improve, writing is an alternative platform. It is critical that you write on topics your audience cares about – in an easy-to-digest format. Most people do not read lengthy dissertations.  

Think about what and how you write and how regularly you do it. You should also consider if the mechanism you are using works. For example, many firm newsletters end up in Spam folders. So, do you want to send more “personal” emails to people? Additionally, most in-house counsel get their information from LinkedIn, so how can you leverage that and make your posts stand out?  

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