A brief, easy to read guide for anyone looking to expand their horizons.
Hello all! Today, we’re going to be tackling a problem that a large number of students are facing in this new era of uncertainty; how do you go about marketing yourself? Generally, you want to start by laying the foundations; figure out who you are, what you want your focus to be, who your target audience is, how to reach your audience, and how to conduct yourself in accordance with all of these variables.
Understand who you are
What are your most basic attributes?
Name
Occupation/where you’re currently studying
Skills/abilities
Personality
Understand what your focus is
Specific skill/subject?
Photography
Analytics
Basketball
Specific title/position?
Entrepreneur
Writer
Athlete
Be clear, straightforward, and transparent. The easiest way to have your message stick with others, is by using language anybody can understand
Work on an elevator pitch, a quick description of the story/narrative you want to portray
E.g. Hello my name is [name], I'm from [province/city], and I'm (a/an) [occupation]. I [interest/hobby], I [belief/ideal], and I want to [goal]. So far, I've [steps you've taken to accomplish goal so far], and I plan on [step you plan on taking to accomplish your goal].
Understand who your target audience is and how to reach them
The better you are at determining your target, the more efficient your branding will be
E.g. Using LinkedIn to show your friends your photography isn't very effective
Think about where you can brand most effectively (relative to the target)
Recruitment staff for job positions will likely research you through professional resources, and on popular social media such as LinkedIn, Indeed, Instagram etc.
Friends/family are most likely going to see you on the most common social media, such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc.
Example Template
Filled Out Example
Understand how to conduct yourself
Your brand shouldn’t just be an online personality, you need to maintain your reputation in real life as well
If you say that you have certain abilities/characteristics online, then it should be true
People will look for notes of what you say about yourself, and first impressions are very important, so be weary in what you say about yourself
A Good Center
In this age of infinite information, ease of access to information is valuable; so make sure you have a hub for your brand. A website allows you to easily maintain up to date information about yourself in one place. Website builders such as Wix, and Squarespace are easy to use, allow for specific customization, versatile, and can be quickly changed/customized on the fly.
Strategy
With your branding, consistency is king. Constantly outputting content, updates, and statuses that align with you, and your mission are great indicators for your audience of the kind of person you are; over time, you end up building a repertoire with them, or an image in their mind’s eye of you. As well, keeping a theme with your content will make it very easy for others to follow along with you. Perhaps a colour scheme in your posts, a set of formats that you frequently use, or even an upload schedule can give people a set of expectations for you; with expectations comes the opportunity to exceed them and impress your audience.
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