| Personal branding for professional salespeople should | | | | special report, on any subject, for less than $125. |
| be a high priority - unfortunately it isn't. | | | | You can probably get a book written for less than |
| Your personal branding can provide you with an | | | | $400. |
| unique competitive advantage if you take the time to | | | | Think about this for a minute. How many salespeople |
| develop it. | | | | do you know, who are working in your industry, are |
| Here are five easy steps you can use to launch your | | | | giving their sales prospects and customers special |
| personal brand. | | | | reports and books they have written? Probably not |
| 1. What makes you different - I mean really, what | | | | too many. |
| makes you different from other salespeople? If you | | | | You see, personal branding is not about blending in, |
| don't give this any thought, don't think you're | | | | it's about standing out. Doing things that no one else |
| memorable from your customer's perspective. | | | | is doing creates a strong personal brand for you. |
| I often ask the question, "what makes you different | | | | Your personality, unfortunately, isn't enough to |
| from your competition" during my corporate sales | | | | differentiate you from all the salespeople calling on |
| training programs. I always get the same responses: | | | | your sales prospects and customers. |
| honesty, reliable, experienced, problem solver, | | | | 4. Most professional speakers have signature stories |
| product knowledge, follow up, trustworthy etc. | | | | they tell. These stories are unique to the speaker. It's |
| While these qualities are admirable they won't | | | | their signature. As an entrepreneur or a professional |
| differentiate you from your competition because | | | | sales person you can create a signature for yourself. |
| everybody believes they possess these qualities. | | | | For example, my e-mail signature includes this: 21 |
| Just remember this - if you want to be remembered | | | | years . . . 522 corporate clients . . . 72.7% repeat |
| you have to be memorable! | | | | business. |
| 2. What are you known for? Do you have specialized | | | | These 47 characters help create my personal brand - |
| training? Do you have an advanced degree? Do you | | | | you can easily do the same thing. |
| have 23 years of experience within a market | | | | What color did Johnny Cash favor? He was the man |
| subsegment? | | | | in black, wasn't he? What color shirt does Tiger |
| For example, I have met salespeople with doctorate | | | | Woods always wear on Sundays? It's always red isn't |
| degrees who keep this a secret from their sales | | | | it? |
| prospects and customers. Why in the world would | | | | You don't have to be famous to consider doing this. |
| you do this, when you could differentiate you from | | | | In fact doing this may help you to become better |
| your competition? | | | | known in your industry. |
| Are you unflappable? Do you possess an | | | | You could always wear blue ties. You could always |
| extraordinary sense of humor? Do you possess any | | | | use a fountain pen to take notes during sales calls |
| unique skills - like you're scratch golfer or maybe a | | | | and to write short personal notes. Not too many |
| college football referee? Are you a gourmet cook? | | | | salespeople are doing these things. |
| Do you breed dogs in your spare time? | | | | Another good example of a great signature is |
| What makes you different, makes you memorable. | | | | Thomas Jefferson's signature - it really does stand |
| 3. Let people know what makes you different. You | | | | out, doesn't it? |
| can communicate your uniqueness in ways you have | | | | 5. Do something that says you're different. Do |
| never imagined before. I'll give you 2 specific ways | | | | something on the blank side of your business card. |
| you can do this. | | | | Think about what you can leave behind at the end of |
| Prepare a special report on a topic that you have | | | | the sales call. In preparing for this article I did a |
| some experience and expertise in. Google makes | | | | Google search for the phrase, pencils personalized. |
| doing research a snap. You create a title page, an | | | | You can order these pencils in a variety of designs |
| about you page, the actual content pages, and you | | | | and colors for as low as 7 cents each. You can also |
| could end your special report with a short list of | | | | imprint up to four lines of text on each pencil. The |
| resources your sales prospects and customers would | | | | pencil becomes your business card. |
| benefit from. | | | | Imagine including a sharpened pencil with your sales |
| You could also write a book. If you happen to be a | | | | proposals with a short note saying, "We already |
| timid soul you could team up with two or three other | | | | sharpened our pencil for you." |
| salespeople. Imagine how your sales prospects and | | | | Finally, don't assume you're automatically different |
| customers would react when you give them a book | | | | because of your DNA. You have to work at |
| you've written. It automatically establishes you as an | | | | cultivating your uniqueness within your industry. Doing |
| expert. It automatically sets you apart from your | | | | these five things will enable you to become the "Go |
| competition. | | | | to person" within your industry. |
| And here's some very good news for you - you | | | | I hope you have fun working on your personal |
| don't even have to write the book yourself. You can | | | | branding. |
| visit and post a job describing the project and how | | | | Being boring doesn't get you anywhere. |
| much you're willing to spend. You can probably get a | | | | Being different does! |