Why is it that some people are always perceived as being more professional and positive than others? Chances are they know how to market themselves, allowing them to create lasting impressions.
This is how I prefaced my comments as the keynote speaker at the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program's student conference last week. I had been asked to speak on the topic of marketing yourself throughout your entire career.
As I delivered my comments, I couldn't help but think that some of the tips I shared with the students were equally applicable to everyone. After all, marketing is everything you do.
First impressions count for a lot. In a book called "Moments of Truth," Jan Carlzon wrote that the first 15 second encounter that an employee has with a customer sets the tone of the entire company in the mind of that customer.
Although Carlzon's book was focused on customer service, we all experience moments of truth. And, if marketing is everything we do, then how we are perceived by others often boils down to packaging.
Marketing is how you dress...
Although you may not like the expression "clothes make the man," what you wear does matter. When people first meet you, they have very little to go by in forming an opinion, short of your appearance, or packaging. So it's very important to dress to suit both the job and your customers.
Other aspects of packaging that can make a difference might include, for example, the number of earrings you wear (18 in one ear may be too many for some employers and customers), body piercing such as eyebrow and nose rings, and hair colour. While bright green hair may be great for partying on weekends, it's probably not appropriate on the job.
How you talk...
Although you may think the recent Budweiser "Wassup" commercial is funny, it's not appropriate to talk like this every day. When you are speaking to others, you have a golden opportunity to market yourself.
If your speech is full of bad grammar, slang or swear words, what moments of truth you are creating?
Think about how you answer the phone. Do you use a polite greeting? What about your voicemail message? Is it friendly and inviting? Does it make people feel comfortable leaving you a message?
I recently called a business phone number for one of the New Ventures listed in the Small Business section of The Record. I got a recorded message that sounded so flippant and unprofessional I thought at first I had dialled a wrong number. I hung up, not wanting to do business with this company simply based on its voicemail message.
How you write...
My company receives numerous letters of application and résumés from job seekers. Often they contain spelling or grammatical errors. These go straight into the garbage, because in the marketing communications industry, attention to detail is paramount.
One woman wrote about being an honour "role" student. Later she said that "I 'posses' excellent communication skills." I was dismayed.
Worse yet was an email I received from an honours commerce graduate who wrote that he was interested in working for Marketing Magic.
Then, in the next paragraph, he told me that he had "heard a lot about RIM," thought it would be "an excellent place to work" and that he was "very interested in the telecommunications industry."
Although he told me he took his job very seriously, he didn't bother to proof-read his letter for careless errors or attach his résumé as promised.
He might have had excellent potential. I'll never know. His moment of truth ended with his letter going into the reject pile.
How you listen...
Listening is hard work. Yet most of us receive absolutely no training in this important life skill. Being a good listener dramatically changes how you are perceived.
In one of the best sales training courses I've ever taken, I was taught that we have two ears and one mouth and we should use them in this proportion. Not bad advice.
One of my friends is married to a firefighter who is an exceptionally good listener. When they go to parties he will often spend the evening simply listening to what others have to say.
Often he ends up saying very little about himself. Yet people always comment on what a nice guy he is. All because he knows how to listen.
And your attitude
Lastly, marketing is how you treat others. It's as important to be polite to the receptionists of companies you deal with as you are to its principals.
Marketing is also about being on time, keeping your promises and thanking others for helping you.
Think about your own moments of truth and then start managing them on a daily basis. After all, marketing is everything you do.
This is how I prefaced my comments as the keynote speaker at the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program's student conference last week. I had been asked to speak on the topic of marketing yourself throughout your entire career.
As I delivered my comments, I couldn't help but think that some of the tips I shared with the students were equally applicable to everyone. After all, marketing is everything you do.
First impressions count for a lot. In a book called "Moments of Truth," Jan Carlzon wrote that the first 15 second encounter that an employee has with a customer sets the tone of the entire company in the mind of that customer.
Although Carlzon's book was focused on customer service, we all experience moments of truth. And, if marketing is everything we do, then how we are perceived by others often boils down to packaging.
Marketing is how you dress...
Although you may not like the expression "clothes make the man," what you wear does matter. When people first meet you, they have very little to go by in forming an opinion, short of your appearance, or packaging. So it's very important to dress to suit both the job and your customers.
Other aspects of packaging that can make a difference might include, for example, the number of earrings you wear (18 in one ear may be too many for some employers and customers), body piercing such as eyebrow and nose rings, and hair colour. While bright green hair may be great for partying on weekends, it's probably not appropriate on the job.
How you talk...
Although you may think the recent Budweiser "Wassup" commercial is funny, it's not appropriate to talk like this every day. When you are speaking to others, you have a golden opportunity to market yourself.
If your speech is full of bad grammar, slang or swear words, what moments of truth you are creating?
Think about how you answer the phone. Do you use a polite greeting? What about your voicemail message? Is it friendly and inviting? Does it make people feel comfortable leaving you a message?
I recently called a business phone number for one of the New Ventures listed in the Small Business section of The Record. I got a recorded message that sounded so flippant and unprofessional I thought at first I had dialled a wrong number. I hung up, not wanting to do business with this company simply based on its voicemail message.
How you write...
My company receives numerous letters of application and résumés from job seekers. Often they contain spelling or grammatical errors. These go straight into the garbage, because in the marketing communications industry, attention to detail is paramount.
One woman wrote about being an honour "role" student. Later she said that "I 'posses' excellent communication skills." I was dismayed.
Worse yet was an email I received from an honours commerce graduate who wrote that he was interested in working for Marketing Magic.
Then, in the next paragraph, he told me that he had "heard a lot about RIM," thought it would be "an excellent place to work" and that he was "very interested in the telecommunications industry."
Although he told me he took his job very seriously, he didn't bother to proof-read his letter for careless errors or attach his résumé as promised.
He might have had excellent potential. I'll never know. His moment of truth ended with his letter going into the reject pile.
How you listen...
Listening is hard work. Yet most of us receive absolutely no training in this important life skill. Being a good listener dramatically changes how you are perceived.
In one of the best sales training courses I've ever taken, I was taught that we have two ears and one mouth and we should use them in this proportion. Not bad advice.
One of my friends is married to a firefighter who is an exceptionally good listener. When they go to parties he will often spend the evening simply listening to what others have to say.
Often he ends up saying very little about himself. Yet people always comment on what a nice guy he is. All because he knows how to listen.
And your attitude
Lastly, marketing is how you treat others. It's as important to be polite to the receptionists of companies you deal with as you are to its principals.
Marketing is also about being on time, keeping your promises and thanking others for helping you.
Think about your own moments of truth and then start managing them on a daily basis. After all, marketing is everything you do.