Where do you get your coffee?
If you answered ‘at home, from my generic coffeemaker’ then you are in the minority. Half of you probably thought ‘Starbucks’ or ‘McDonald’s’ without breaking a sweat. The point is that your mind settled on a familiar brand instead of thinking about the office pot (and even if you did, I bet you thought about a particular brand of ground or instant coffee).
Why am I pushing this little test so hard?
Because I am passionate about college students succeeding in an incredibly competitive Online world. I’ve come to see that college students just aren’t branding themselves like they could, and should, be to get an edge on the competition and land the job they want after graduation.
My Twitter buddy, Dr. Elaine Young, and I sat down for a chat to speak about social media and how it affects college age students (she is a professor at Champlain College in Burlington, VT). We came to agree that many college students, if not most, don’t understand or appreciate the power of Online marketing and branding for their personal success.
So if you’re a college student, prospective college student, or recent graduate, please read the following very carefully:
Branding = Relationships + Conversations
Branding sounds like a practice only businesses use to market their products and services to potential customers. In reality we leave brand impressions nearly everywhere we go. The clerk at a local coffee shop can impart a positive brand impression by making a great cappuccino and smiling at customers. Individuals leave brand impressions too.
So why is this important for a 20 year old with homework and a busy social life to be concerned with branding? Because, like my Dad is fond of saying, “Dig your well before you’re thirsty.”
Don’t wait until you graduate to become a trusted resource in the field you wish to pursue. Start NOW.
Secure your social profiles at Namechk and start tweeting, connecting, and meeting the new media influencers in your field to gain an edge (and because it’s fun, rewarding, and absolutely essential).
But wait…there’s more.
I’m putting the finishing touches on a product called ‘Brand in a Box‘ that will show you step-by-step how to build and maintain a profitable brand presence. Profitable means you’ll learn how to build relationships and create a niche for yourself in the profession you want to pursue.
The easiest way to keep up on the Brand in a Box (yes, there will be a free download, along with a premium version available) is to subscribe to receive blog updates via email. If you have any questions about the process, want to learn more, or have opinions that we can include in the ‘Brand in a Box’ then please email the Commando!