Sell yourself!

So you say you have no practical experience in sales and marketing? Well then tell me... how did you get into graduate school? And how did you land your job? How do you think you managed to score that date with the girl from the Accounts department? Wait... don’t tell me. You think it was your expertly crafted résumé, irresistible charm and dynamic personality, don’t you? Well, you’re not wrong but that’s just half the fun in the trade of marketing and selling yourself.

No, I’m not talking about human trafficking or selling a kidney to buy the new iPad. You are your product/brand and when it comes to potential jobs, admission into academic programmes or even love interests, it’s a jungle out there. You have to sell yourself. So you’ve applied to graduate school and have reached the interview stage of the recruitment process. What do you do in the interview? You sell yourself! Your dream company just advertised an opening you think was made for you? What do you do? You complete an application and you sell yourself! Maybe you’ve finally mustered the courage to talk to the cute girl you always end up in line behind each day at your favourite breakfast joint. What do you do? You sell yourself and snag a lunch date.

So how do we sell ourselves? In Marketing 101 we learn that what we sell aren’t a product’s attributes, but rather, its benefits to the consumer.  If we are indeed products, then we should be able to apply the four Ps of the marketing mix to ourselves and make our personal brands stand out among the rest so that we can make the sale!

The four Ps of the marketing mix: Product, Place, Promotion, Price

Product: You are your product; you are your brand. You’ve gone to school and you’ve got the diploma to prove it. Guess what? So do two hundred other people and they’re all applying for the job you want. Unless your application stands out among the one hundred and ninety-nine other applicants with a Master of Marketing degree, I hate to break it to you but you’re just a commodity. Like table salt.

Your application stands out when you position and brand yourself well. I’m not suggesting that you submit your application on bright red paper with well-placed polka dots or that you hire a graphic artist to design a personal logo to use as a watermark. Your goal is to stand out by communicating and providing some unique value (your value proposition), which sets you apart from the competition. Remember, it’s all about the value and benefits you bring to the table. How would your fluency in Spanish help the company’s entry into the Latin American market? How would your go-getter personality help the company achieve its sales goals? You know you’re awesome... but you’ve got to let the recruiters know it too!  And don’t forget the packaging because first impressions count. You have to look the part, act the part and sound the part.

Place: How accessible are you to your target employer? Where can they find you? Is your résumé on file with your dream company? Have you signed up with a recruitment firm? Have you told your cousin who works at BP to keep you in mind in case there is a relevant job opening? Do you phone-stalk the HR department? Just kidding – don’t do that.

Promotion: You must promote your personal brand and build a reputation. We’re talking about networking here kids. Remember, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know...and some might cheekily argue that it’s really who knows you.

The digital age is upon us and social media has taken over. An up-to-date LinkedIn profile is a must.  Use the LinkedIn networking algorithm to make industry-relevant contacts. Add to the discourse with other professionals in the LinkedIn groups dedicated to your field. Follow and connect with the right people on Twitter and Facebook. And yes... those Facebook photos can come back to haunt you so tag wisely.

Join and get active in professional organisations related to your field of interest. Position yourself as an expert in the field by writing articles or blogs for industry relevant publications and through speaking engagements and presentations. The Community is a great avenue to get started J

Price: What’s your brand worth to the employer? Premium brands attract higher prices; the same is true of your personal brand. To price strategically, you must consider your industry (manufacturing, energy, finance etc), job position, years experience, location, current market trends and of course the unique value you bring the employer. This requires research but if you’re not lazy, you’d be in an excellent position to negotiate a premium price that the employer would be willing to pay for your services.

So ladies and gentlemen, do you think that you’ve been successfully marketing and selling yourself? If we do a great job at marketing and selling ourselves, companies may be more likely to trust us to market and sell their products and brands. After all, charity begins at home.

- Kristle Gangadeen



Images: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net