Positioning: What Yours Says About You
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about personal positioning and how important it’s becoming. In my opinion, positioning is one of the most underrated and under-appreciated skills in business.
To have the ability to communicate in a way that paints a picture so vivid it evokes emotion and prompts the viewer to take action…that’s powerful!
There’s plenty of talk out there about brand positioning and how brands can situate themselves in the marketplace by comparing and contrasting themselves and their competition. I don’t think many people realize, however, that we are positioning ourselves every day as well.
Personal Positioning
Sure, if you run your own business you’re probably aware of the facet of your personal “brand” that’s communicated through things like blog posts and social media profiles. But it doesn’t stop there.
We position ourselves constantly. We do it when we converse with friends, chatting about how our one friend is always so punctual but we are not. In relationships, we position ourselves against other suitors. In jobs, we position ourselves against other candidates, colleagues, or competitors.
If not practiced regularly, positioning is a skill that is easily overlooked. If it’s not a designated part of your job, it also might not come naturally to you. But there is a very important reason you should be cognizant of how you’re positioning yourself.
Index The Internet
In an increasingly digital world, your first interaction with someone is just as likely to be online as in-person. So the words you write and the images you share will 100% establish your personal positioning.
What if you don’t post much on your personal pages? It doesn’t matter. Comments you leave on other people’s posts or articles can be easily traced back to you—by potential employers, hopeful future romantic partners, landlords, and even attorneys. The internet is forever, friends.
So stop and take a moment to think. We all have a personal “brand”, whether you see it that way or not. What kind of brand are you cultivating? How are you positioning yourself for others to see?