How can personal branding help luxury industry professionals.
In a closed industry like luxury, you need more than skills to help you make a mark.
A luxury professional plays a dynamic role. It takes on the role of brand custodian, product expert, and fashion or lifestyle consultant.
With the industry facing a backlash during the pandemic, it has now become more difficult for new or existing professionals to find relevant jobs or connects in the industry. With the professional environment that’s becoming seemingly over-saturated with talented graduates, it can be a challenging task to distinct yourself from your counterparts and stand out.
This is where the growth of digital media and social media platforms has now again brought the focus on building the concept of your own, personal brand.
Younger millennials, myself included, may remember being taught from a young age to fit in and conduct ourselves in a specific manner. However, the advent of social media has helped people to understand the importance of “uniqueness” and the value of “rarity” — terms that we mostly use for luxury brands.
In recent years many professionals have used this online presence to their advantage through personal branding. Since personal branding has become such a key differentiator for individuals looking for jobs — many students and young professionals alike are now looking for “best practices” when crafting their image.
So let me simplify this for you. Consider yourself as a luxury brand and now apply some of its traits to your branding that would help you build a credible brand of your own.
Seems overwhelming? Worry not!
Let me break this down for you and help you get an understanding of it.
What we need to find is some similarities to a luxury brand and mirror it while branding ourselves.
Think of your brand as no less than luxury and then curate!
A shift of perspective from skill-based Functional model to a Value Creation model
In Simon Sinek’s word, great brands first answer — “why they do what they do”. So direct your efforts on your why and then to what.
While it is essential that you have certain skills like smooth functioning of Microsoft tools, great SEO and other digital marketing techniques, excellent writing skills, but your brand persona cannot be solely based on your utility. Always remember, there is going to be someone who might have a bigger pool of skills than you. To set yourself apart, you should bring to the table an implicit value that no one else can through your branding techniques.
Unlike premium brands, luxury brands and automobile manufacturers don’t talk about functional performance advantage. For eg — a Chanel bag never talks about its investment value or how its utility as a bag. But what it sells is something way bigger and unique. It talks about how associating with Chanel welcomes you to a club of free-spirited women who are the epitome of style yet independent. It lets you celebrate the women in you.
So yes, focus on value creation and quality. Applying this concept to your brand will help you distinguish yourself from the crowd.
Brand’s storytelling
Just like every luxury brand, it is important how you communicate your story to your target audience and connect with them.
We always resonate deeply with a brand that has a story to tell.
Every word you speak or every move you make is always being constantly evaluated and interviewed, both professionally and personally. So, everything counts — the way you talk, the way you move, the way you dress, work, play, interact with people.
It is only when a specific set of people accept you to be similar to their given status is when they invite you to be part of their community. They hire you, the marry you, they offer you trust and the given respect. This is sole because they know you through the story you tell.
So what does it take to tell a compelling story to the market place you are a part of?
Attaining their attention
Being relevant
Being Memorable
You can further read my blog on the “age of personal branding” for a detailed understanding.
Personal brand placement is crucial
A luxury brand’s product placement has always been very calculative and important to them. Where they advertise, which mediums they use, which industries do they associate themselves with (luxury X music) especially in digital times, define their brand language? Placement says a lot about the brand.
When crafting your brand, it is not just important to think about placement in terms of medium (social media platform, blog, website, etc.), but also to think about your brand’s association. When luxury aligns itself with musical influential talent, it is a two-way placement association.
On your online platforms, take into consideration who/what you want to associate with, and who you would like to associate with you. Think of this when you retweet, comment, share an article, or enter into a conversation. What kind of collaborations are you looking at? This will allow you to shape your brand identity and voice and take full control over what is connected to your identity.
Be Unconventional. Be You.
Luxury brands always appear to be on the cutting edge of content and imagery. They have one of the most stylistic approaches in their promotional mediums and content. While you must remain professional, you should employ your creativity. It always welcomed!
When designing your online presence — be it a website or social media platforms, adopt a look that resonates best with you. Pursue a layout, font, colour, that speaks to the image you would like to present.
Be anything but repetitive with your brand strategies and have the old established approach.
Article has been inspired by — https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3-ways-treat-your-personal-brand-like-luxury-miles-brickley
