Personal Brands Targeting the Customer Journey - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Brands Targeting the Customer Journey - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career One of the best pieces of advice any business owner can receive is to specialize. Be it in the medical field or as a chef, it’s really the niche markets that prove to be profitable. Yet so many places try to please everyone only ending up with a few mildly happy individuals instead of a strong, multitudinous collection of brand champions. As it turns out, finding this niche is more about understanding your customers and the stories that would ultimately drive them to you. Known as the customer journey, these stories are how you better market to the audience you know will be a solid foundation for your company, be it the mom that forever needs dependable detergent or the young adult looking to fit in. Isolate these, and you’ll isolate your core market. Becoming the Customer Before spending whatever you can on a full marketing campaign, sit back and envision the numerous customer journeys that would ultimately lead customers to you. Why would they ever need your brand? Keep in mind that the answer doesn’t have to be a single event. This brainstorming period should bring in every moment you and your team can think of that would result in the purchase of your goods. Only after you have a complete list should you whittle down rarer instances in favor of those that are more common. Let’s imagine you sell Chapstick. While it certainly is plausible that someone had their Chapstick taken from them by airport security on their trip down to Florida now leaving them mildly upset, such a situation is rather specific and won’t apply to everyone. Instead, a better choice would be going with the story of a person that is forgetful and has misplaced their Chapstick. Rather than wasting time searching, it would be much easier to simply buy another one. Going further with this idea, you’ll also want to verify that the story you pick also matches the purpose of your product. Continuing with the Chapstick idea, following a customer journey of someone losing theirs would be a perfect fit if your Chapstick is then marketed as a revolutionary new design that lessens the chance it will be lost in the future. If that’s not your angle, a forgetful customer isn’t going to be your ideal niche audience. It could also be that perhaps that person isn’t a Chapstick user but maybe they have dry lips because of something they’re experiencing (nervousness, transition from humid weather to a dry climate, outdoors all day for any number of reasons).   Is there a package that meets their needs during their journey that would be something they would consider? Everything you do should have a purpose. Finding Stories Apart from collecting anecdotes from your coworkers, it’s always a great idea to reach out to the community itself. If you have an idea of what angle you might want to shoot for, find out if it’s viable by questioning current and potential customers. If you’re coming from a blank slate, simply ask for stories. Once collected, you can sift through everything to try and pinpoint a common thread that the current market is failing to optimize. By taking advantage of this by building your brand to fill that gap, you’ve found yourself a specific purpose that will drive business. From there, you can expand safely. The stories you go after don’t have to be in the form of complaints. They could come from a simple, “why did you choose x brand?” or “what made you go with x instead of y?” This way, you can gather a plethora of emotions, as well. Not every brand wants to fear monger and not every brand wants to paint the world as an always happy utopia. That being said, like the stories being able to potentially point out a weakness, these stories can also potentially point out an emotional state that the customer base lives in. Though you don’t have to use this exactly, it can be a great compass and give a starting point to even consider looking at what the “opposite” of that situation is and how that draws in or is a part of your customer’s story. Like most great businesses, to know your audience is to know yourself, and to know your audience, you must first figure out their motivation to seek you out above all other brands. Once discovered, this tiny message is enough to build an entire ad campaign off of that uses emotions and shared experiences to drive company success. With the major brands already using these customer journeys to stay ahead of the curve, it’s not impossible for a smaller brand to head in the same direction in a quest for prominence.

Why cheating at university needs to stop - Debut honestly

Why cheating at university needs to stop - Debut honestly This post was written by an external contributor. Anca Coman argues why you should never consider cheating at university.   Listen, we know university is hard. Essays can be a slog, and its not always the case that youll breeze through to a 2:1. So sometimes to avoid struggling, people choose to not do the work themselves, and pay someone else to write their essays for them. This sort of behavior is becoming more and more common. Research shows that cheating at UK’s top universities has risen by 40%. In addition, the number of students that have been caught cheating at Russell Group Universities has increased by a third in only three years. Cheating can lead to unsolvable consequences in the long run, even if youre not caught. Your future career aspirations could be compromised as a result. So heres why you should think twice before hiring someone to do your work for you. The consequences are severe Were stating the obvious here, but if you get caught cheating, then the procedure is rightly harsh. Ranging from suspension, all the way to permanent expulsion from your university with no award, or the chance to return and study another degree. It would mean a waste of your time and money, and would also be hard to explain to future employers when they ask why youvre never completed your education. Do you really want to go down that road? All that debt will be for nothing Lets be honest, £9,250 per year is not an unnoticeable sum of money. Most courses are divided into three years, which leads us to roughly £27,750 for the whole academic journey. If you cheat in your assignments, the money that you compensated will have no role in your education. Youre paying for valuable knowledge. But if you cheat, youll only be obtaining a degree thats stained with someone else’s work. Stepping on your integrity Cheating is a softer form of stealing â€" if you’d steal, how would people treat you? Wed wager not with a not a lot of trust or respect. Paying someone to do your work is dishonest, period. You can say goodbye to your loyal image, as people won’t forget what you’ve done. Even after you finish studying, your actions may come back to haunt you later in life, perhaps even in your workplace. As Rachel’s mom from Friends would say: ‘Once a cheater, always a cheater!’. Say goodbye to future jobs Careers require the necessary skills to succeed, skills that you learn at university through completing assignments. If someone else does the work for you, you wont ever develop, and therefore you wont succeed in the working world. For example, how would you demonstrate your capability of becoming a copywriter, if youve never actually written an essay yourself? Its not worth missing out on learning these vital skills for the sake of a few credits. Cheating is unfair to YOU! Its clear that theres a correlation between doing good deeds and your mental health. When you do something right, you raise your self-esteem and feel proud of your achievements. If you work fairly on your assignments, you can be proud of what youve managed to accomplish. Cheating will not give you this satisfaction, as youll have played no role in creating the work. You’re putting yourself in an unfair position if you cheat. If however you work hard and honestly, youll not only improve intellectual skills, but also your psychological wellbeing. Work hard and honestly for your degree, youll get there in the end! Download Debut  and  connect with us on  Facebook,  Twitter  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Where do you see yourself in one year

Where do you see yourself in one year Creating a planfor what you want is difficult. Sometimes we dont know the answer because we dont know the options. Developing a plan requires that you know yourself and the situation well. Your plan may be to stay where you are, but dont grow stagnant. Make sure you identify ways you can grow and learn. It is about continuous improvement. We need to understand or at least try to understand where the world is going- challenging, yet not impossible. What are the trends impacting your occupation and industry? Be honest, if you dont know, find out. Warning: this may require that you speak to other people. You may also want to consider using a tool to help you organize your thoughts. Using SWOT can be helpful.Download swot_analysis_template.pdf Consider the implications of not creating a plan. Will you fall victim to the decisions of others?Will you feel like you have no control? This is your life, you are in the drivers seat. You can have control, but you need to start being responsible.

How to Find the Best Resume Writing Services in DC

How to Find the Best Resume Writing Services in DCResume writing services in DC can be found all over the world but how do you know where to find them? Do you have a friend who is good at writing resumes or are you a pretty decent writer? Well, what if you have all three talents combined?This could happen to you if you were considering doing freelance work. There are lots of companies out there who use writers to write resumes for them. If you could find one of these companies, you could be paid really well.So what are the best resume writing services in DC Canada? I'd suggest looking online first. Just type in resume writing services in DC and you'll find plenty of sites to choose from. After you've narrowed down the list, go on over to the home page and find a list of the most popular companies to do work for.Check each of the companies out carefully. After all, this isn't going to be an easy job and you need to be sure you're going to get the best value for your money. Some resume writing services in DC can charge as much as $25 per hour but the rates will vary based on the company you choose.Another thing to consider is the availability of the available support team. Each company has their own set of guidelines and requirements for their applicants. What may be acceptable with one company may not be acceptable with another.Resume writing services in DC can also have experienced writers on staff. These companies have been in business for years and have a lot of experience in the industry. They also understand what it takes to get a resume across.So, why not choose the best resume writing services in DC? You could save a lot of time and money because they'll make sure you get the right job for you. It will take a little extra work but it could pay off in the end.Resumes are an important part of the job search. The resume is the first impression you get from potential employers. This means that you want to make sure you make the best impression possible when y ou write a resume for a company.

Writing in Past Tense on Resume - 3 Problems With Writing in Past Tense

Writing in Past Tense on Resume - 3 Problems With Writing in Past TenseMany students are confused about how to write in past tense on a resume. It seems that the rules about writing in past tense on a resume are different from what they would have to do with writing in present tense.With present tense, the writer creates a description of the event or activity occurring at a specific time in the past. When writing in past tense, the writer does not create a description of an event in the past. Instead, the writer simply uses the present tense form.In past tense, a person can still use future tense as well as the other two tenses of the past. Future tense describes a future situation. The present tense description is only a 'past' and not a 'future'. When describing a situation that occurred in the past or a past time, the writer uses present tense.When writing in present tense, there are three possibilities for the verb. First, the verb can be used in the past or in the present tense. Second, the verb can be used in the present tense.In this case, it may seem confusing to write in past tense on a resume. Sometimes it makes more sense to describe something in present tense. If the past situation is complete, that person has completed the task, then the writer should simply use the present tense form. If the past situation is incomplete, then the writer should describe it in the past tense.The first problem with using present tense is that it makes it appear that the writer has just finished a job. The second problem is that it makes it appear that the writer's finished a job without doing anything. In that case, the writer must describe the job. In the last situation, the writer has not described anything, so using the present tense does not help.If the writer does not want to describe something in the past tense, but wants to include the work completed in the past, the writer should create a description in the present tense. When creating a description in the pr esent tense, the writer must also describe the work completed.

Heres What I Know About Writing Checks in Gp Resume

Here's What I Know About Writing Checks in Gp Resume Using Writing Checks in Gp Resume One of the absolute most important design choices you can possibly make on your resume is your font. As soon as it's only a page or two in length, a resume is among the most important pieces of a work application. Use the search box to find just what you want to find. Proceed to resume keywords to find out the way to recognize the most suitable keyword phrases to use in your resume and to have a list of sample keywords for various careers and job types. In the event the client wants a folks will remember, I give them one people won't ever forget. You should also incorporate job posting information like the announcement number. Make certain that your email address appears professional. In general, it should be based on your name. Spend some time matching your qualifications to the job to make certain you're including the ideal key terms and abilities. Your resume must prove clearly and concisely that you're the ideal candidate for the work opportunity. It can even block you from getting the job. If you're asking for a senior level government job, you have to include things like this. Check to determine whether a knowledge, skills and ability statement is necessary. Learn about the three kinds of skills you are able to highlight and the way you are able to incorporate them into your resume. Highlight what you've accomplished You would like to be able to spot the best examples of where you demonstrated your abilities. Thus, the receptionist has to be in a position to prioritize tasks and have them done dependent on their degree of importance. Vital Pieces of Writing Checks in Gp Resume At times the Skills and Accomplishments section is a distinct section. Your resume is only as great as the info you provide. Use the checklist to ensure you have included all appropriate data in your resume. Include private information. The Secret to Writing Checks in G p Resume All you include in your resume must reinforce that you're an ideal job candidate. If you are a newcomer to the work market, your Summary is going to be based more on ability than experience.

How to Thank a Mentor (A Tribute to My Father) - Work It Daily

How to Thank a Mentor (A Tribute to My Father) - Work It Daily Ask folks who feel successful in their careers and I guarantee they can provide you with a nice long list of mentors who helped them get there. To be successful, you need to actively seek out mentors who can help you learn and grow. These people are vital to keeping you on track to reach your goals. Good Mentors Are Hard to Come By Finding mentors can be a challenge. First, you have to identify people who you feel can help you. Then, you have to try to develop your relationship with them to the point that they are willing to mentor you. Mentoring isn't an obligation, it's a choice. So, when we are lucky enough to have someone choose to mentor us, we must be grateful for the privilege. What's the Best Way to Thank a Mentor? If we want our mentors to keep mentoring us, it's a good idea to make sure we thank them properly, right? I'd argue we can't thank a mentor enough. Unfortunately, I see many people go about it the wrong way. They overwhelm the mentor with compliments that have no substance. Let me explain... Quantifiable Results = Proof of Effectiveness Forget gushing praise that lacks substance, if you want to thank a mentor the right way, take the time to articulate specifically the impact they've had. Outline and provide examples to prove their efforts provided a wonderful ROI (Return On Investment). If you want a mentor to keep mentoring, showcase how their actions have paid-off. FACT: All of us are inspired when we see the fruits of our labors. Mentors are no different. Show them the results - it speaks volumes! Here's My Thank You to One of the Biggest Mentors of My Life Above is a picture of me (watch the video to learn what I'm doing), and here is a recorded thank you for one of the best mentors I know - my father. In it, I share a story and a surprise for my dad. While I can never thank him enough, I hope it demonstrates to him that I was always listening and am truly grateful for his parenting, his leadership, and above all, his role as my mentor. Now it's YOUR Turn! Post a thank you to one of your mentors below and be specific about the impact they've had on your life. What has resulted from their efforts? How have they made a difference? Then, send them a link to this article so they can A) read your thanks, and B) see they have been listed as an exceptional mentor! J.T. O’Donnell is the founder of CAREEREALISM and CEO of CareerHMO, a web-based career development company. Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!