Looking Backward to Move Forward - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Looking Backward to Move Forward - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career It was once said, “There is a reason why the windshield of a car is so much larger than the rearview mirror. We need to always keep an eye on where we are headed but also remember from where we came.” This saying applies not only to driving but business as well for a number of reasons. 1. Motivation to keep moving forward For most entrepreneurs, being in business is a roller coaster ride with many ups and downs and hurdles to be overcome. With persistence, success is finally found. During your quieter moments, as you look back to where you first began, a smile should appear recognizing you not only survived but also able to thrive! This is the needed motivation to keep moving forward. 2. Recapture your hurdles overcome While dwelling on errors and hardship could prevent you from moving further, the idea here is to review the lessons learned. It’s wise to occasionally remind yourself what did not work and what you learned from the experience. Which route replaced the one not working, and how has that turned out? Should you recognize the new path is working very well, perhaps then you may develop complementary paths to broaden your reach. 3. Celebrate your successes Too often entrepreneurs are caught up in work and do not take the time to acknowledge their achievements. Make the time to observe what you have accomplished as this will add to the fuel you need to drive further. 4. Business development made easy After you have taken the time to review your history, capture what you found to have worked best to develop helpful content for others following in your footsteps. Share the highlights online, in video and however else you and your audiences communicate. Add links to the products and services in your content and on your website. Without ego involved, but just the facts, you will attract others to connect, collaborate and offer possible opportunities for future consideration. 5. Brand development Sharing your story along with the strategies that worked best for you allows others to get to know the real you. Did you know people buy “you”? The sharing allows others to get to know, like and trust you, as well as build your personal brand well. All of your activities become a part of your branding program. Should you have employees, include them in your review journey so that they too may understand the meaning behind where you are situated today in business. On occasion, let the public know what new projects you have in the works, update your profile pages on the various sites, and ask for help among your closer peers to help get the word out. Belonging to a well-defined group that offers services similar to yours will also provide the support you seek as well as offer availability of promoting one another. With most everyone similarly aligned, you will be headed for the Smooth Sale!