No matter what your major is in college or what your future goals are, there is one very important thing that you need to know how to sell, and that is yourself. Building your own brand while in college lets you decide how others will perceive you and it will also help you build a sense of self-awareness.
Chalean NeCole Lawrence, Eastern Michigan University junior and electronic media major, is better known on campus and social media as “NeCole Dash.”
“NeCole Dash is my middle name and nickname put together,” said Lawrence. “My original company name was ‘Glitz Shots,’ which really didn't embody who I was as a brand, so I chose NeCole Dash which is cool, edgy and easy to remember.”
When building your brand, think about what you have to bring to the table and what you can do really well. Get a resume together, make business cards and develop a blog about your professional interests. Whatever approach you take, make it be a clear reflection of who you are.
Lawrence’s talents include photography, film, editing, web and graphic design, marketing, event planning and poetry. Her ultimate career goal is to build many companies ranging from studios to agencies.
“I knew that along the way some of those goals may change, but I knew my end goal was to build something that could inspire and give back to the youth,” she said.
It is also essential to know what message you want to send out and what is important to you as a person.
“I'm just a woman with a plan and I'm not letting anything stop me from making my dreams come true,” said Lawrence. “Use your gifts and talents to open doors to your future.”
Kristy Stanford, an EMU double major in electronic media and film studies/comprehensive communication, is also known by her brand name “Kristy Love.”
“I stopped looking at what other people were doing, I wanted something to call my own,” said Stanford. “I did the research, which I'm still doing, and I learned to dominate my brand.”
Stanford said that her talent is being able to speak on camera and radio well. Her future career goal is to become a news or entertainment anchor, as well as write books, start her own mentor program and to someday own her own television network.
“I feel like expressing love genuinely opens up doors for greatness and peace and I think my image shows that a lot,” said Stanford.
No matter what your dreams and aspirations are, it all starts with your brand. Even if you are not particularly interested in being well-known or getting your name out there, you still need similar tools to market yourself to future employers.
“Research, plan and work your plan. Understand that you will fail a few times, but learn from your failure," said Lawrence. “Find a mentor to guide you or give you the little push you need.”
Be careful about what you put on your social media, and make sure that when you Google yourself nothing pops up that can make you not get the job or internship that you have been dreaming of.
Building your own brand is about sharing with people who you are and what you do in the most effective way possible. In this generation, social media, blogs and networking have made this concept or putting yourself out there rather simple.
“The sooner I walked away from the crowd the sooner opportunities started to open up for me,” said Stanford. “Sometimes you have to be strong enough to be a leader and make an impact, not only in your community, but the world.”
