The Power of Marketing Your Greatest Asset....YOU
Put your time, energy and resources into developing, educating and "power conditioning" your most valuable asset - you!
By Rob Salisbury, APS
What is it that business leaders and people like Dr. Madeline Albright, Sir Richard Branson, Janet Holmes a Court, Eddie McGuire, Pauline Hanson, Tim Shaw, Poppy King, Dick Smith and the cast of Big Brother have going for them that perhaps you have missed or don’t use enough? 
These people leverage their personal style, unique marketing skills and ability to get results much more often than most. In many cases, they have shaped their countries, economies and had an influence on our world like few before. 
Examples of World, Regional and Local Influencers
You may have seen or heard of Dr. Madeline Albright in the news at one point. She was appointed US Ambassador to the United Nations in 1992 and in 1996, the 64th Secretary of State for the USA. Her personal style and relentless diplomatic successes over the decades, combined to make her one of the most influential people in the world at the time. The words, “we are not negotiating”, were her final words on diplomatic immunity for Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. Her personal campaigning to cease foreign aid to Belgrade if it did not cooperate with The Hague or the UN eventually brought down the Butcher of Belgrade in 2001 to the relief of millions of people, several neighbouring countries and the United Nations. 
Sir Richard Branson has for 40 years put himself and (through his personal marketing efforts) his company Virgin, into the international spotlight. He is widely known as a fierce competitor with a sharp mind and yet fun approach to the marketplace. Regardless if it the airlines industry, cola drinks, mobile phone companies, travel groups, sporting teams...Richard Branson is more than a billionaire. He is a marketing force who has certainly branded Personal Marketing and continues to do so in the media with his many world balloon crossing attempts and other marketing efforts. 
Regardless if he succeeds in his balloon crossing attempts or fails in the process of trying, he gets hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising free by getting on television, in the media via the net or in print for "extending" his reach to the high risk adventuring of balloon racing. 
Janet Holmes a Court. University educated in Perth, married with four children by the early 1960s, widowed in the early 90s, has been given full credit for saving and flourishing her husband’s business empire after his death. She is now the wealthiest woman in Australia. 
By putting herself in the spotlight, she has personally led the company from strength to strength and championed over 1,000 employees to believe in teamwork and purpose each and every day. 
Eddie McGuire, at only his mid 30's, is President of an Australian Football Club and the host of the popular Australian Television show "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire" is consistently in the public eye and he is reaping big rewards for it. 
Pauline Hanson, (whether you agree with her political message or not) almost single-handedly put her One Nation party on the Australian political scene through personal marketing in the late 1990's. 
Tim Shaw, the only spokesperson in the world for McDonalds, other than NBA legend Michael Jordan, has marketed over $100 million of products in the last 10 years. He has personally made the statement "but wait there’s more" an everyday statement now in Australia and New Zealand. 
Poppy King, the young lipstick icon has been on both sides of success and failure in business. She continues to market and promote herself and her company with the same enthusiasm she had when she was just eighteen. 
Multi-Millionaire Dick Smith is no stranger to personal marketing. An Australian icon, he is now able to use his personal image as a virtual brand to successfully market a whole range of locally made products and services from peanut butter, to jams to wooden matches that even carry his name called Dick Head Matches. 
Big Brother was here in 2001
Whether you loved it or loathed it in 2001, Channel 10’s Big Brother series, became an Australian social phenomenon. Who would have imagined that after three months, 12 people living in a house together, with one getting evicted week by week, would attract such a national audience? 
To put this remarkable series’ success into perspective, on the final night of eviction, the show had over 2.8 million people glued to their sets awaiting the final outcome. 
Big Brother’s marketing was particularly effective with Australia’s young population. Channel 10 reporting it attracted more than 50 per cent of the 16 to 39 age group – the X-generation and pre-X-generation viewers. 
Pizza Hut in less than 5 months of advertising turned a $ 5 Million dollar advertising campaign into over $ 60 Million dollars in sales...that is BIG BROTHER BUSINESS. 
Unlike ‘Survivor’, which was set up around physical prowess and team contribution, Big Brother contestants survived by proving their worth as individuals and the public was the final decision maker. This show turned Personal Marketing into something of an art form as it exposed all the contestants at nearly every level possible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 
Sara-Marie, the bum dancing, breast baring, bunny-eared girl from Bunbury Queensland nearly won the grand prize of $250,000 and avoided public eviction six times on television. The public fell in love with her because she understood the power of being outrageous and uncompromising in her personal behavior. 
Like Zsa Zsa Gabor of the 1960's and 70's in the United States, Sara-Marie will be famous for being famous. She has marketed millions of dollars in products such as bunny ears, pink and white pajamas and has endorsements for other products while she is still in the public eye. 
Big Picture Marketing
Brian Tracy, a U.S. based author, speaker and authority on sales and marketing, recently said: “The success or failure of a marketing strategy, determines the success or failure of any company or individual. If a company or individual is succeeding, it is because their marketing strategy is really good and is positioned correctly at the clients and the competition.” 
You can absorb mistakes in every area of a company but if you make mistakes in marketing you can be out of business or in a downturn very quickly. It’s vitally important that you make the clear distinction between selling and marketing. 
Marketing is the process of determining customer’s needs and then tailoring products or services to satisfy and fulfill those needs. Selling is reinforcing the marketing proposition, the benefits of that product or service and than delivering on the promise. 
It’s than becomes a function of the company to gaining the trust and confidence of the buyer and build a close ongoing relationship with that client or customer through loyalty methods and managing that relationship in one of numerous methods over time. 
You as the Product
Most people never think of themselves as the prime product they are marketing. To do so, means to have a good look at your own talents, knowledge, abilities, experience, interests, achievements, shortcomings or areas that need major improvement. 
What vocation, hobby or type of work do you get your best results from? What are you doing when you are at your happiest? Your background, your past efforts, working/professional life, all play an important role in marketing you. The people who seem to do very well in business and in life, have the ability to focus on one thing for long periods of time...often they will change some type of direction but given time, the thread of focus and skill is the same...they get results and that is what counts over the long haul. 
Often these individuals are very passionate and enthusiastic about what they do. They literally “champion” their cause, mission, their organization and the products and services they sell or market through personal power and belief. 
Personally Marketing YOU
Nearly everyone wants to be paid more or earn more but few are willing to invest enough in helping to build themselves up as an ‘asset’ to be marketed. Now, more then ever before, a strategic representation or competitive advantage is a vital part of personal and career success. Taking massive action on re-calibrating, re-educating and re-building you, is one of the most important strategies and investments you can make in your future. 
One of the biggest challenges facing most business people today is determining their self worth and value in their chosen career. 
Finding Direction
Someone once said, “A ship that never leaves the harbour is fundamentally safe but that’s not what ships were built for!” You are the captain of your ship. The waters of your life you find yourself in, didn’t happen by accident. Most people drift along in life and have never taken the time to get clarity, direction and focus on our five, ten or even twenty-year career goals. 
High achievers are focused on specific outcomes and usually pay a high price to be at the top of their game. They often want to "own the court" as Michael Jordan once said in his outcome to win another NBA Basketball Championship with the Chicago Bulls of the 1990's before retiring...again. 
“Take the coins out of your purse and invest them in your mind and your mind will fill your purse with coins.” 
Benjamin Franklin – 1882 
Inventor, author, statesman and America’s first self-made millionaire 
The most successful employees and business people are usually tremendously skilled in self-promotion or career marketing. They know that a rock solid foundation must be built at some time in order to create the platform to building a successful long-term career. And, success does not normally come easily. 
It takes thorough planning, advice, focus, determination, effort and a whole host of personal characteristics to attain a successful career over the long term. Over the last several decades we have seen tremendous fortunes made and lost based upon an individual’s personal marketing of their talents and skills. 
Secrets of Success
The secret of successful personal marketing lies in understand one’s particular expertise and then developing those skills to local, regional and then world class standards. This can turn you into a valuable professional. In time, the price you will invest into this area will be worth every minute and dollar given the platforms and stages of the future you will stand on as an achiever in your profession or career choice direction. 
There is no better investment you can make, than the investment you make in yourself. Put the energy into training, educating, grooming and encouraging your most valuable asset – you! The return will be a lifetime of rewards. 
Read Only Copyright 2001 Rob Salisbury & SRI Used with permission of author

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Strategic Resources International (SRI) is led by Rob Salisbury. Rob is an accomplished Professional Speaker, Certified Sales Trainer, Marketing Strategist, Promotions Expert, Published Author and since 1999, a featured writer for Corporate Trends Magazine in Australia. For more information on Rob and his corporate team visit: www.strategicresources.com.au/