Does your audience really know and understand you? Positioning yourself online and offline takes effort and commitment to success around your business "Why" and the problem you want to solve for your audience. Self-awareness is defined as conscious knowledge of one's character, feelings, motives, and desires.
The following sub-categories will help you navigate being self-aware while positioning your brand online and offline.
Networking
-While networking at events, it is essential for you to be a critical listener throughout your conversations. Asking those you engage with questions about themselves will help you be more memorable.
-Demonstrating an authentic desire to understand the person and avoiding the need for self-validation by focusing only on yourself will help build better connections.
-While connecting and being authentic, be aware of what you are saying and how it may impact your audience. Maya Angelou once said, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Therefore, keep your audience in mind at all times and be aware of how you are positioning your thoughts.
Consulting
-Active listening also plays a significant role in self-awareness while providing consulting services. Remember that your client's point of view is vital, and they want to be heard. Avoiding the urge to give guidance or advice immediately will allow you the opportunity to listen and formulate their expressed thoughts into your solution.
-Participate in organizations, events, and forums that will enable you to contribute to thought leadership in your field/industry while learning from the experiences of others. Taking time to sit back and listen to what others have learned from can be somewhat of an accelerated education. I like to describe what I learn from others as an "Executive MBA with Jets." The reason being, individuals are kind enough to take their experiences over the years and consolidate them into stories that I can learn from.
Ask Yourself These Questions
-What is my goal, or what would I like to achieve during my interactions with others.
-Have I captured feedback around what is working well from those that I communicate with regularly?
-What could be changed to enhance my approach?
-What is getting in the way of my success?
In conclusion, self-awareness will play the most important role in the positioning of your brand. Your brand should be authentic and reflective of whom you are while possessing the ability to connect with your target audience.