Jan 24

Written by:
1/24/2012 10:46 AM 

Before continuing our best practice discussion on developing a personal marketing plan, let’s review the first three steps outlined in previous blogs:

1.  Create a purpose and mission for yourself
2.  Set clearly written and defined goals
3.  Complete a product and marketing analysis

Next we will move onto to step 4 - identifying your target markets, and step 5 - creating career marketing materials.

4.  Identifying your target markets

I've previously blogged on the value of being specific and focused in developing your target market. In that blog I discussed how a more narrow focus in developing a target market list will create more opportunities because you will have a better qualified set of companies that will best match you. In this case, quality definitely is better than quantity.

Some things to consider in developing your target list:

• Geography – will the target organizations provide you with a realistic commute or place you in a city or location that you want?
• Can you identify  the decision makers within your target companies?
• What secondary information is available on the companies?
• What can I learn from reviewing the company web site, LinkedIn profiles and even their posted positions on the job boards?

5.  Develop impactful personal career marketing materials.

With your targets identified and plan in place, your next step is to develop career marketing materials. Examples of career marketing materials include:

• Resumes
• LinkedIn profile
• Career search summary page
• Business cards
• Business accomplishments – have details ready just in case
• References
• Articles, patents, PowerPoint presentations of relevance
• Past two years of W-2 statements (yes – many ask)
• Past five year compensation history (yes – many also ask)

We will cover all of the marketing materials in more detail in a later blog.

The next blog will be our last installment on this series, “Utilize a Sales Approach”.

Until then,

Pat

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