Unique Promise of Value
Another way to look at your personal brand is by looking at it as your Unique Promise of Value (UPV). If you break it down, it looks like this:
- Unique is “highly unusual or rare but not the single instance.”
- Promise is an “indication of future excellence or success.”
- Value is a “quality considered worthwhile or desirable” and “the monetary worth of something.”
Imagine that you’re being asked, “Why should I hire you… for this project? or for this job? or to become your client?” Could you answer in a succinct way – in two minutes or less? If you are unable to do that, then take some time to clarify it for yourself. It could make a huge difference in how well you progress in your career.
Basically, your UPV is what you do that is so uniquely you that you can’t help yourself. You must give it, be it, do it. You can’t deny this part of you. It just shows up naturally. And this is why they should hire you.
Clues In Your Workday
So, do you know what you’re UPV is? Since your UPV will usually show up in your workday, you’ll find it by looking at your past experiences. To reveal your UPV, consider the following.
What is the main problem that you’re particularly good at solving? And why? In other words, for what and why do people seem to repeatedly come to you to get your help? You’re the go-to person for this something. When they come to you for help, they might ask you things like, “Can you solve this for me, or can I get your advice about this?”
When you hear their request, you might even think to yourself that it’s pretty simple to solve. But you see, it’s pretty simple for you because it’s so naturally your thing, your uniqueness. It’s probably something that makes you light up and show enthusiasm when you do it, or you’ve talked about it, and they know it, and now they come to you for it. Even if they can do it, they know it’s your thing more than it’s their thing, or they know you can do it better and more efficiently than they can.
So, when this type of situation occurs, it’s a huge clue that your UPV is being engaged. Pay attention. You need to know it so you can use it to answer the question, “Why should I hire you for this job, or become your client, or choose you for this promotion?”