Holiday Branding

- Building Your Brand XI -

(As printed in the Canadian Immigrant Magazine Dec 2012 issue)

Holiday Branding

December is here and it brings Holiday cheer and Christmas spirits. Children are all very excited about the season and stores are buzzing with discounts and season’s decorations.

The mood is exuberant and people are all talking about their winter plans and getting together of family members and friends. It has begun to get cold and promises to be a white winter ahead.

They say that this is a season when jobs are not being advertised, offices are closing and people are making plans for the holidays. So for many newcomers, it may feel like we have to take a hiatus till the New Year comes around the corner and many of us begin to think that we have to stop our branding and networking efforts.

Not so, not in the least and please do not let the environment fool you to think otherwise. Your branding store stays open and continues however it takes on a different dimension.

It is this time that you use to give back, to recognize and to use the season to do some things different but all towards building your brand.

The season is about gifts and greetings and so here are some actions that each of us can take to continue in building our brand in this new country of choice.

Over the time each of us has been in Canada, we have made some acquaintances, some mentors, some friends and even perhaps found some family here. Here are different things that we can do to use our time during the season to continue to build our brand salience.

Make a list of friends and organize a seasons get-together, make it a pot luck and BYOB so that there is less cost pressure on you or any one family; people don’t mind bringing a dish and sharing bread together especially if they are also newcomers and have fewer friends here than back in their country of origin. Your organizational skills, planning and coordination will show especially if you pay attention to fine details of putting together a great friends meeting with music and festive decor. They will remember you beyond the meal you share for the initiative that you took in making this happen. “He is a go getter they will say”.

The second action step is to make a list of those who have mentored you in the year that has past and those you would hope will continue or begin in the year to come. Invest a bit in gift hampers and personally go and visit them and express your gratitude in having them in your life. I do not need to explain the effect this will have on these individuals and the consequent rub off on your goodwill with them. Chose your hampers to suit each personality so it shows that you have actually taken individual efforts rather than a one suits all selection.

The next part is something than many people have forgotten with the advent of the internet which is the concept of season’s greetings cards. Hallmark, 123 Greetings and a zillion other sites are there which offer free e-greeting cards and most, and I mean almost everyone, uses this to send greetings these days. However as with all branding, how does your brand stand apart from the many other brands in the market? By doing something different and being recognized as that. And so here I recommend personalized hard copy greeting cards sent by conventional snail mail or if you can afford it and time is tight, local hand delivery. Make a list of people you have met over the course of your journey here and also those who may be in other countries and dedicate the time to write and post personal cards to each individual. The effect of a hard copy card is so much more than a link and a click on the email, they normally get a large number of those and you are but one more. You have shown that the individual is important to you and that you have taken that extra step to prove that. Here I put out a challenge, in order to help motivate you, I ask every reader to send me a card this season. I promise to place your card under our special white Christmas tree that gives sparkling angel dust and all good wishes to the sender. Let this be a test for you.

And last but not nearly the least is family. This is the time to recognize family, both immediate and near relatives. They have stood strongly besides you through the year supporting your efforts and challenges that you have faced in your personal journey. They have also made sacrifices and have faced challenges and this is an opportunity for you to acknowledge that and to build new reserves of support that you may continue to need as the New Year unfolds.

Each initiative is a season’s opportunity to build your brand while doing something beyond the usual activities we do throughout the year.

Happy Seasons Greetings, I will be looking in my mailbox, your challenge is to find out where it is.

Tips for newcomers to Canada

http://p.atcontent.com/Gautam/879185795454713N5.text/

– Building Your Brand VII- The Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award

– Building Your Brand VII -

The Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award

(Canadian Immigrant Magazine - July 2012 Issue)

This article is to congratulate the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award winners of 2012 and to the hundreds of people whose lives each one of you have affected.

Being recognized for your achievements and the dedication and efforts that each one has given back to Canada is not the end of the journey but marks a beginning of a new one. I know because I too am a past award winner.

Frame the actual award and hang it proudly where you can see it every day so that it drives you to even greater heights in giving back to this lovely country. 

The Top 25 Award while seemingly is given to individuals, stands for so much more. It marks the sign of success against challenges and recognizes the determination and perseverance in reaching our goals. It motivates countless of new immigrants who have come to Canada wanting to make and live a better life. It encourages others to be selfless and count life’s little blessings.

Our world after winning the Top 25 Award does not change dramatically; no one comes and signs you on for a James Bond movie or invites you to the Oprah show. As you were before, so shall you continue. 

But with a difference, people now listen more carefully and your words take on new meanings. That is the recognition which the Award brings. A recognition to yourself and a recognition from others and so like I do, learn to wear the award proudly.

Our journey needs to be told as it is a story that helps others in their journey forward and build new award winners of the future. 

Many agencies that serve New Canadians have approached me since the award and requested for a presentation to an adult audience. These were newcomers who were interested to hear about Canada, about my journey and take away lessons that they could apply in their day to day lives. 

The time and effort in giving back has virtually doubled since the award and every day makes me feel good and proud of what I do, helping bring change to the lives of New Canadians. I get phone calls and emails from many newcomers who want to reach out and hear my journey and this is time well spent as they move on charged with renewed energy and drive. That is the magic of the award; it lives on and energises lives of many others who come in contact with you.

A leading television channel reached out to me and made a documentary introducing newcomers to Canada, the camera crew spent time filming my day at the office, at home and at several sessions where I was speaking to New Canadians. 

The immigration office recorded my interview and currently screens it at pre arrival sessions held among soon to be immigrants from South Asia. 

As a newcomer myself, sharing my story whether face to face, in front of an audience or using social media, it is all about people helping people and building what Canada is well known for – the best country in the world to live in.

We have become Brand Ambassadors and have to dedicate the effort and energy to others and to make dreams a reality.

– Building Your Brand Series VI - Tackling Lack of Canadian Experience

– Building Your Brand VI-

Tackling Lack of Canadian Experience

(Canadian Immigrant Magazine May 2012)

A standard tale of woe that many a newcomer to Canada faces.

And with exasperation, responds, “If I am a newcomer to Canada, how do you expect me to have Canadian experience.”

And that having been said, resign themselves into months of misery until they find a way to get a foot in the door.

Familiar sounds? Sure, we all have been victim to this.

My answer was to process the words differently. Rather than hearing the words as “But you don’t have any Canadian experience”, I heard them as “I don’t know who you are and what you can do”.

And that opened the door to a whole new world. A world of volunteering to build Canadian experience and using online media to showcase what you are capable of achieving.

In my case, I used these two routes to build my Canadian brand – writing articles and volunteering. Much as you read this article today, my articles have been published in several magazines and Dailies bringing salience to my written word. I also used online to advantage by running and contributing regularly to this blog called G Talks.

A simple Google search of your name will bring witness to how much you have achieved in the marketplace. If a prospective employer is considering hiring you, they almost always do a Google search of your name to see what the www says about you. So keep your brand alive by being active online.

The second route I used was to volunteer my time. In my case, as I had previous Board experience, I looked at volunteering at a Board level and was able to join and continue to contribute there. I like you, did not have any Canadian experience initially so this not only built my Canadian experience but also allowed prospective employers to view my capabilities. Do visit the Maytree Website at www.maytree.com if you have Board level experience for opportunities that you are suitable to volunteer for.

Everyone does not have to volunteer on a Board, select your level and an avenue that you are passionate about and can contribute positively. It will help showcase your talents and is something you can easily refer to in your resume as well as job application forms. Do not spread yourself thin but select one or perhaps two places to volunteer. But one thing is very important to remember when you are volunteering and that is to make your presence felt. Be active in your group and do things that can showcase your skill sets. 

These are things you can subsequently quote as Canadian experience.

Start volunteering literally from day one as every day that you volunteer; you are gradually building your Canadian experience and your network. 

The other thing that many newcomers tend to lose after coming to Canada is our self esteem. We had an image that we had built over time overseas but none of that transcends the borders so we find ourselves relatively a stranger in Canada. No one knows who you were and no one really cares leaving us with a sense of lost identity. This can lead to a downward spiraling of demotivation and at times depression. 

Volunteering is a great way to retain a degree of self esteem and over time, build it back to the high levels that it was. There is a sense of purpose, a sense of achievement and a sense of recognition when we volunteer. And it makes you feel good about being able to give back and helps you stand tall and proud. That shows itself when you attend a job interview or just go about your day to day life.