Whether you work as a construction foreman or own your own company, you have a brand. You need to learn to favorably position that brand. When others compliment your competency, fight to have you on their team or defend you, they help to build your brand.

Too many folks in construction, and lots of other industries, act like their reputation doesn’t matter. The older I get, the more I understand the stupidity of ignoring one’s reputation. Your future value depends more on your reputation, your brand, than on any other one thing.

Companies build their brands in many ways. Here’s one of my favorite explanations from The Publicity Hound of the difference between public relations, marketing, promotion and advertising:

“If the circus is coming to town and you paint a sign saying ‘Circus Coming to the Fairgrounds Saturday,’ that’s advertising. If you put the sign on the back of an elephant and walk it into town, that’s promotion. If the elephant walks through the mayor’s flowerbed, that’s publicity. And if you get the mayor to laugh about it, that’s public relations.”

If you want a better understanding of public relations, here are 31 definitions of PR at Heidi Cohen’s blog. I think you’ll find them fascinating reading. I always read the Publicity Hound Tips of the Week and generally learn something useful for my business, customers or friends.

I encourage you to think about ways you could build your brand. Obviously, it begins with doing your job well. Positive PR isn’t a scam, it’s getting the truth of your wonderfulness out to a broader audience. Think about ways you could enlarge your web of influence. Being part of Facebook and Linked-In could be one way. Simply doing a favor for a co-worker, helping them solve a problem is one of the best ways. Think of others and do some of them.

Remember, your ultimate ability to have a great job, be paid well and have some financial security depends mostly on your reputation, on you brand. Put some effort into building that brand.