To advance your print industry career, it’s crucial to control your personal positioning. Fran Drescher, star of The Nanny, was one of my early role models for her powerful and strategic career positioning. I’m going to explain how Fran took control of her career so you can apply the lessons to your own.
I met and worked for Fran Drescher right after I graduated from college. Although she is only two years older than I am, this lady was a force to be reckoned with – in a good way.
Fran and her then-husband Peter were producing a Hollywood-adjacent production of “Grease.” I was on the lighting crew.
Before Fran ever showed up on set, her reputation preceded her. Fran was known to be droll and witty. People said she was intelligent, energetic, warm, and real. I soon learned she was deeply kind and never forgot a name.
Professionally, she had built an impressive resume as a writer, producer, film actress, business partner, and promoter of her projects in Hollywood. She had the background and personality to do great things.
You’d never mistake Fran Drescher, even at age 24, for a fresh-faced kid or a wacky dame.
It wasn’t simply what she had done – it was what was on the horizon. We knew Fran was “going places” and had big plans for her career. She left nothing to chance.
Fran’s positioning helped the world deepen their understanding of who Fran Drescher was and what she brought to the table.
No one was going to define Fran Drescher but Fran Drescher.
You can do the same with your print industry career.
The positioning process starts with a core concept. To control your career, you have to describe yourself – rather than letting others describe you.
Here’s an exercise I use with my print clients to develop their market positioning.
To get started:
Write your executive bio. Create a brief, punchy overview of your print industry career – about 300 words.
Find out what resonates. What catches people’s attention about your career or plans?
Write out your career aspirations. Think big. Be bold.
List high points from your past that add professional credibility.
Imagine situations in the future that could help you advance, stand out, or be known.
Include real-life stories about your background and career.
Craft an overarching narrative that ties everything together.
Put your positioning out in the world. Reshape your LinkedIn profile. Improve how you introduce yourself. Do guest posts or presentations. Update your bio on your membership and social media sites.
As your career advances, you’ll find new ways to improve your credibility, substantiate your career trajectory, and attract opportunities.
No matter where you are in your print industry career, use the lesson of Fran Drescher’s strategic positioning: (1) Have an overarching plan, (2) Make yourself interesting, (3) Bring attention to the things you choose (not how others define you), and (4) Use your positioning to take bold, strategic steps to advance your career.
In “The Nanny,” the character Fran Fine is described as a “whirlwind who blows into people’s lives and makes them feel alive again.” The real-life Fran Drescher certainly did that for me. Thanks, Fran, for important career lessons that I’m still applying today!
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Check out last month’s post: 8 Ways Printers Can Benefit From Email Automation
Sandy Hubbard is a Marketing Strategist and Advisor specializing in Print, Media, and B2B Tech. She helps print companies improve so they stand above the crowd. Sandy is host of #PrintChat, a weekly global gathering of the industry’s most influential thinkers and leaders. A proud member of Girls Who Print, Sandy was the 2022 recipient of the coveted Girlie Award. Connect with Sandy on LinkedIn.
