Without saying a word, you’ve formed an opinion about me. You’ve evaluated the way I look, the way I dress and made some judgments about our hairstyle/handbag/size of my hips.
Now if you knew me a little better, not only would you form opinions about my outward appearance, but you’d also have a stronger understanding of my personal brand. You would know some of my particular skills and strengths, or my weaknesses. You’d know a little bit about my values, my attitude to life, the way I do business. In other words, you’d have an understanding of my power – my reputation and my influence power.
And that is what personal branding is about. Whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not: everything that you do and say, or not say, the way you behave, interact, relate, do business, whether you’re punctual, polite, political, persistent, positive or professional, all speaks to the most important position in business today – head of marketing for your personal brand.
It doesn’t matter where we are in business, how long we’ve been there, how old we are, how many times we’ve been round the block, unless we understand the importance of branding, we’re going to get left behind.
Think of yourself as a promise of the value you offer to the world around you. This is your brand.
Personal branding is not something to create, or become, or manufacture. Personal branding is quite simply, the permission to be you.
- It’s about detecting your authenticity, discovering the benefits you offer and then communicating that to the world around you.
- It’s about being known for making the most significant contribution to your particular area.
- It’s about your reputation power and your influence power. It’s the perception of you held by the external world.
- It’s the combination of personal attributes, values, drivers, strengths and passions you draw from that differentiates your unique promise of value from your peers.
Some people are waiting until to learn more, have more, experience more or do more before they act. But the only time to brand yourself is now.