WHAT IS PERSONAL BRANDING?

March 1, 2018

I became fascinated with the topic of personal branding after hearing a Johnson & Johnson executive speak about it during a “lunch and learn” years ago. Since that time, I’ve studied it, written about it and conducted numerous Personal Branding workshops for corporate leadership development programs, universities and professional associations.

When I launched my personal branding blog last year, I asked the question, “Are You A Brand?” And while I shared examples of strong brands such as Oprah and Michael Jordan, I’m often asked what exactly personal branding is?
Business industry consultant, Tom Peters coined the phrase Personal Branding in a 1997 article “A Brand Called You” that first appeared in Fast Company. In the article, he stated that it was time for all of us to take a lesson from big brands if we want to stand out and prosper in the new world of work. “We are all in charge of our careers, and our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called you,” Peters said.

In a nutshell, personal branding is the practice of people marketing themselves and their careers as brands. The personal branding concept suggests that success comes from self-packaging.

From a product perspective, “to brand” refers to all the activities that shape customer perceptions. The same holds true when it comes to personal brands. Your personal brand is impacted by who you are, the reputation you build, your relationships, and the experiences people have when they encounter you. As you think about your personal brand, consider the three components that make up your brand:
• YOUR Purpose,
• YOUR Image and
• YOUR Network.

In other words: What are your unique qualities? What image do you project to others? And, how intentional have you been in building a strong network?

In the next few blogs, I will discuss each one of these components in more detail. In the meantime, just remember that whether we like it or not, we are all brands. The real question is: How are you managing your brand on a daily basis to secure and advance your career?

“The good news — and it is largely good news — is that everyone has a chance to stand out. Everyone has a chance to learn, improve, and build up their skills.”

Tom Peters