Personal Branding

Article cited from Buzz Bizz Studios

Over the last few years, it has become the buzzword for many marketing professionals. I personally think that the concept can be very effective, but as many powerful concepts, you have to handle it correctly. For the positive, it allows people to present themselves in a compelling way. For the negative, if everyone is trying to make a name for themselves, how can you be seen and be heard among all the noise?

To help outline the basics, we borrow tips from a personal branding guru, Guy Kawasaki. From his book “Art of the Start”, we highlight five secrets of personal branding success.

• Make Meaning, Not Money. If you’re into personal branding with the goal of making money, stop now. You will attract the wrong kind of people into your life. Instead, start with the goal of making meaning. Try to align your actions with your long-term goals. Kawasaki suggests two ideas for inspiration; right a wrong, or prevent the end of something good. How can you make the world a better place?

• Make a Mantra. In three words or less, what are you all about? Kawasaki believes that mission statements are useless. He says, make a mantra instead. FedEx stands for “peace of mind.” What do you stand for, in the simplest terms?

• Polarize People. Personal branding pundits often advise against being a “jack of all trades,” or a generalist that isn’t very good at something specific. Guy believes in being great for some people rather than trying to please everyone. Embrace the thought of people strongly siding against you as much as with you.

• Find a Few Soul Mates. We’re all on this journey together. It’s silly to think we are alone in our careers or in life. Find people who balance you. Then make time for them. You’re only one person, so surround yourself with people whose skills round you out.

• Don’t Let the Bozos Grind You Down. There are people who will dislike you. People will disagree with you. That’s a fact of life. So never let criticism bring you down. As you live out your mantra, it’s your responsibility to be strong in the face of “no,” and “you can’t do that.” Ignore people who say “you won’t succeed”. Use this negativity as motivation. Prove these people wrong.

It all boils down to one question. What is your essential quality? Identifying what you can do for people will help define your personal brand. The more benevolent, the better chances you have of making a strong personal brand.