You, Inc. What it Takes to Build a Personal Brand

It’s a brand new work-world. And I do mean “brand.”

It used to be that only businesses worried about branding. To thrive, they worked diligently to distinguish their company from the competition. This meant carving out a niche based on competitive advantages and specific corporate attributes. In other words, they crafted and maintained a strategic brand – a unique, useful promise to current and prospective customers to gain brand equity and loyalty. This was business, after all.

My, how things have changed. Welcome to the 21st century: the age of free agents and custom ringtones. Nike doesn’t just sponsor Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods sponsors Tiger Woods (check out the personal logo on his cap). Today, branding occurs at the individual level. This is especially noticeable in service industries but increasingly in others as well. Everything about you, from the type of cell phone you carry and the vocabulary you use, to the brand of coffee you drink says something about who you are – and what you can do for the rest of us.

In business today, your most important job is to promote yourself. You probably won’t work for the same company in the same location in the same industry with the same percent wage increase from graduation until retirement.  More likely, your future depends on recognizing and leveraging your strengths along a winding career path ripe with possibilities. To take advantage of these opportunities, you need to stand out in a crowd. You must become your own brand.

Essentially, this means distinguishing yourself based on your “competitive advantages,” including unique professional skills, life experiences, character strengths and personality traits. The following are some simple suggestions to get you started:

1. The #1 question in branding: What makes you different than others, particularly others in your field? What qualities, experiences, skills, etc. make you special? The goal is to generate a list of personal brand attributes, then prioritize them.
   
   Remember, your brand is a promise of the value you’ll deliver to your customer (or prospective employer) and helps consumers and employers prioritize in a crowded landscape. Therefore, it’s important to consider how you add value. For every feature there corresponds a benefit. Are you always on time? This translates to reliable service. Do you tend to think out of the box? You’re a problem-solver. The more unique your brand attributes within your field, the better. If you add value like everyone else in your industry, it’s not considered a competitive advantage. Look for ways, even small ways, that make you different – and thus more valuable and irreplaceable to customers.
   
   Ironically, it’s really not all about you. Just like with business branding, you must carefully consider the needs and desires of your prospective customers and employers. What are they looking for? This is a critical but often-overlooked component of personal branding. After all, if your competitive advantage is dogged reliability in a field defined by fast-paced innovation, you need to rethink either your brand or your field.
   
   
2. Write a mission statement that includes 3-4 of your top brand attributes, including ones you already possess as well as those you are working towards possessing. Keep in mind that you’re not defined by the company you currently work for or your job title there. The only organization you belong to for life is yours. Create a mission statement that promotes who you are and who you are becoming.
   
   
3. Consider creating a personal logo, like Tiger Woods did. People remember pictures and color (a logo) before they remember text (a name). As a result, adding a logo to your personal business cards is a great way to stand out in a crowd. The symbol in your logo can serve in other capacities, includling an embellishment to personal stationery or as a favicon for your website. (Try creating your own logo for free at www.LogoYes.com.)
   
   
4. Broadcast your brand. Use personal business cards, create a personal website and network with colleagues to promote your attributes. Everything you say and do –from how you greet others and answer the phone to how you dress and carry yourself – sends a message about your brand. Strive for consistency.
   
   
5. Establish credibility. Join professional and community organizations, take or teach a class, give a lecture, start a blog, or contribute to an e-newsletter – constantly search for ways to get your name out there. As importantly, hone your skills whenever possible.
    
6. Don’t be afraid to tweak your brand promise based on feedback from these forays. The success of any branding campaign depends on what the market thinks.
   
   
7. Finally, you are your own brand manager. Preserve your brand with pit-bull determination.

The opportunities to brand yourself are endless. Seize the day, You, Inc.