Personal branding can be a real stumper for many people. It's hard to look at yourself objectively, especially when it's to think about your assets.
With personal branding, you are not only thinking about your assets, you are also thinking about what you want to be known for.
I believe a great way to help understand something is to define it by giving good supportive examples. Before I launch into giving examples, let's recap the definition of personal branding.
Personal branding is essentially what you are known for and what people seek you out for. If you are the “go-to" person for graphic design, then your personal brand is all about graphic design, even if that is not your job.
I once knew a finance analyst who, in his own words, was an “Excel God." He knew Microsoft Excel at a depth that no one else did. He knew it so well it was almost his position in the finance organization, because he not only was the “go-to" person, he was a critical asset to that group because of it.
You can add to that definition what you want to be known for, because your personal brand is also aligning the image people have of you to where you are headed. You don't become president without helping people see you (and your personal brand) in that role.
With that in mind, let's look at some professionals, their personal brand, and what makes them stand out.
Personal Branding Examples
Example 1: Marketing professional with 30+ years in a variety of industries and company sizes.
- Personal brand concepts: "No-limits marketing," leverage and innovative nature, traditional marketing and online social marketing, no limits to creative marketing solutions, "practiced hand" that creates solutions by adjusting the solutions to each company's mission, product, strategy, and industry.
- Stand out: Many people get nervous about crossing over to other industries, but this person puts it out there as an asset. They are clear about the range of marketing they can deliver and why they can effectively adjust to each company.
Example 2:Career Coach, Author, and Speaker
- Personal brand concepts: Internationally renowned, recognized for advancing the needs of job seekers and enhancing training strategies for career coaches, recognized as the first "motivational" career coach in the US, works with job seekers, career coaches, and job coaches worldwide.
- Stand out: The concepts almost jump off of the page with energy. No wonder this person is a top-rated motivational career coach, because they help you understand that is what they are known for—and that's to get you excited!
Example 3: Event Planner, Program Coordinator, Project Manager
- Personal brand concepts: Master organizer with an eye for detail, meticulously creates and executes special events. "You name it, and I will plan it with confidence and enthusiasm."
- Stand out: This works because you truly understand that this person is organized, detailed-oriented, and bubbly all at the same time. You really get the idea that you would enjoy working with this person while they were pulling together your event.
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If you are unclear about your personal brand, just pay attention to what your co-workers seek you out for. That is a good place to start.
To further develop your understanding, study these examples, even if none of them are exactly what you do. Hopefully, they will help prompt you to "get it" about your own personal brand so you can communicate it clearly to others.
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This post was originally published at an earlier date.
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