I am sure you have heard about it, but do you really know what it is? This post will take a quick look at what personal branding is, but we have to start with the origin which is the brand.

What is a brand?

A brand is the unique experience that people remember about a product or service. We are surrounded by products and services every day, some of them are very similar – try distinguishing Coke from Pepsi in a blind test. The reason marketers make use of brands for their product is so they can differentiate the brand from the competition. The goal is to position it as a premium brand so that consumers believe they are enjoying an exclusive product. We all know that adjectives like premium and exclusive are associated with higher cost, that’s what pays for the entire branding exercise.

What is a personal brand?

A personal brand is the unique promise of value of a person. Simply put, it’s who you are and what you do – nobody else can be or do the exact same thing. Just like a product, a person can brand themselves to stand apart from the competition. In this day and age, consumers have no problem finding a dentist, plumber or realtor – they find lots of them online and they take their time to shop around. Skills and knowledge have become ubiquitous and commoditized and the value of personal branding becomes more important now than ever. The person that has taken their time to build an excellent brand for themselves will not only be more visible but should also be able to charge premium rates for their work – a very enviable position to be in.

What is personal branding?

This is the process of uncovering/creating, building and promoting your brand to your target audience and the greater world. This starts with looking at your current situation; how is your brand positioned, how is it unique and is it reaching out to the right people. The next step is to craft a personal branding statement, bios and an elevator pitch that reflects your unique promise of value and speaks to the reader/listener. After that, it’s time to build a presence online as it is the quickest and most cost effective way to bring your brand out to market. When your social media and own site or blog are in place, it’s all about promoting and working on increasing that loyal fan base. The branding process can take anything from a few weeks to a couple of months, but the ongoing promotion in terms of blogging and other activities will be carry on forever.

Call to action

There is no time like the present to start your personal branding journey. Most people only think about their brand when they really need it (e.g. looking for a new job), this will probably be 12 months too late. Building and promoting a strong brand takes time and effort but it’s probably the best investment you can ever make. You may change industries, move out of the country, take a long sabbatical – but your name and brand will always be with you so make it a good one.