The Concept of Personal Branding
wove its way into everyday business vernacular thanks to renown management expert, (now famous)
In his article, Peters reiterates the “inescapable” nature of this personal branding as both a choice and an opportunity to
“Big companies understand the importance of brands. Today, in the Age of the Individual, you have to be your own brand. [...] and be the CEO of Me Inc.”
He continued, “A career is now a checkerboard. Or even a maze.
sideways, forward, slide on the diagonal, even go backward
projects that teach you new skills, gain you new expertise, develop new capabilities, grow constantly reinvent you as
IS TRUE TO VOICE
FEELS AUTHENTIC REFLECTS PERSONAL STYLE
On the other hand, what about those who take the leap of faith and say “yes” to themselves?
...the ones who set time and energy aside to sit still and explore personal branding as it relates to their personal and professional lives, experiences, vision, goals, and otherwise: they win.
They are the ones that are ahead.
They are winning.
By investing in themselves, they have gained a competitive advantage that the ones who hesitate, pass, or save it for later or turn elsewhere for this type of work.
It is against this backdrop, that we as Personal Branding practitioners have identified Five Key Principles of Personal Branding. Namely, these Principles were designed as the prework of personal branding; a mindset shift to recognize and honor both the integrity of this work and your integrity as a person in the professional arena who takes themselves seriously.
These Five Key Principles are a combination of hard truths, encouragement, and recognition that the idea of personal branding doesn’t necessarily simplify your ambitious nature. In some ways, it complicates it. Most importantly, however, it should be seen as an upskill intended to enhance and revolutionize your thinking.
Seeing yourself as a brand means that from this moment on, you are taking yourself seriously by virtue of letting go, putting in the work, and very soon will be enjoying the results on the other side.
It’s you.
Personal Branding is not a quick fix.
It’s a game changer.
JUST START.
Principle No. 1: Be Resilient.
Congratulations, you’ve done the personal branding work. Now, everything will get easier.
Wrong.
It doesn't magically get easier. Personal branding, and the worldly recognition and rewards that come along with it, often mean more responsibility.
That promotion you’ve been eyeing? More responsibility.
That dream press article that perfectly captures and editorializes you as a founder, CEO, and the work you do? More phone calls.
Doubling down on your why? More opportunities to create, serve, and lead your vision forward.
Personal branding is about rolling up your sleeves and becoming the most resilient person you know.
The challenges will not disappear. It’s your job to improve how you handle them.
More specifically, this is about managing the volume of intake of new interest, inquiries, and inbound.
By virtue of personal branding, you have raised your profile to create new inbound interest.
The practice is all about maintaining a sharp focus of your time, energy, and priorities.
Be resilient. Stay resilient.
2
Principle No. 2: Be Okay With Discomfort.
If I had to choose a favorite, this one may be the one.
Discomfort is a barometer.
This work can be uncomfortable.
Hear me out.
You standing out WILL make other people uncomfortable.
Not surprisingly, many will celebrate your newfound visibility, but some just won’t.
The question remains: Why stay uncomfortable for the comfort of others. In their book, 10X is Better than 2X, Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy double down on this question, pressing forward the idea that discomfort is actually other people's problem, not yours.
Why carry the fear of being judged?
Let them judge. Let your work speak for itself, and win.
So, no more hesitation. No more worrying about the eye rolls or naysayers.
We all hear those voices. There’s no escaping it.
But the rewards in your life, career, and bottom line outweigh the risks.
How will they know unless you tell them?
In the end, the ones who do support you are the ones that matter.
Principle No. 3: Be You.
Life is too short to not be yourself.
In a world where we have to pull different parts of ourselves into different situations, why not prepare?
It can be tempting to hold back from taking action and wait for that elusive perfect moment.
What does your voice sound like? What are you willing to fight for? What are you worried about? What can you do proactively?
Create your own perfect moment by leading, setting the tone, and being yourself. Channel who you are in everything you do.
Principle No. 4: Be Everywhere.
When it comes to personal branding, you cannot hide from anyone. In fact, why not include everyone?
Your boss, clients, colleagues, friends, family, community, etc. People you know and people you do not yet know. Some, you may never meet.
Personal branding gives you the ability to communicate to a wide audience.
You must share your vision. You must include others. You must seek guidance. You must maintain strong relationships.
And P.S., send thank-you notes on a regular basis.
Principle No. 2: Be Your Own Publicist. 5
Promoting yourself is part of personal branding. Point. Blank. Period. It’s not about vanity or fame seeking, it’s about raising your profile in a way that makes sense for your call to action, professional interests, and bottom line.
It’s about being in service to your audience.
You are the only person who will drive your message, ideas, and brand forward. In order for it to be effective, this has to come from you and be in your voice.
PR is about knowing how you differentiate from others in your industry, being clear about your message, and creating momentum to include others in the conversation.
This can take shape in many ways: Media interviews, promotional campaigns or initiatives, launches, anniversaries, celebrated announcements, and more.
How are you going to stand out to your ideal client?
Add value to their needs.
How are you going to stand out in your industry?
Understand and promote exactly how you differentiate.
How are you going to stand out in your community?
Show up and be part of your community.
How are you going to stand out in your role or company?
Share and socialize your ideas internally within your organization.
How are you going to stand out as a viable, growing business?
Share growth metrics.
How are you going to stand out in your industry or region?
Bring people together and build a coalition.
Just Start!
