What is Personal Branding and how can I use it to grow my business?
(Article published in Issue 15 of the Australian Business Solutions magazine. December 2010.)
Author: Nicola Barnard
The term ‘Personal Branding’ is thought to have been first discussed in its current context in 1997. The concept has been used for many decades however, but not called Personal Branding. I describe Personal Branding as the process of creating a high perceived value in a person; Utilising physical appearance, clothing and tools, behaviour, personality, knowledge, associations and goals – So that the person is uniquely identifiable and sought after.
Have you ever met someone who made an immediate positive impression on you? These are people that articulate their personal brand well. They communicated to you who they were, what they stand for and you enrolled in their view, leaving an impression that you would act on an opportunity to experience them again – this is the real power of personal branding.
Personal Branding, as a strategy, is now becoming part of the mainstream culture due to the increase in competition and customer reach through technology. Anyone can build a personal brand if they have a message and package themselves to support that message. Paris Hilton shows us that you do not have to be known as intellectual, or create a product that saves the world, to have a huge personal brand identity.
Anyone can employ the process of Personal Branding. Whether someone then becomes known as a brand will depend on their market and goals. Regardless of your level of success, if you are in a professionally competitive environment, it will always be worth engaging in the process of managing your image and developing a positive and memorable personal brand. The bigger the value of the personal brand to your audience, the more opportunities will come your way.
Building a Personal Brand in addition to a business brand can provide…
Strength by association – When the business brand and personal brand messages and goals are aligned they can potentially support each other to grow more quickly, or to a greater value or reach than each on its own. In this case the business brand and personal brand boundaries are blurred. For example, Richard Branson is a strong brand in his own right but the businesses he associates with have the same brand values. In this scenario, it is necessary to carefully manage the growth of both personal and corporate brand awareness because negative impact on one will affect the other by association.
A wider reach – By having a slightly different brand message, an individual may attract clients in a specific niche to a business that could not afford to focus on that niche on its own. For example, an accountant with a special interest in not-for-profit groups could still build their personal brand with that group even though the accounting firm may have a different revenue focus. Publicity and passionate work in the niche can benefit the whole firm by association.
More effective customer relationship development – Even if there are no distinct personal brands within the business, it is of benefit to make sure that all staff communication is aligned with the business brand values. However, a person with brand values that align with the business will be a valuable asset in a public facing position. Someone who embodies the business brand values can interact with customers’ via media, social networking, events etc. Relationships can be developed authentically and with greater opportunities for brand reinforcement. In this context however, it is important to manage communication so that the customer gets a similar experience when dealing with other people within the organisation. i.e. The brand values are always present no matter who delivers the service.
In our competitive and connected business culture it benefits every professional to engage in the process of developing a valuable personal brand.
