Our lives are full of brands.
We purchase them.
Talk about them with friends.
See them cross our path all day long.
Many go into careers that help build them.
They consider brand positioning.
Brand Character.
Brand Reputation.
And much more.
In the end, a brand is not a single thing.
Brands are a Feeling
The brand represents the perceptions of those who have experience with the company.
Brands evoke emotion. Feelings.
The brand is built by customers of course.
However, the brand is also built (or broken) by employees, media, and other stakeholders.
The perceptions and feelings that the brand evokes.
Personal Brands
The same “rules” apply to our personal brands.
Our brand is the perception and feelings that people have about us.
This perception is created by those who know us – from our family to professional acquaintances.
We may have a different “brand” with our family compared to our professional network.
To build our personal brand, we can take lessons from corporate brands.
Use branding tools and techniques to define our brand.
Intentionally market and stay true to who we are.
The way we connect and communicate with others.
The way we create and curate content.
All shapes our brand.
And determines the feeling we give others when we are in the room.
Your Turn
Do you know what your personal brand is?
Is your perception the same as those around you?
What feeling do you convey?
How could you start to be more intentional in communicating your brand to others?