Figuring Out Your Personal Brand

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Social media has taken over the world.  The way we interact with each other isn't on just a local level, anymore.  It's gone way beyond presenting ourselves to people we actually meet to presenting ourselves to people we'll never actually meet.  It's also grown our reach, as individuals, exponentially.  Which is a good thing.  Except when it's a bad thing.  Defining and developing your Personal Brand can keep it from being a bad thing.  But what is it, exactly and how do you do it?


Your Personal Brand is how others see you.  It's what comes to mind when they hear your name and colors their perception of you.  It's just like when a company brands themselves or their products.  Think of Apple.  Their logo just popped into your head, didn't it?  Fun, easy to use, sophisticated and fashionable are all things that come to mind when we think of Apple products.  That's what their brand stands for.  It works the same for you, as an individual.  Your individuality is a marketable product.  What do people think when they see or hear your name?  That's what your brand stands for.  And you can make it say anything you want.

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The way to start is to think of how you want to be perceived by others.  A good place to start is with some easy traits we want others to see we have.  It's important to be seen as knowledgeable in your field.  You probably want to be liked, most of us do, so make sure you seem approachable and friendly.    If you have a sense of humor, its really easy to communicate in your writing style and the way you answer others in comments or online discussions.  So, right there you have the basis of your Personal Brand; knowledgeable, approachable, friendly, and a sense of humor.  By being consistent in what and when you post you'll be perceived as reliable, too.  And reliability implies that you're trustworthy.  But actually be trustworthy. It's important.  Seriously.

Related: How Your Attitude Can Help Your Job Search

But how do you pull it off?  How do you communicate these traits to others, defining your Personal Brand?  Start by posting links to articles in your area of expertise to show that you're knowledgeable about these things.  Some places to post are LinkedIn groups that you belong to, Twitter, and Google +.  Take it a step further and start writing your own blog focusing on your industry and expertise.  You can post links to your blog through the same platforms listed before but can also add each entry as a page to StumbleUpon.  You can also pin each blog entry or article to your Pinterest boards.  The other traits of your Personal Brand will be determined by how you word your posts or blog articles and how you respond to the comments of others.  Wording your posts so they're informative, show your enthusiasm for the subject along with your sense of humor will communicate the rest of your branding message.  You'll come across as an expert who wants to help others that is friendly and approachable.


Unless you want to have a different image for your Personal Brand.  You can communicate anything you want about yourself.  Or invent a new you, entirely.  That's the beauty of it.  It's all in what and how you communicate and how you respond to others.  Remember, you are the product you're marketing.  And you can make your product be anything you want.  It's entirely up to you.