Personal Branding - What is it?
What it is and is not -
"Your reputation is made up of the opinions and beliefs people form about you based on your collective actions and behaviors. Your personal brand, on the other hand, is much more intentional. It is how you want people to see you. Whereas reputation is about credibility, your personal brand is about visibility and the values that you outwardly represent." Harrison Monarth in Harvard Business Review.
In short our Personal Brand is how we want people to see us. It encompasses what motivates us, as well as our personal characteristics, qualities and core values. What you stand for!
To create your personal brand, focus on what makes you unique, what you excel at, and what you want to be known for. In the words of Seth Godin, “Many of us are taught to do our best and then let the world decide how to judge us. I think it’s better to do your best and decide how you want to be judged. And act that way."
(Scroll down past the images to find links to a few relevant articles from some real experts and with a brief summary or intro of each article so you can quickly decide if you want to read more.)
Role of Photography in Branding
So now you may be asking why is a photographer blogging about personal brands, my motivations, my personal characteristics, and business goals? Great question! It is because my goal as your branding photographer will be to show who you are, capture your personality, traits and qualities as much as is possible of you in a photograph. We'll do this with a few traditional headshots, but also in photographs that bring out your personality and depending on your industry, we'll show you in your environment.
Articles from leading experts on Personal Branding
Check out the links below for relevant information on personal branding from some leaders in the business world. Following each link is an excerpt from each article.
Soocial, a leading branding agency with a passion for creating memorable names and internationally-renowned brands.
30 Personal Branding Statistics You Should Focus On In 2023 - Soocial
Excerpt: Personal branding greatly impacts trust, directly influencing our decisions in our professional and personal lives. Nowadays, if you’re serious about your personal brand, you should have a good and impeccable online presence. Hardly anyone ever works with anyone who doesn’t have a LinkedIn profile, for example.
Harvard Business Review -
The Return of the Personal Brand (hbr.org) -
Excerpt: Why is it more important than ever to develop your own brand? I like the words of Seth Godin: “Many of us are taught to do our best and then let the world decide how to judge us. I think it’s better to do your best and decide how you want to be judged. And act that way."
Forces have emerged in the last decade that make the Brand You concept critical to business and career success. An increasingly competitive society: in every walk of life, it has become important to learn how to stand out from the crowd in order to win better opportunities.
• The inexorable rise of brands: branding has become pervasive in all societies as a means to distinguish goods, services and personal preferences. Social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Bebo show how branding has moved squarely into the personal domain
A New Approach to Building Your Personal Brand (hbr.org)
Excerpt: For better or worse, in today’s world everyone is a brand. Whether you’re applying for a job, asking for a promotion, or writing a dating profile, your success will depend on getting others to recognize your value. So you need to get comfortable marketing yourself.
In this article a branding thought leader and a professional dating coach present a guide to creating your personal brand. It’s an intentional, strategic practice in which you craft and express your own value proposition, and it involves seven steps...
What’s the Point of a Personal Brand? (hbr.org)
Excerpt: We often confuse our reputation as our personal brand. But that’s not true. Everyone has a reputation. The first impressions you make, the relationships you form with managers and peers, and how you communicate — all of these things impact how others see you. Your personal brand, on the other hand, is much more intentional. It is how you want people to see you.
11 Ways to Build Your Personal Brand (hbr.org)
Excerpt: Your personal brand needs to be:
- Compelling to your audience
- Authentic
- Consistent
- Well-known
So what do you need to do to make it happen?
Forbes -
What is Personal Branding? Why Its Important!
Excerpt: Personal branding is what you say about yourself based on your experience, expertise, core values, and key differentiators. Developing personal branding helps you be seen as an industry authority, grow and build trust with your audience, grow your business, and ultimately make an impact as a mission-driven thought leader. Who needs it and why it is important.
Why Personal Branding is More Important than Ever!
Excerpt: Effective personal branding will differentiate you from the competition and allow you to build trust with prospective clients and employers. Whether you know it or not, you have a personal brand. When you Google yourself, what pops up? These results are the first impression people will have of you. Is it a good one? Is the information you are sharing across LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social media sites consistent?
The term “branding” used to be reserved for businesses, but with the advent of social sites and the gig economy, personal branding has become fundamental.
Maryville University -
Personal Brand Tips: How to Promote Yourself Without Overselling | Maryville Online
Excerpt: To advance your career, self-promotion — publicizing your skills and aptitudes to further your professional growth — is crucial. This is especially true in today’s competitive work environment. Those who understand how to establish and promote their personal brand can gain an edge over their peers.
