David Armano poses a thoughtful spin on branding:
“The hallmark of any great brand is authenticity — just ask Harley-Davidson, Coke or Apple, especially when all of these brands lost their way and learned from it.
Same thing applies to Brand You. In every tweak of a template, upload and keystroke, you have an opportunity to be authentic or disingenuous. Know what makes you special and unique, and tap into those qualities as you build your personal brand online.
Most people can spot a fake when they see one, so remember that being genuine is more important than presenting yourself in an artificially glossy manner. It used to be important for bloggers to “find their voice” — now it’s relevant to all of us.”
Finding your voice, to me, means becoming comfortable with what is unique and authentic about you. When you embrace that unique combination of differentiating attributes that define you, you’ve got what you need to define your personal brand.
Here are a few of my posts to help you find Brand You:
Tune Into the True Measure of Your Brand
The Ripple Effect of Personal Branding
David goes on in his blog post to offer ways to “custom design your personal brand online”. His suggestions echo some of mine:
Boost Your Online Identity By Taking Advantage of Online Social Networking Groups
Personal branding, especially for executive job search, isn’t a choice anymore . . . it’s an essential. If you’re not on the brand wagon, you need to work on getting there.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I like your last paragraph regarding personal branding being essential! Look forward to seeing you continue to spread this word, as I could not agree more…
Thanks for reading and commenting again, Luke.
I really liked your recent blog post about using the iPhone to enhance personal branding. My latest post refers to it.
Regards, Meg