What's Your Personal Brand?

Be yourself because everyone else is already taken.
Oscar Wilde

What crosses your mind when you see a picture of Donald Trump? How about Martha Stewart? Richard Branson?

Each one of these people evokes a specific set of adjectives that describes who they are and what they stand for. The fact is that each one knows their personal brand and is very careful not to undermine it in any way. You can do the same!

Regardless of whether or not you “like” or agree with any of these people, you must admit that they stick to their style (aka brand) and are authentic in their self-presentation. Have you ever seen Donald Trump being soft spoken or apologize in any meaningful way? Would Martha Stewart ever agree to be a spokesperson for a fast food product? And would Richard Branson ever speak out in favor of taking the safe and easy way out. No way. He’s tenacious and his “big” personality is closely aligned with his business decisions and yes, his brand.

Think about your own personal brand. Do you know what it is? Here are five questions that you should ask yourself when thinking about your personal brand:

1. What adjectives do people use when they describe you?
2. Who is your target market?
3. Are you consistent, passionate and authentic when you are out in the marketplace?
4. What’s your UVP (unique value proposition)?
5. What would you like to be known for?

It’s important to remember that your personal brand is synonymous with your reputation and that the key to building a successful personal brand is consistency. If you are inconsistent you cannot successfully build your brand image and brand promise because people don’t know what to expect from you day to day, engagement to engagement. This leads to insecurity, certainly not a factor that you wish to foster in your business relationships.

Let’s face it – standing apart from the competition can often be a daunting task. It is often an individual’s personal brand that helps them to ultimately win and retain business.

So I ask you one more time – what’s your personal brand?