Your Personal Brand : What, Why, When
What do you think of when you hear Coke, Apple, Nike, or FaceBook? What’s the difference between Coke and Pepsi? Common occurrences.
Just like these well know brands, you are a brand too. Your name is your brand. Personal branding is about understanding who you are, building a positive image, and differentiating yourself from all others.
What do people think of when they hear your name? A dependable, hard worker or a complete flake? What surfaces when someone Googles you? Is it the real you? Is it the image you want to represent you? Your brand defines YOU and you must manage that brand and reputation.
So who are you? What are your skills, attributes, behavior, and experience? What differentiates and positions you from all others and demonstrates how you can provide value? This self-analysis becomes your personal brand value statement.
Conduct a SWOT analysis. What are your strengths, weaknesses; your opportunities and threats? What is your unique selling proposition? You must commit your personal brand to writing and execute it in 30 words or less, an elevator pitch. Your personal brand value statement that answers the questions “tell me about yourself” and “Why should I hire you.”
Then you must manage, evolve and LIVE your brand value statement.
In a word: Personal Brand
Who you are. How are you different. Why should I care? (Wiifme?)
H. Buford Barr
Professor of Practices
Leavey School of Business
Santa Clara University
