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Friday, February 5, 2010

Creating a Personal Brand






How do you stand out in today's business world? One of the best ideas is to pay attention to creating and managing your "personal brand." Here's a great clip to watch from the Today Show, with marketing expert Martin Lindstrom, author of Buyology.





Have any ideas on personal branding? Post them as comments below.


David Wyld, Professor of Management
Southeastern Louisiana University

Wyld About Management (http://wyldaboutmanagement.blogspot.com/) and
Management in a Minute (http://managementinaminute.blogspot.com/)

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78 comments:

Travis said...

I loved everything this man said except when he said, "business cards are a waste of time." You really do have to make youself stand out and seem different than your competitors. People do remember the low price, the look, the name, and even the attention to detail. Pick one and go with it!

Cynthia Haley said...

Intriguing information, certainly not something one thinks of when branding is the topic. However, makes perfect sense in today’s economy. How do you stand out from others in regards to professionalism? Are your qualities unique, your appearance memorable, and your talents marketable? Mine are certainly not, seems as if I have some personal branding to accomplish.

John Edmund Sencial said...

Branding is your personal image. It is one of the biggest factors when it comes to being successful. A trusting brand must be created for consumers to like and feel comfortable with.

John Edmund Sencial said...

The guy in this interview had a very interesting accent. Anyway, the points he brought up are very important. The brand must be clear and must also have a quality about it that attracts a lot of attention. This gives the consumer the power to create their own illusion of how they imagine the brand.

Jauslynne Parker said...

Since when have business cards became a waste of time? That's the only reason why my Mary Kay business is the way it is.

Porcha Riley said...

This is a very interesting concept, and I also think that it is a great idea and very important for people to do. We need to brand ourselves because when competing for jobs, we have to figure out a way to differentiate ourselves from our competitors. By creating our own personal brand, we are giving ourselves a competitive advantage and making ourselves stand out and be remembered.

Willford Montgomery said...

I hate people that try to stand out just to get seen. Lady Gaga is an example of this. She is absolutely ridicules. Someone once said if people are talking about you, even if the comments are negative, it’s a good thing. This means that they remember something you did. It gets your name out there.

Hope Bahm said...

I think it’s a great idea to create a brand for yourself. Employers need to remember you in some way and it’s difficult to stand out due to the high number of applicants. I’m not sure I’d create a personal business card for myself; I’d be concerned how a potential employee would feel if I gave them a business card.

Jessica Landry said...

I think celebrities are a great example of personal branding. They usually lend their name and money to things that will in the long-run benefit their ‘name.’ Martin Lindstrom made some good points in how to brand yourself and how he branded himself.

Jessica Landry said...

A good way to know how to brand yourself is to know who you are. If you know who you are it is easier for you to send out specific signals of who you are and stand for. Having a signature look also makes sense because it helps people to remember you and possibly how you affected them, positively or negatively.

Jessica Rice said...

In today's world it pays to be unique, and be your self. You have to learn to stand up for what you believe in and follow your dreams to the upmost.

Lona said...

You always want people to remember who you are. Signature looks are essential and when you leave a mark they will never forget you. Making an impression makes you stand out from everyone else. Being unique is what makes your personality intriguing.

Chad Taylor said...

I see personal brands all over the place. Here in Louisiana you can commonly find it in the way a person speaks. Take our beloved ex-governor for example,fast eddy had a certain way of talking that was mesmerizing. As does world famous chef john Folse. Both accents no doubt practiced in front of a mirror for hours.

stell said...

This is an interesting concept but I do not agree with the business cards. I believe they are important and can help give you an edge. But It is important to brand you self, especially when job hunting.

Stephanie Troxler said...

Interesting information! Def. not something I would think of when branding is mentioned. To be different than you competitors you def. have to stand out. It's a great idea. I also think Branding makes a lot of since in today's economy.

Stephanie Troxler said...

In order to brand yourself, you have to know who you are as a person. A signature look is a good thing it lets people know who you are and what you are standing for. I think this is very important in the business world today.

Chancie said...

Branding yourself could be anything from a crazy wardrobe to a thick accent. However, making yourself stand out isn't always a good idea in the business world. Corporations would rather their employees have an unbeatable work ethic than a quality that sorely stands out. I like how he transformed the producer into a celebrity, but I think its generic rather than a personal brand.

Bret Oldendorf said...

I think its getting important to brand yourself. Making yourself stand out is an important quality to have, but you also need to have other qualities that will show what you are capable of in the workplace. You need to build a brand that will make customers attracted to your business or company. I think creating a business card for yourself is a good way to make a business stand out, but just for your personal use I don't think it is a good idea.

toshia said...

in anything you do you have to sell yourself! it doesn't matter what you are doing out in this world, you are always competing with someone else to get the better deal or job.

CourtneyHarper said...

A personal brand is important to making you more attractive as a potential employee or even starting your own business. It is all about putting your best assets on the front and dressing up your flaws and encouraging thoughts that you are improving, evolving, and changing. It is also necessary to ensure quality.

candace said...

When it comes to branding yourself I am not sure how I feel. It is imprtant that you set yourself apart from the rest and make yourself stand out. If you stand out you are surely to be noticed and could improve your business. But I also think there are more important things like work ethic. You can brand yourself however much you want but if you do not have a good work ethic it won't mean much

BrittBritt said...

Branding yourself is very important because it gives you a chance to set yourself apart from others especially when seeking employement. I disagree that business cards aren't important. I believe they are important because it gives the interviewer something else to remember you by and they are an easy tool to use in networking. Someone is more likely to keep up with a business card rather than a resume.

Shawn Smith said...

Personal branding is a very unique and each is its own individual. One way you can know if you personal brand is going to be successful is the ability to stand out. Stand out, and people will remember you first.

J.Nicole said...

I know branding yourself is very important but I hate to stand out in the crowd because I love to be low key, not the one people need to worry about much. I guess I'm shy when it comes to being around a lot of people that I don't know. I'm starting to break out of that because I'm graduating this year and I'm going to be entering the real world.

Marcus Verner said...

I stand out enough with becoming a personal brand. My size and personality warm people and make a lasting impression on people. I just don't have the money of the Sean Combs and Trumps. Don't think I want the pressure anyway.

Elaine Gulley said...

Interesting concept, but I do not agree that business cards are a waste of time. I also believe that people have been creating their own brand for years, it just wasn't called "personal branding".

Anthony Friedman said...

I totally agree that you have to stand out in order to be successful. Martha Stewart, Donald Trump and Sean Combs are definitely great examples. Everyone should have their own brand!

ChrisSaintsedo said...

Building a brand definitely is important in our world today, and that brand is yourself. Far too often do people just blend in with a crowd and never make a name for themselves. He gave great example and really, though I can't stand her, Oprah Winfrey is a huge example. She made her name synonymous with power and success and that is something all people should aspire to obtain.

Jerry said...

I also believe that branding yourself is very important today. People need to leave their mark on potential employers. What a piece of paper says about you will only say so much it is all about the lasting effect that you leave on someone that really makes the differrence.

Kirsten Johns said...

I wish they would have given more examples of how to personally brand yourself so that people would have a variety of suggestions to further grasp the idea. All in all, however, this was a interesting and true fact that should be worked on in order to stand out to the business world.

David said...

Like many things, I think you need to sift through this to find useful information. Develop your character first and that will produce a brand. Always dressing in black or wearing a certain type of shoes will often immediately draw skepticism from many. Dressing appropriately, remaining mentally engaged, and having something intelligent to say at the right time will take you farther than bending over the corner of your business card.

setarah said...

I guess I would be great at creating a personal brand for myself. I love to leave my mark on people. Even if they don't remember exactly how to pronounce my name, I know they will remember everything I said to them.

setarah said...

Personal branding is an important concept in the business world. Leaving in impression on someone has a lot to do with how you brand yourself. If you can do that you will be successful.

kala said...

This is a very interesting concept, and I also think that it is a great idea. In todays economy we must find our niche. Something that seperates us as individuals from the masses. This can also be identified as our personal competitve advantage.

Joe said...

I think branding yourself if very important. When a person is looking for a job it is important to find that special thing about yourself so you can have a competitive advantage. With the decrease in available jobs in the recent years, this will play a big part in you finding a job.

Unknown said...

What this man said makes a lot of sense. In this tough job market that we are experiencing today, distinguishing yourself from others is very important. You want to give employers something to remember you by. So creating your own personal brand can be what makes or breaks you in today's economy. Since I'm graduating in May and I'll be looking for my "big girl" job soon, I'll definitely keep these tips in mind as I go forth with that.

Andrew Heffker said...

Yeah I think I need to jump on this branding thing and quick. I only have one semester left of school.

Matt Johnson said...

I feel that Martin made some really great points. If there isn't something about you that is memorable, then you are wasting your time. I totally agreed with the diamonds and suspenders being associated with those particular celebrities.

Carrie K said...

He makes a very valid point about personal branding. You always want to leave a positive impression at a job interview so the interviewer can remember you better. If someone is interviewing several people and go back to review the applications, if they can't remember who you are they usually don't bother.

Amanda Gagneaux said...

He makes a very good point. I feel as though I have a lot of things that make me stand out, I just need to work on focusing on a few individual things so they really stand out compared to everyone else around me. I would say the number one thing about me is that I am a team player and work toward the betterment of the whole company, not just myself.

Taylor Keith said...

41. This is not only true in “business cards”, but also in other attributes. A people must be able to wow someone. If you walk into a store and see two products side by side and one is dull and the other is catchy, what do you do? You don’t buy the dull one. People looking for jobs are the same way. You must be able to separate yourself from the field.

Cierra said...

It is very important to brand ourselves. When competing for jobs, we have to figure out a way to differentiate ourselves from our competitors. You want to leave an interview by giving off an impression they will remember.

linda yarber said...

Building your own personal brand is important. When I took a career class the professor always told us that we must have our own brand.Like they said in the clip you must know who you are and who you aren't in order to create a brand.Your brand can stem from your personality,your image, or something that you did that stands out.

C.Short said...

building your own brand is important. it represents you just you and can help you when you are looking for a job you can present it to the employer that you are seeking

Maria Bucalan said...

I feel like it is very important for you to start basically selling yourself. You need to make business cards, network, and most importantly have the skills that you need for the job. Remember first impression is everything.

Javeria said...

Branding yourself is definitely essential to your success in the business world, whether it be a mom working from home or a new graduate looking for a job because aren't we essentially just selling ourself to the consumer or perspective employer at the end of the day? You have to market/sell yourself, and show why you are going to do something better, faster, cheaper, etc and why you should be hired to do something over the other guy.

Elizabeth Bee said...

I think it is important to create a personal brand, especially if you are applying for a job. It distinguishes you from other people and when people see a thing they will associate you with it. It is a significant part of yourself.

Tabitha K James said...

I agree that you need to stand out in a crowd. But if you have a crowd of people who stand out, all you get is noise and then they'll just settle on someone who doesn't hurt their head.

Standing out is good, but there are more subtle ways to do it than what he was talking about, and I think they would be more effective than flash bang.

Shelby Law said...

When it comes to my career, I work hard at standing out. Both of the partners of the company I work for will be retiring within the next 5-6 years. My boss recently told me they're going to need new names on the sign outside pretty soon, so I want to be sure to stand out as much as I can so I can be one of those names.

Justin Daniel said...

I feel that trying to establish your own personal brand is a lot like standing out. I know that I try to always be on time and strive to make myself known as someone who is hard working and unique. I think that these are keys to branding yourself. I believe that many employees don't do this and that is why they don't always get what they want on their self brand.

Debra Tucker said...

In order to be distinguished from others people should establish a personal brand because it separates you from other competitors and creates a personal relationship with consumers regarding your products. People will remember who you are and remain loyal as your individualism relates to values and satisfaction to consumers.

kevin patton said...

i didnt really care for his thoughts about no busimess cards and everything. branding is a huge part of business. he had very god points its always good to listen to everyone and be aware of different ways to learn.

Natalie said...

I've never really thought about looking at positioning myself quite like this. It's important to be established and dependable whatever you do. If a person builds up their self-brand, they will be a more valuable employee & person in general.

Taylor Willie said...

Very informative video. I enjoyed listening to the points he mentioned. Some were obvious, others not so much. His personal brand is unique and I barely know who he even is. I think branding is very important to a person in any career. You can be your own walking billboard for what you offer, your skills, and your unique personality.

MeganAStevens7 said...

Sometimes when you are creating a product it can be very similar to all other products in that market... If you have a product that is very similar to all other products (i.e. apples) then you need something to make your product way better that all the others. You need to focus on your brand and the branding of your product. You need to find a way to make yours the best! This guy is exactly right, branding is everything!

Ann Lightfoot said...

I like this video it brings up numerous good points, I think that business cards will never go out of style, there may be other alternatives. Also in a hard economy you have to do everything you can to brand yourself and stand out.

Erin Janway said...

Personal brand is basically standing out from everyone else. What is different about you and what are you doing differently. Wether it is the way you dress, the attitude you have, being known for one thing. I believe it has a lot to do with trust and personal relationships and knowing who you are, where you stand. All of these play a part in building your personal brand.

Melanie said...

Every one has something unique to offer, and that's what personal brand means offering what's unique and uncommon.

Dana said...

I can definitely relate to this man when he speaks about mystery being an important part when bringing out your brand or item. I know for christmas every year there is always a mystery new toy or nintendo game and all of the consumers go wild over it and spend hours sitting in front of stores waiting to buy it. I've done it once or twice myself!

bridgetb said...

This is a really good video and should be shown to college students starting as freshman. One of the best things to market and advertise is yourself. You need to show people what you are about and what kind of person you are and that it is a good brand. Like the host said, You know Ciroc is P.Diddy and most people know that the Miss Universe pageant is Trump as well as the Apprentice. They know the definition of branding themselves.

Lin said...

I believe in what he is promoting. Being able to create something that is uniquely who you are, a signature brand. If you always use this personal brand you will definitely be remembered for that certain look or that certain thing that you do that will make you stand out. It could be the difference in someone getting that job.

Anonymous said...

I like everything he said. However the thing that stood out the most to me was when he talked about letting people build you up more than what you really are. Kind of don’t disclose everything with the public. Doing this leads people to wonder more about and suspense is what people are interested in and crave to know more about. Great information though. Know who you are and what you are about. Distinguish yourself and develop your own brand.

Monica Crane said...

I love this advice. The first person that popped into my head was Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde with her pink perfumed resume paper. I've always been afraid to do this but I think with all the competition out there I'm going to give it a test run. Hopefully it will work for me.

Jonathan Byrd said...

I think he is right about creating a brand for yourself. You should give people a reason to remember you because you never know what could make the difference in getting hired or not. I don't think there is anything wrong with branding unless you are branding yourself that is not welcomed by businesses. I think as long as you keep your branding classy then it can only help you when it comes to finding a job.

Lauren Guy said...

Good advise when it comes to branding yourself. I think that you should try to make yourself remembered and stand out to others, especially when you are looking for a job because it only helps you.

Donald Bastoe said...

To “be aware of the signals you are sending the world” is great advice. We give off so many first impressions every day with everyone new we meet. However, while watching this video, I couldn’t help but think of how people might take this advice and dress up like clowns to look like P Diddy or something. But if you just dress nicely, that’s already a big advantage that you have over most people.

Ricky Albin said...

This video was very appealing to me. I think about things like this very often, mostly because my parents taught me the importance of "marketing myself" at an early age. People who say they don't care what others think of them are either really dumb or lying.

Katherine Couret said...

This video was very interesting and I actually will remember those details that he talked about. The one I found most interesting was have a particular look as he wears as black all the time. I thought of a few people that do that same thing and it's interesting to know that I remember that fact about them. He gave very useful tips on how to make yourself a brand.

Jordan Hymel said...

Being able to relate a person to a brand is very important. Brand relation helps many consumers help chose one over the other. Defining yourself to the world is very important from the beginning. You can do this by putting off signals when around people so they can remember you for something. People can relate to your moods and expressions and that can create your brand image. The guy on the video does a great job explaining great points about developing your own brand and image.

victoriab said...

i think having a personal brand is a great idea. what a better way to stand out in a crowd then to have a personal brand that draws peoples attention. A lot of people have brands. When you think of certain products and a specific person comes to mind, that's their brand. What a better way to be remembered.

c0mpl3xity said...

hmmm.
very interesting! never really thought about this. This is interesting! although, people who buy things b/c "diddy says buy it", you are an idiot and are everything that is wrong with the world.

Melanie said...

Branding yourself is the best way to make a name for yourself. Be unique and stand out.

Haley St. Romain said...

I never really thought about this before but branding yourself is a good way to stand out because when you think of a particular person and then see their brand you are more likely to buy that brand over a competitors product. This is also a good way to define yourself to the world and different types of markets. The guy in the video does a good job of explaining this new concept.

Blaine Bennett said...

I think that branding is very important because as a buyer I usually stick to certain brands. Mostly brands that stand out to me are the ones that believe in reliability and customer service. When I think of reliable ATVs the only thing that comes to mind is Honda. I disagree that business cards are a waste of time because I keep business cards if I find that they can help me in the future.

Foster said...

Being able to stand out in a group of you peers is critical in being able to get ahead in the business world. By leaving a good image of yourself you will make an impression on the company.

Megan VanderMeulen said...

A good way to know how to brand yourself is to know who you are. If you know who you are it is easier for you to send out specific signals of who you are and stand for. Having a signature look also makes sense because it helps people to remember you and possibly how you affected them, positively or negatively.

Jessica Nicosia said...

I have to agree promoting yourself can have a very positive influence on your life. If you give yourself a personal and good brand then people will remember you and this can help you in the long run of things. It would help with getting jobs or entering into the business world.

seth leonard said...

One of the most important things to creating a competitive advantage is by creating your own brand. Building a brand is what will create desire for you company and create repeat costumers. Customers should be able to purchase your service or product and know what they are getting.

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