During the AHTD Marketing Minutes at our “Better Together” Fall Meeting in Colorado Springs, we talked about Branding.

We discovered:

1. Branding Done Right and Branding Gone Wrong;
2. Steps to Consolidating Company Brand; and
3. The Whys and Hows of Personal Branding

Today’s article will focus on the information contained in the third talk: What are the Whys and Hows of Personal Branding.

It may seem foreign to think about brand as it relates to people, but we all have a personal brand too. You, too develop your brand every single day, during every interaction with a client – indeed, with everyone you come into contact! Whether intentionally or accidentally, All. Communicate. Brand.

It is what people know you for – who you are, what you know, what you have accomplished, and how you present and carry yourself. And it is developed differently from that of a company brand. Personal brand is the result of past activity and already exists at the time we first become aware of its existence, so managing and reshaping personal brand requires deliberation and consistent effort.

Remember that how-to list for creating company brand? To develop personal brand, you answer those same questions, about you! Consider:

Brand Voice – People who speak to you in person should be able to hear your voice and recognize you in written communication.

Brand Identity – When people see you, what impression do you make? Does it match the message that you are trying to broadcast?

Brand Promise - What would you like to be known for?

Brand Values – What is important to you?

Brand Target – Who will benefit from what you have to offer?

Brand Positioning –Show in practice that you are the expert - with the strengths and unique advantage your audience needs.

There are several communication channels available for promoting your brand – take advantage of the many opportunities as they present themselves:

• Speeches at meetings
• Media Publications
• Communication with market participants
• Networking events give opportunities to interact with your target audience
• Media advertising
• Affiliate marketing, and
• Original content and Participation in Social networks and blogs.

Executive thought leadership on professional social media platforms supports a variety of different business goals, including:

1. Reinforcing your company’s values, reputation, and purpose as an authentic amplifier of the messaging.
2. Developing trust. 66% of professionals say they would be more likely to recommend a company or brand if they followed a company executive on social media.
3. Demand generation. 56% of professionals say a business executive’s presence on social media positively influences their purchase decision.
4. Talent attraction and employee engagement. People want to work for visionary business leaders they respect and can learn from.

So get to work on your personal brand by using LinkedIn!

It is always great to be sharing these Marketing Minutes during our AHTD meetings and in our monthly newsletters, and I look forward to continuing these discussions in the time between now and our next in-person meeting in Bonita Springs! Please remember to connect with us on LinkedIn to stay up to date on everyone #doinghightechbetter, together!