A guest blog by Rob Levinson, a personal brand expert.
In 2012, while presenting a spirited TED talk, Jeff Bezos famously said, “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
Nine years later that statement is truer than ever.
For in today’s soundbite, reboot, click-bait culture where people are, well, mostly distracted, you need a compelling personal brand narrative that will get you noticed, distinguished, and remembered.
Simply stated, a personal brand is how you present yourself to the world. And since experts agree that 93% of all communication is non-verbal, it’s not just what you say, it’s where you say it, with whom you say it, and what you are wearing while saying it.
Evidently, You Are What You Drive
Case in point: I had been a lifelong BMW driver. My BMWs were my little corner of the planet and I loved each one. A few years ago, I decided I was “over it” and got a Toyota Venza. What I failed to grasp was how differently I would be perceived in that car, specifically as a brand strategy consultant entrusted by clients to position them in the best light possible.
In a matter of six months:
An ad agency president I was pitching business saw me get out of my car and said, “don’t let the prospect see you in that, it’s not a good look for us.”
A client I was carpooling with said upon getting in my car, “this is what you drive!?”
A colleague I picked up from a train station asked me why, if I was coming directly from my home, was I driving a rental?
I quickly realized that my car decision could cost me business because it negatively impacted the way people assessed, categorized, and made assumptions about me as a professional.
As a result of these experiences, I reconsidered my personal brand and carefully curated a narrative that was first, authentic but also best positioned me for success.
Three Questions to Ask When Creating Your Personal Brand Narrative
- What are you telling the world about yourself? We all have a continuous loop narrative we share about our lives. The problem is that often that narrative is outdated, untrue, or not simply not in your best interest. Make sure you are telling your best, most positive, and alluring story. Other will feed off your energy and be excited to learn more.
- What is the context in which you are telling your story? Your mother was right, you are only as good as the company you keep. This is true for individuals as well as businesses. Ask yourself, “am I surrounding myself with people that elevate my personal brand or bring me down?” Furthermore, am I on the right stage or should I take my credentials elsewhere?”
- What “things” are you surrounding yourself with? As the above story illustrated, like it or not we are judged on how we dress, what we drive, and the products we use to live our lives. And if you do not think it matters, guess again. And hey, if your brand is a Vespa driving, tee-shirts and jeans guy that’s cool … just realize that those choices put you in one box versus another.
There is only one you, and I encourage you to give careful consideration to own your individual story, accomplishments, and style and then deliver it with confidence.
By giving thought to your personal brand in the new year, you have the opportunity to be you.
But better.
This is a guest post by Rob Levinson. He is a Personal Brand Coach. He can be reached at rob@brandyoubetter.com or visit www.brandyoubetter.com
Photo by Zakaria Zayane on Unsplash
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. The conversation is free, and we can explore if working together makes sense.
