Figure 4: Illustrative Self-Brand Positioning Map
Mastering Self-Branding
How does one become a real master at self-branding? Bence (2015, pp. 13) has an interesting take on this subject:
What do Sir Richard Branson, Barack Obama, and Suze Orman [a personal finance expert] all have in common? They have each built powerful personal brands that have propelled them to the top of their businesses, their careers, and their lives. How did they do it? Like other successful personal branders, they took the time to define, communicate, and protect their brands. You can be sure they followed all of the top 10 secrets [in this article] to reach their great success. There’s no magic to it: You can apply the same personal branding principles to your work and life not only to achieve your goals, but to surpass them.”
Here are Bence’s (2015, pp. 13-14) top five secrets: (1) “You already have a personal brand whether you want one or not–simply by virtue of being you in the workplace. It’s up to you to determine where your personal brand is strong and where it could use improvement.” (2) “It’s critical to keep in mind that your personal brand is not what you think it is but it is what others perceive it to be.” (3) “A common misconception about personal branding is that it’s self-centered and all about you. Yet, personal branding is about your audience.” (4) “If there is a gap between what your audience thinks and feels about you and what you want them to think and feel about you, your personal brand should be adjusted and strengthened.” (5) “Many people believe personal branding is all about how you ‘execute’ your brand, but true personal branding starts with a clear definition.”