The Business of You: First Name, Last Name, Brand Name

by Kenneth J. Weiss
May 16, 2005

Who are you? Are you defined by your family role? Father, husband, son. Mother, wife, daughter. Or does your job say more? Teacher, accountant, analyst. It's time to answer that ageless question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" The correct answer is something you never expected: you need to be a brand.

As you teeter between stages of you life, it is the perfect time to pause and develop a plan for managing your career and life as a brand. The idea is not new. Tom Peters explored the concept in his 1997 article "The Brand Called You." The end game he illustrated was simple: building a personal brand creates better economic opportunities. He was right, but not completely thorough. Personal branding will help optimize financial potential, and it will also improve the quality of your life.

Let's start at the beginning. A brand is a shortcut. Brands let people think or perceive something with very little supporting information. When you hear the words Starbucks, Virgin or PlayStation, your mind is automatically filled with images, feelings and opinions. The Nike swoosh triggers its own set of emotions. After you fly Southwest airlines, you understand how different they are from other carriers. The same strategy can be applied to individuals. The names Tiger Woods, David Beckham, Emeril Lagasse and Oprah don't mean people - they mean something bigger. These names have become brands that sell clothes, books, videos and lifestyles. Being branded does not necessarily mean being famous. Personal brands, like specialty brands such as Ghirardelli (chocolate) or Ranger (bass boats), only need to resonate with a certain group of people to be effective.

The benefits of personal brands go beyond pure economics. When you think of yourself as a brand you'll have a better sense of how to make career decisions, how to spend your free time, how to pursue new relationships and how to make personal choices. Remember when P Diddy ran the New York City marathon? It was a hobby, publicity stunt, marketing ploy and fitness endeavor rolled into one. In the end he was in great shape, learned about himself, got camera time and probably helped sell a Sean John sweat suit or two. Aside from all of that, it was a masterful example of building a personal brand.

To get started you need to mix a vision of your future with a critical assessment of who you are. What are you good at? What do you want to be good at? The answer is not "everything." All good brands have a focus. Be specific and be concise. Next identify the context where you would like to be successful. It may be an industry, profession, geography or vocation. Will your area of focus be valued in that arena? No? Back to square one. If so, identify what makes you different and distinct, and decide how you will maintain and extend the differentiation.

Once you have defined yourself as a brand, it's time to generate awareness. Start by writing. Find relevant publications and hammer away with submissions. A handful of articles build fantastic credibility. You can also teach. Contact local university professors and offer to be a guest lecturer. Once you have your feet wet, develop your own courses. Speak at meetings and tradeshows. Build your presentations around your expertise and the notable trends. Get elected. Participation in clubs and organizations is not enough. Either run for office or don't bother joining. Next, use the web. Create your own blog, regularly contribute to message boards, get an email address that properly merchandises your name, and if you can do it well, have your own web site.

To build your personal brand, you will have to live it and hone it each day. Be consistent. Be persistent. Make choices that positively reflect your brand. When you are thinking about your brand first, decisions will be easier and more rewarding. Lastly, start reading. In addition to learning about your chosen passion, you'll need to learn about brand management.

In the next few years you'll change companies, industries, and even where you live, but your brand can take you places a name alone never will.

About The Business of You:
The Business of You is a series of columns about creating economic possibilities and personal fulfillment through new thoughts and strategies infused with entrepreneurialism. The last century was marked by people creating opportunities for themselves by participating in cottage industries. The plumber took side jobs. A factory worker built furniture in his basement. The homemaker found odd jobs as a seamstress. An engineer might have a storefront where he fixed radios in the evening. The accountant was a bookie. In the information economy, cottage industries will be created through ideas, knowledge of processes and participation in the networked world of hardware and software.