Strategic Principles of Personal Branding

Before we shift to the 3 STRATEGIC PRINCIPLES of PERSONAL BRANDING… let’s review the most common mistake that people make in terms of their PERSONAL BRAND. Do you remember what it is?

COPYING OTHERS

Instead of copying others, I urge you to focus on your unique traits and qualities – your SUPERPOWERS.

image: unsplash @ king_pin
Focus on your unique SUPERPOWERS!

STRATEGIC PRINCIPLE #1:
FOCUS ON WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE

Remember: “Unique is better than better.“ Focus on your outlier qualities.
Ask yourself this simple Q: What makes me unique? Then focus on that one thing. Be as specific and focused as possible. The benefit here is that a unique and focused brand is easier to understand and also more memorable.
Two examples of product brands that do this well: Sephora and Trader Joe’s.
- Sephora is one of the only cosmetics retail chains. They offer a huge section of higher-end cosmetics, and importantly, they provide well-trained experts to help you find exactly what works best for you.
- Anyone who’s been to a Trader Joe’s grocery store knows it’s a unique brand. Trader Joe’s is ethical, international, and irreverent. Definitely not typical.

Sephora & Trader Joe’s focus on what makes them UNIQUE

STRATEGIC PRINCIPLE #2:
INTEGRATION & CONSISTENCY

Seek to consistently communicate the same brand through every touchpoint you have with others.
- Explicit communication: the words you use, how you introduce yourself, your bio, your LinkedIn page…
- Implicit communication reinforces your Personal Brand through everything you say and write and do, with your body language, through the way you dress, through the associations you establish with people and institutions, with the media through which you communicate…
As you consistently integrate and reinforce your personal brand, you’ll come across as genuine and authentic.

image: unsplash @ jjying
Integrated & Consistent

STRATEGIC PRINCIPLE #3:
PERSONAL BRANDS EVOLVE OVER TIME

As humans we mature, we evolve. Similarly, the world changes, the marketplace evolves, our competitors change, our clients and customers change. By definition, if we don’t also evolve, we become irrelevant. That goes for both humans and for brands.
NOTE: Principle two is integration and consistency. Principle 3 is evolution. Isn’t that a contradiction? Successful brands stay true to their core values and benefits. But they also stay current and relevant. Just like we all should with our personal brands!
EXAMPLE: NETFLIX – In the 1990s Netflix was a rent-by-mail DVD platform, then a subscription service and now it’s a leader in entertainment production and distribution.