Dear Ammonista,
How important is it to have a personal brand online? ~ Hesitant in Honolulu
Dear Hesitant,
Thanks for your question – I’ve been getting this one a lot lately.
First of all, let me be clear: civilizations have been branding themselves for centuries. People have invested in their personal brands (or reputations) since the beginning of time as smarter, better, faster, stronger, more honest, reliable, creative, etc. The only difference now is that your word of mouth and circle of influence is no longer just your local village – the internet has exponentially expanded your ‘competitive playing field’ – and we all have to work harder to differentiate ourselves, make our story known and build our reputations.
There used to be a time where people and products had true differentiation – where you could talk about features or benefits and it meant something.
Then, people and products differentiated by the experience of using them – or how they made you feel.
Today, people and products are positioned based upon their ‘badge value’ – or how you identify with them and what they say about you. So marketing, really, is first about your ‘story’, then building your ‘tribe’ around you, your product or brand, getting them excited about what you do and inspiring them to help you grow your influence.
With the proliferation of internet, branding (corporate or personal) is more critical than ever - in fact, it’s the only way to avoid becoming a commodity. Just the sheer nature of media coming their way, your prospects actually rely on branding to help them make a purchase decision – so they need your brand to clearly and consistently communicate your story, values, products and approach. And if you’ve positioned yourself well, you can rise above the noise and help your prospects come to you.
QUICK TIP TO GET YOU STARTED NOW: For a simple, turn-key and visually interesting online presence, the folks at OneBio have created the opportunity for you to build a personal brand online and manage changes and updates in all your networks online from this one place - free! According to their two-fold mission: First, to help create compelling, engaging and authentic personal brands. Second, to support you to keep it consistent and relevant from ONE place as you grow. I’ve attached OneBio’s infographic giving you step by step to build your multi-media profile. This is the easiest first step you can do. Go forth and create your story. ~ Ammonista
