The Brand “You”
Set yourself apart with Personal Branding
Central Exchange Alicia Falcone
April 1, 2009 BrandWORKS

What is a Brand?

BRAND
A brand is a perception or emotion maintained
by a buyer or prospective customer, describing the
experience related to doing business with
an organization or consuming its products and services

A brand logo is part of the brand identity system
Logos are important eye candy of the brand,
but by themselves are not the brand

Brands are what people say about you when you’re not
in the room
Personal Brand
Company Brand
Brand Identity
Locate things
Brand Attribute(s) Charismatic, Great Orator
Brand Promise Fast, accurate, search results Change
A Brand is also a promise to an audience

Brand Commodity
$.99
$2.60
Differentiated brands can charge a premium

Personal BRAND
A perception or emotion, maintained by somebody other than
you describing the total experience of having a relationship
with you.

Promise +
Experience =
Relationship
Brands are relationships!

Personal BRANDING
The process by which individuals and entrepreneurs
differentiate themselves by identifying and articulating their
unique value proposition and then leveraging it across
platforms with a consistent message and image to achieve a
specific goal.

Carl
Oprah
Obama
Madonna
Brad
Funk
Jack

Media made these personal brands household names
Media is no longer just for the rich and famous

What a Personal Brand is NOT!
1. What you say about yourself
2. An extension of your employer’s brand
3. Your presence in social media
4. Anything you can ask for
5. A perk
6. Something you’re entitled to
7. A gift someone can give you
8. About power
9. Permanent or Guaranteed
Source;
Scott Ginsburg: www.thenametagguy.com

Personal Branding isn’t a new way to describe
Reputation Management
Personal Reputation
Brand Management
A Personal Brand Reputation Management
•Is purposefully developed • a monitoring system
•creates emotion •reactive
•carries a promise
•Is authentic
•Is proactive
•provides value

You ARE being “Googled” so why
not manage Brand “You”?
Benefits to Personal Branding:
• Creates differentiation
• Improves confidence in your unique abiliites
•Increases your visibility
•Helps you achieve your goals and objectives
• Allows you to pick and choose jobs and
assignments

The Keys to Successful Personal Branding:
Be Authentic, Be Consistent and Be Seen!
Clarity Consistency Constancy
A
Successful
Your Unique “Walk Your Constant
Brand
Promise of Talk” visibility to
“YOU”
Value your target
audience

Four Step Branding Process
Step 1 Discover Your Brand
Step 2 Develop Your Brand
Step 3 Communicate Your Brand
Maintain Your Brand
Step 4

Four Step Branding Process
Discover Your Brand Promise
Step 1
Insights about YOU
•Vision and Purpose
•Values
• Drivers
•Interests
• Skills, Talents, Expertise
• Goals
Insights from others
• 360

Four Step Branding Process
Step 2 Develop Your Brand
• Identify your target audience
• Write a “day in the life” for a member of
your target audience
“You are the only
• Understand your “unique value proposition”
person on earth who can
•Answer why are you the “go-to-person” for
use your own ability”
your field/area of expertise?
M. Kathleen Casey
• Choose three personal brand attributes
• Align with your goals
• Are authentic for you
• Relevant to your audience
• Finish with a Personal Brand Promise of Value
• One sentence to describe your unique offer

Four Step Branding Process
Step 2 Develop Your Brand
A Brand Promise describes:
•what value you offer
•whom it is intended for
• your differentiation
A Good Brand Promise is:
• short
• easily memorized
• simple and easily understood
A Good Brand Promise:
• provides focus for decision making
• helps you prioritize work and activities
•is a communication tool

Four Step Branding Process
Step 3 Communicate Your Brand
Create a Communications Plan
• Select a combination of vehicles to reach your
Brand Communications Wheel
target audience and that play to your strengths
Public Bio &
• Choose key messages that support your brand
Speaking Resume
attributes and unique value proposition
Social Media
Volunteer
•Develop a timeline to implement that
supports constancy in your communications
Articles Networking
•Remember Clarity, Consistency, Constancy
• Be clear on your messages for your audience
• Be consistent in your message across vehicles
• Be constant in your communications

Four Step Branding Process
Maintain Your Brand
Step 4
• “Google” yourself regularly
• Be consistent ; “walk your talk”
“When you’re finished
• Assess your brand at regular
changing, you’re finished”
Ben Franklin
intervals
•Establish metrics for measurement
• Gather feedback
• Evolve to stay relevant
• The best brands are flexible

Next Steps
• Consider taking a 360
• www.reachcc.com
• Complete today’s exercises
• Read more about the Personal Branding:
• Jerry Wilson, Chief Marketing Officer at Coke:
www.jerrywilson.com
• Dan Schwabel’s blog: www.personalbrandingblog.com
• Scott Ginsburg: www.hellomynameisscott.com
• Workshops available
• BrandWORKS Personal Brand Workshop
• Social Media Boot Camp

Thank You!
Connect with Alicia Falcone
– Email: Alicia@thebrandatwork.com
– Wireless: 816-210-8284
– Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/aliciafalcone
– Twitter: AliciaFalcone