Personal Brand is Like Coke
There is a phrase, spoken mostly by “social media experts,” that I just cant stand. Can you guess what it is?
(drum roll please)
“Its not in my brand”
Yuck.
As social media continues its explosion, and more and more people are becoming “social media experts”and talking in terms of personal brand.
(BTW, “social media expert” is another complete misnomer. Have you noticed that most “social media experts” are socially awkward or inept? What they truly excel in is using the Internet as a way to relate in a non-real way. Thats why I am so impressed by video bloggers who truly just talk into a camera and express their feelings. Its the closest thing to connecting directly with people that is not hidden by social media constraints.)
(another point. I am a bit of a hypocrite here since I am blogging, not video blogging these thoughts, but to my credit, I aint no “social media expert.”)
Back to the concept of personal brand.
There are two types of branding: corporate branding, and this new concept of personal brand.
Corporate branding is simple. Its the concept of creating a good feeling about a product or service with potential customers. So have a concept of “Give the world a Coke,” is a great branding exercise. People feel good about giving and therefore feel good about Coke, with the net effect being more soda being purchased.
Personal brand has become how you present yourself to the world. What people dont realize is this simple fact:
Personal Brand is YOU.
So, there is so separation between your “personal brand” and you. Personal brand, doesnt exist. Its a fake concept, a misnomer, a way for “social media experts” to make a living.
Take for example screen names.
There are people who use screen names that are not connected to their names, when asked why, the common response is that they can “brand themselves around the screen name.” This allows them to keep the “personal” away from the “professional.”
How is this personal branding?
If personal branding is about the person, shouldnt it be about the person?
By using my name (@micah) I create no division between Micah the person and Micah the “online” person. This means that I dont have a Personal Brand, I just have me.
There are other folks who do the same online.
Chris Brogan, Gary Vaynerchuk, Robert Scoble and the king of all marketers, Seth Godin, and others use their names as their online identities and allow their words to define who they are. Are they careful with their word choice and subjects, sure, but most folks are aware of the effect of their conversation with others and on others.
Personal Brand is like Coke. Its easy to get addicted to the concept of personal brand and the need to “protect your personal brand,” personally, I say enter a 12 step program and just be you.
Most of the time, you is pretty damn cool by yourself.
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Micah who?
I'm all about my own name everywhere, mostly because I don't need or desire a separation between who I am online and offline.
Granted, my work as a writer means I want to get my identity out there, so it makes sense.
Some people like to use alternate identities to express things or work out a form of catharsis they don't want attached to their own names… but if I wouldn't put my name behind it, I probably shouldn't be saying it anyway.
It's not like I'm a political prisoner or a whistleblower or my experience is symbolic of a greater struggle or I have points to make that would endanger my life or wellbeing if anyone knew I was the one behind them. I get that there are a zillion reasons to go anon online.
But I'm just me. (And can anyone really hide on the internet anymore, anyway?)
This is good stuff, but I will take exception to one thing: the concept of online names. I see Drew Beatty as my online persona, it is very close to my true name, but, because of my profession (which is not marketing, P.R., or anything tech related) I need to keep a buffer between online me and offline, employed me. If anything, using this name allows me to be more fully me, as I don't censor myself as much.
But otherwise, I can see your point. I also like the idea that “social media” is a misnomer, as it's ALL JUST MEDIA, social or otherwise.
The reason I use “GeekMommy” is because so few people can pronounce “Lucretia” without having heard it once, and it's tougher to type my name.
That said – I don't have a 'brand' per se – because that implies that I'm selling something. I'm just me.
You're very adept at noticing that the Emperor has no clothes.
Well said.
Right on!
Micah Gabriel Baldwin thats who. If the question is based on the fact that I dont have the “qualifications” or the “cache” of the “big” bloggers, then you are correct.
But, the one thing that no one can question is that I am Micah. Just a dude from Boulder. No personal branding necessary.
I think you have hit it on the head Meg, you are just you. Personal branding, or the farce it is, only comes into play when people are trying to create something that doesnt exist. In that effort, the result is something that is false and deceptive by its very nature.
I can see that there are times where a certain level of anonymity can be helpful, but its strange to brand yourself around something that really doesnt exist.
no one gets Micah right the first time, my friend. But for me, thats ok too. If you know me, then you know me and how to say my name. If you dont, then you dont, and you arent my friend (in real life). Easy Peasy.
I have a unique name as well, Trace (as in to trace a line). A lot of people when they first see it pronounce it as if it was “Tracey,” and have gone a far as to add a “Y” to it because they dont think i know how to spell my own name. On the upside, almost no one has my name, so branding myself on the web and creating a web presence has been a little easier for me than others, especially when it comes to Googleing your name. I love being myself and creating my personal branding, not only because it's addicting but because it's satisfying as well. At http://www.Brand-Yourself.com we aim to establish a student’s personal brand early so they can get the job of their dreams and love what they do. By establishing an online presence to control what comes up in Google while staying true to their brand, they should have no problem getting the job they want and deserve. For more actionable tips to strengthen your personal brand on the web please go to our blog at http://blog.brand-yourself.com.
I have a unique name as well, Trace (as in to trace a line). A lot of people when they first see it pronounce it as if it was “Tracey,” and have gone a far as to add a “Y” to it because they dont think i know how to spell my own name. On the upside, almost no one has my name, so branding myself on the web and creating a web presence has been a little easier for me than others, especially when it comes to Googleing your name. I love being myself and creating my personal branding, not only because it's addicting but because it's satisfying as well. At http://www.Brand-Yourself.com we aim to establish a student’s personal brand early so they can get the job of their dreams and love what they do. By establishing an online presence to control what comes up in Google while staying true to their brand, they should have no problem getting the job they want and deserve. For more actionable tips to strengthen your personal brand on the web please go to our blog at http://blog.brand-yourself.com.