Value is the core concept of personal branding. Once you understand what you do uniquely well to help others solve problems that matter to them, the Web provides you some powerful tools to associate that value with your name. If you are not using a blog to document and target your value you are neglecting the single most powerful tool for personal branding.
Document your value by blogging about your competencies and strengths that matter most to those that need to care about what you do. Never forget that lots of other people also do what you do. Differentiate yourself from the competition by writing blog articles that showcase how what you do and particularly why you do it merits attention and action.
For example, if you are an accountant, blog about why you love accounting, how you chose it as a profession, why you think it is a critical function for companies, and your advice on how to do it with distinction. Tell us about the leaders in your field that have influenced your thinking about accounting. Give us your opinion about changes that are taking place and changes that are not taking place that you think would improve the practice of accounting. NEVER mention your current job or employer, but help us understand the beauty you see in the profession of accounting.
Target your value with blog posts that will appeal to those that need your value right NOW. For example, last week I submitted a proposal to provide training on courageous followership to a government agency. To help support my proposal, I blogged extensively about courageous followership in the month leading up to the submission date. This week I spoke to the Sparks Chamber of Commerce about personal branding and in November I plan to teach a class in personal branding, so I am doing more blog posts on the subject. I am working on another proposal to provide training on performance management systems, so guess what you should expect to see me blogging more about in the coming month? Yep.
Blogging is the single most effective way to document and target your value. Anyone serious about personal branding needs to be serious about blogging. There are many other benefits to blogging, and the best thing is blogging is free!
If you are serious about personal branding, and you should be, use your blog and every other social media site you operate on as a tool – not a playground. Stay focused and don’t dilute the power of your brand with a mixed message. Don’t tell folks about what an ethical, professional accountant you are and then operate on Facebook as if you have something to hide.
Related Posts:
Some of the Benefits of Blogging
Become Part of the Conversation
Personal Branding: Integrate Your Activities
Rebecca Thorman’s Advice on Blogging and Personal Branding
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Hi Bret,
I have read your series of posts on personal branding with interest. After my initial comment some time ago, I haven’t commented again because I have been gathering my thoughts. I have now written by own blog post on the subject and you can read it here if you are interested:
http://goingonabearhunt.blogspot.com/2009/10/personal-branding.html
In a nutshell, I agree with much of what you have to say (especially on the illusion of privacy) but I believe an overly professional personal brand runs the risk editing out a valuable component. In other words, rather than just bringing the personal to our professional presence, I believe we should bring the professional to our personal online life as well.
Ellie
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
October 16th, 2009 at 6:22 am
Ellie, I hear what you are saying and I appreciate your thoughts. I would encourage folks to head over to your site and read what you have to say. I think I want people to keep in mind that we are talking about a *personal* brand. Even though the word personal comes before brand, it’s the brand or value proposition that is paramount. I see too many folks that think they are doing personal branding but have never staked out their value. Once your value message is clear, THEN build the personal around it. Even if you look at this site of mine, which is very professional, you can find stories of my real life work experience here. I am very real, I just don’t show you personal pictures here, but I do in Facebook. THANKS!!!! Bret
[Reply]
[...] view social media platforms as tools, not toys, we use to document and communicate our value. If you are serious about personal branding and not just playing around, you should never [...]