What Do You Mean I'm A Brand

I never imagined the concept of "brand" would apply to me. Brands are big things like BMW or Rolex or Calgon. I'm just a regular person, not bath soap. But somewhere between joining twitter and writing lots of blog posts, something happened. It's odd to think about really.

As it turns out when you push lots of content out to the web you get a little traction whether you want it or not. (Apparently the Internet has a certain permanency to it.)

Brands Are Now Personal

I remember when I pushed the 'publish' button for my first blog post. It was a little scary. 

I didn't know what to expect, but I did realize that I was opening myself up for a whole bunch of scrutiny if anyone other than my Mom decided to read it.

As time passed I grew more comfortable posting, commenting, and tweeting. My curiosity for all things social media transitioned to incorporating social into all aspects of my life. (My friends on foursquare are all too familiar with how much I've built social into my lifestyle.)

My Personal Brand Is My Corporate Brand, Wait, What?
When I decided to start this blog I had a conversation with the Vice President of Marketing at my company. I thought I was being really sophisticated and trendy when I told her "don't worry, this blog is separate from my work...it's not connected to the organization at all."

Yes, I actually said that.

When she finished laughing she told me that I was "nuts" if I thought my blog would be separate from my connection to, and role with the company.

She was right.

What Does It Mean

I've wondered what a personal brand means in real life. It turns out it means a whole lot. Concepts around influence, professional reputation, and marketability suddenly swing in your favor (assuming the brand you've built is a positive one.)

What about mistakes? Yes, they happen...and since the world has an attention span of about ten seconds, you'll be just fine. I know I've managed to survive a whole bunch of mistakes and I seem to be no worse for wear.

How About You

I'm okay with this whole brand thing after all. It's been an opportunity to represent my company, share my passions, and connect with more people than I ever thought possible. How are you building your brand? (Hint: google yourself and get a quick glimpse.)

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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