"A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another." — Seth Godin

"Personal branding" isn't as intense as it sounds. All it means is this: Personal branding is the process of developing a "mark" that is created around your name or your career. You use this "mark" to express and communicate your skills, personality, and values.

Simply put, personal branding is the practice of people marketing themselves and their careers as brands. That's, self-packaging!

We all have the ability to be a powerful brand and cultivate our power to stand out and be you-nique. Don't try to be unique. Just be you-nique. This you-niqueness draws people to you, your product, your services, or even just your message. Your personal brand efforts should be about who you are and what you have to offer. It’s a leadership requirement that lets people know who you are and what you stand for.

As an entrepreneur, a creator, a professional (whatever it is you are), your business, your craft, your value (whatever it is you create) is an extension of yourself and a part of your life’s story.

Personal brand is a very important marketing tool for everyone. Personal brands are not only for the entrepreneur that owns their own business. Developing your personal brand is expected to be your proactive means of controlling your career development, your you-nique selling proposition and how you would be perceived in the marketplace.

Recall : If you don’t develop your own personal brand others will do it for you.

An awesome personal brand offers a chance to positively impact your ability to get the right offers, promotions, and boost your ability to attract talent and funding.

Undoubtedly, personal branding requires being visible to decision makers and influencers. Strong brands don’t go into hiding. But being visible is only part of the personal branding equation, and it’s not the biggest part. Demonstrating your value is the key.

Evidently, you don’t want to be the world’s best kept secret – you need to 'publicize your publicity'. As you do, kindly place utmost emphasis on target audience needs, not yours. Make sure they continually experience the value you offer and associate that value with you.

On a final note, personal branding is not new. It’s always been with us. Tom Peters, credited with coining the phrase “personal branding”, gave his take on it in 1997 in his Fast Company article “ The Brand Called You “:

“We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc."

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