Personal Branding Crash Course E-BOOK

A brand is a name, symbol, design, term and virtually any
other characteristic that can be used for identifying a product
and distinguishing it from other products. Personal branding
can, therefore, be seen as the characteristics of an individual
that can be used in distinguishing him from another individual.
A brand refers to anything, whatsoever, that associates with
any particular product; this can be the symbolism of that
brand or the experiences that the end users derived from
using or interacting with that product.
From the above definition, it can then be deduced that
branding refers to the look, utility, and feel of a product,
service or a person; not disregarding the importance of
collateral, advertising and packaging of that product. Taking it
further, the characteristic of a brand can equally be affected by
the attitudes of the promoters and the sales representatives;
they can also form public opinion about that product, which
can determine the progress and acceptability of the said
product.
A wise company or brand owner will work acidulously to
develop an acceptable image for its brand or product
meticulously. A goal-oriented company will be guided by all the
variables earlier mentioned in a given direction to reach the
target audience, attain sales goals and increase the equity of the
brand in question. The way the company presents its brand
will determine how it will be registered in the minds of the
consumers and the general public.
Self-branding
Developing your personal brand has some association with the
process followed by companies when developing their brands
and making it more acceptable to the consumers. Never forget
that personal branding is a continuous process. Before you
start your personal branding journey, you should first consider
the purpose or goals of the branding process.
Important questions to ask
Start by asking yourself
1. What do you want to achieve? You need to have a clear
direction before you proceed.
2. Who is the audience you are targeting? This will help you
stay focused
3. What do you want your target audience to think about you,
your person or brand?
4. What kind of association can bring the best possible result
from your personal branding endeavor?
5. What and who do you need to associate or affiliate with to
make the personal branding process a successful one?
The questions above will help you to stay focused on the
branding process.