1. Branding: Now it’s
Personal
PRESENTED BY
STEPHANIE POWERS
HAGERSTOWN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
HAGERSTOWN, MD
SAPOWERS@HAGERSTOWNCC.EDU
240-500-2490

2. Agenda
 What is this personal branding thing all about?
 Understand your brand.
 Assess your brand.
 Improve your brand.

3. “BE LIKE MIKE”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0AGiq9j_Ak

4. What’s this all about?
 1997 – Tom Peters, The Brand Called You
 Personal Branding Definition
 “The process by which we market ourselves to others.” – Dan
Schawbel, Personal Branding 101: How to Discover and Create
Your Brand
http://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=yu0OJqhcMwQ

5. BUT….Why?
Corporate Brand Product Brand
Personal Brand
vs.

6. BUT…Why?
 We live in a knowledge economy.
 Why do customers buy from YOU?
 Your company’s image, AND
 YOUR product knowledge, service, personality, etc.
 Businesses are more personal.
 Customer service is personal.
 Consumers interact with people.
http://www.nbc.com/the-
office/video/traveling-
salesman/116243

7. OK…Now what?
1. Understand your brand.

8. OK…Now what?
2. Assess your brand.

9. OK…Now what?
3. __________ your brand. (Based on your assessment)

10. Developing Your Brand
 Be yourself
The Brand That Feeds: Balancing Personal and Professional on Social Media
 Be transparent
 Know your value
 Build on your strengths
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RK_Wbcof_s

11. Tips
 We live in a Twitter world – think, talk, type 140
characters at a time.
 Think in terms of projects.
 Use a variety of tools to communicate your message.
 Yes – online AND offline
 Determine if/how much to integrate with your
company’s brand.
Should You Combine Your Personal and Business
Social Media Identities?

12. Your Branded Items
 Business Cards
 Resume
 Website/Blog
 Portfolio
 Social Media Profiles
 LinkedIn
 Twitter
 Facebook
 YouTube
 Email Address
 http://theoatmeal.com/comics/email_address

13. Holy Grail of Personal Branding:
Be Known as an Industry Expert
 Get involved in industry-related conversations
 Track Twitter for questions – respond with expert info, NOT
product/service promotion
 Answer LinkedIn questions and get involved in groups
 Work with media
 Give presentations
 Teach a class
 Content, Content, Content!
 Blog
 Video
 Testimonials

14. More Articles of Interest
 Tom Peters, What a “Personal Brand” is NOT
 Megan Marrs, The First Step to Building Your
Personal Brand