Dan Schawbel recently launched his new book Me 2.0. In it, Dan introduces the reader to the idea that in the 21st century you really need to think about building, and enhancing your personal brand via online and offline methods. Dan participated in a blog interview I did last year, and you can read that here.
One of the reasons for introducing this concept to people is that everything you do, or don’t do is indexed on the web. What’s the first thing you do when you’re looking to hire a new employee? Most people these days “Google” them. Everything that person has done, or not done, online is instantly brought forward. In this environment, with an extremely competitive job market, its time to start managing your reputation more as a brand, and not letting your name be defined by others.
Don’t get me wrong. Most of us will never truly have a brand with the equity of Oprah, or Bill Gates or Beyonce. However; we all need to start taking a more professional approach to building, and managing our online persona more like a brand, especially in a digital world.
Tom Peters first introduce the concept of personal branding in an, article called “The Brand Called You”. In it, he remarked “The real action is at the other end: the main chance is becoming a free agent in an economy of free agents, looking to have the best season you can imagine in your field, looking to do your best work and chalk up a remarkable track record, and looking to establish your own micro equivalent of the Nike swoosh. Because if you do, you'll not only reach out toward every opportunity within arm's (or laptop's) length, you'll not only make a noteworthy contribution to your team's success—you'll also put yourself in a great bargaining position for next season's free-agency market." (Fast Company, August 1997). I think we can all agree that we are in the “next season’s free agency market”, and that our personal reputation is what matters most.
While most of us think that all we have to do to build an online brand is to have a Twitter, Facebook, or Linkedin account, however we will have not done anything to build our personal brand equity with just these sign-ons. My belief is that, just as in the business world, the same is true for our personal brand in that we must build equity, and reputation. In a 2.0 world that means conversing, sharing, and participating in your relevant communities, while adding value and proving your personal brand promise. It does take work and effort to build a personal brand.
My blog is really targeted to those over 40 marketers, and to that audience I can’t stress enough the need to get engaged within relevant communities, and to start managing your personal persona offline and online more as a brand, with the goal to build equity in that brand. If you don’t, you will not be as competitive as someone who does. In a world that is increasingly outsourcing talent we all need to be cognizant of our personal brands, and manage them in a serious and astute way especially in the context of a digitally networked world.
Me 2.0 provides a framework on how to start on that endeavor, and in how to track, and build your online reputation. Me 2.0 goes a step further by bringing in the offline world through networking and relationship building that must take place in an integrated approach to building a sustainable personal brand. Dan has a great blog loaded with information that I recommend everyone read. Nuff said.
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