Branding is usually focused on companies that are selling a product or service, but there is more to branding than just corporations and organizations. So looking at market strategies today, it is important to take in to account your personal branding, that will help you with your future growth.

It makes sense to look more closely at your personal brand, the subject of personal branding is more relevant in today’s fast moving business world, when you’re name comes up in conversation or when you meet someone in public, a strong personal brand can give out a perception of what direction that you are heading (positive or negative). People that you have not met, can already be familiar with your personal brand, especially with the huge participation in the social media world.
Companies and organisations are using famous film and sports starts to promote their brand and this works very well, providing the film or sports star keeps his or hers nose clean! So if you ignore your own personal branding you could end up in trouble for yourself. A good example in the news right now is Richard Scudamore, he is the chief executive of the English Football Association, whose personal issues are over shadowing the larger brand of the Football Association.
There are also more well-known faces going through similar tough times and mistakes. This will now have an effect on how the public views them and what they are known for in the future. While these people have tarnished their personal branding with their words and actions, there are others who have a positive personal brand will have a dedicated following because of the way they handle themselves in public and on the job.

Here is a list of people, and when you see their names. What is the first thing that comes into your mind?
Seamus Healy
Bobby Moore
Kenneth Branagh
Brian O’Driscoll
JK Rowling

Here are just a few names of people who have done a good job representing their personal brand, it is no accident, because these people spend time to develop their personal image in public. It is also easy to see the opposite effect that some famous people can tarnish their personal branding, people like Charlie Sheen, Kerry Katona, Miley Cyrus.

How Do We Look On Social Media?
The words and images you post and what you share and re tweet all can be seen as a direct link to your personality, who you are, and what you believe in, the more you use the social media, the more likely that things to be taking out of context, so be careful what you post with no security or privacy. It will become the content of your personal brand. Personal branding can be a real challenge for many people, is how we look at ourselves objectively with personal branding. We are thinking what we want to be known for.
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Great Personal Branding Examples by Dorothy Tannahill Doro
Let us look at some career focused people, their personal brand and what makes them stand out.
#1 Profile: Marketing Person
With 30+ years in a variety of industries and company sizes. Personal brand concepts: ‘No-limits marketing’ – leverage and innovative nature, traditional marketing and online social marketing, no limits to creative marketing solutions, ‘practiced hand’ that creates solutions by adjusting the solutions to each companies mission, product, strategy and industry.
Stand Out: Many people get nervous about crossing over to other industries, but this person puts it out there as an asset. They are clear about the range of marketing they can deliver and why they can effectively adjust to each company.
#2 Profile: Career Coach, Author and Speaker
Personal Brand Concepts: Internationally renowned, recognized for advancing the needs of job seekers and enhancing training strategies for career coaches, recognized as the first ‘motivational’ career coach in the US. Works with job seekers, career coaches and job coaches worldwide.
Stand Out: The concepts almost jump off of the page with energy. No wonder this person is a top rated motivational career coach, because they help you understand that is what they are known for; and that is to get you excited!
#3 Profile: Event Planner, Program Coordinator, Project Manager
Personal Brand Concepts: Master organizer with an eye for detail, meticulously create and execute special events. ‘You name it, and I will plan it with confidence and enthusiasm’.
Stand out: This works because you truly understand that this person is organized, detailed oriented and bubbly, all at the same time. You really get a feeling that you would enjoy working with this person while they were pulling together your event.

If you are unclear about your personal brand, just pay attention to what your co-workers seek you out for. That is a good place to start. To further develop your understanding, study these examples, even if none of them are exactly what you do. Hopefully, they will help prompt you to start working on your brand so you can communicate it clearly to others.

Article written by Paul Mc Cann Founder and President of CDG.
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