Personal Branding_ A Blueprint for Professional Success Reading

Personal Branding

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Introduction

Welcome to the “Personal Branding: A Blueprint for Professional Success”
courseware by Dr. Karen Freberg, professor of strategic communications at the
University of Louisville and an Integrated Marketing Communications Graduate
Online Program adjunct instructor for West Virginia University.

The "Personal Branding" courseware is part of Stukent's ongoing mission to help
educators help students help the world. This courseware explores many aspects of
personal branding, including identifying various perspectives of personal branding,
formulating brand partnerships, handling challenges, ethical considerations,
strategic planning, and creating one’s own personal brand.

The courseware is available bundled with the multi-round “Mimic Personal Branding”
simulation. In this simulation, students are positioned to make personal branding
decisions for a fictitious CEO. These decisions involve partnership and other
opportunities, promotional messaging, and how to respond to social media
comments. Students are also tasked with completing components of their own
personal brands.

Following is an overview of resources available in Edify as part of the “Personal
Branding” courseware.

SAMPLE SYLLABUS AND CALENDAR

The sample syllabus provides an overview of the course and of the associated
materials. The sample calendar shows scheduling for chapter readings, quizzes, and
assignments, as well as pacing for the simulation rounds.

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Suggestion: Adapt the syllabus and calendar based on your circumstances, including
class size, semester schedule, and mode of delivery.

LESSON PLANS

Each of the lesson plans — one per chapter — lists the chapter’s learning objectives
and provides a time breakdown for how to structure the class period.

Suggestion: Allot class time for students to present what they have learned relative
to the chapter concepts.

CHAPTER LECTURE SLIDES

There are two sets of slide presentations for each chapter: an instructor version and
a student version. The versions are the same except for instructional notes included
in the instructor versions.

Suggestion: Use the slides throughout a class period as concepts are discussed
instead of going through all of the slides in a one-time presentation during class.

ASSIGNMENTS AND PROJECTS

Over 20 assignments and more than 10 projects are provided in the courseware.
Each is made available to students from the left navigation in Edify.

Suggestion: Select from the provided assignments and projects those that will best
fit your students’ circumstances and your course schedule.

CHAPTER QUIZZES AND QUIZ REVIEW SLIDES

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Each chapter has an accompanying 15-question quiz. The quizzes are built of
multiple-choice and true-or-false questions, are administered in Edify, and are
auto-graded. Instructors have access to slide presentations that display the correct
answers for corresponding quizzes.

Suggestion: Review quiz answers in class to reinforce key material.

MIDTERM TEST

The 50-question midterm test — built of multiple-choice and true-or-false questions
— draws from the first five chapters. The test is administered in Edify and is
auto-graded.

Suggestion: Have students review chapter slides and chapter quizzes to prepare for
the midterm.

FINAL TEST OPTIONS

Instructors have their choice between two final test options. Each draws from
chapters 6-11 and are built of multiple-choice and true-or-false questions. Both test
options are 50 questions. Ten questions are common to both tests, with each test
option having 40 unique questions.

Suggestion: Have students review chapter slides and chapter quizzes to prepare for
the final.

EXPERT SESSIONS

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These video lectures allow you to bring industry perspective into your classroom.
The recorded sessions, each from a business professional, connect to course
concepts.

Suggestion: Incorporate the accompanying quizzes available online for added
educational experiences.

________

Thank you for your partnership. For assistance with this courseware and for
information on additional courseware and simulations, please call 1-855-STUKENT
or send an email to [email protected].

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: What Is Personal Branding?

● Section 1: Introduction
● Section 2: Personal Branding
● Section 3: Components of a Personal Brand
● Section 4: Steps for Brand Building
● Section 5: Let’s Start Building a Personal Brand
● Section 6: Summary

Chapter 2: Perspectives on Personal Branding

● Section 1: Personal Branding: When Did It Really Begin?
● Section 2: Perspectives on Personal Branding
● Section 3: Best Practices
● Section 4: Conclusion

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Chapter 3: Building a Career on Personal Branding

● Section 1: Introduction
● Section 2: Requirements
● Section 3: Areas for Showcasing Skills
● Section 4: Showing Your Personal Brand
● Section 5: The “Golden Rules” for Personal Branding and Careers
● Section 6: Summary

Chapter 4: Challenges in Personal Branding

● Section 1: What Are the Challenges in Personal Branding?
● Section 2: Advantages and Disadvantages of Personal Branding
● Section 3: Challenging Situations and Case Studies
● Section 4: Best Practices for Handling Personal Branding Challenges

Chapter 5: Creating Your Brand Voice and Presence

● S ection 1: Introduction to Brand Voice
● Section 2: Benefits of a Brand Voice
● Section 3: Creating Your Brand Voice and Presence
● Section 4: Best Practices for Establishing Brand Voice and Presence
● Section 5: Summary

Chapter 6: Strategic Planning

● Section 1: Introduction to Strategic Plans
● Section 2: Creating a Strategic Plan for a Personal Brand
● Section 3: Summary

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Chapter 7: Science and Art of Networking

● Section 1: Introduction
● Section 2: The Science of Networking
● Section 3: The Art of Networking
● Section 4: Networking with a Personal Brand
● Section 5: Best Practices

Chapter 8: Relationships and Brand Partnerships

● Section 1: Introduction
● Section 2: Relationships and Relationship Management
● Section 3: Brand Partnerships and Personal Brands
● Section 4: Summary

Chapter 9: Ethics and Professionalism

● Section 1: Introduction
● Section 2: Ethics in Personal Branding
● Section 3: Possible Ethical Scenarios in Personal Branding
● Section 4: Professionalism in Personal Branding

Chapter 10: Measuring Success, Progress, and Improvements

● Section 1: Introduction
● Section 2: Measuring a Personal Brand
● Section 3: Best Practices for Personal Branding Measurement

Chapter 11: Resumes, Portfolios, Interviews, and Future Directions

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● Section 1: Introduction
● Section 2: Resumes
● Section 3: Portfolios
● Section 4: Interviews
● Section 5: Key Concepts Review

Section 6: What Is Next for Personal Branding?

● Section 7: Summary

Chapter 1: What Is Personal Branding?

Learning Objectives

● Define “personal brand”
● Determine the difference between personal brands and personal branding
● Identify the key components of a personal brand
● Explain initial practices in building a personal brand

SECTION 1

Introduction

Imagine this: actor Dwayne Johnson, rapper Jack Harlow, basketball player
Donovan Mitchell, singer Taylor Swift, and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk walk into
a coffee shop to sit down. You may be thinking: this is a pretty amazing sight to
see with all of these well known professionals in the same coffee shop to have a
cup of coffee. However, being in the same coffee shop is not what is connecting
them. Each of these professionals is not only established in their respective fields,
but they share something else.

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They have built their presence with their personal brands. But personal brands are
not just for high-profile celebrities.

In the digital and social media industry, there is a common phrase shared among
professionals: It is not only about what you know, but who knows you and what you
stand for.

It is not only about what you know, but who knows you and what you stand for.

The days in which jobs, opportunities, and connections are solely based on one’s
expertise are in the past. Understanding how to present yourself and show others
not only what you know but the impact and presence you have in a particular area
within society, the industry, or community is going to be held in the spotlight.

Another factor for consideration here are opportunities for student-athletes. As of
July 1, 2021, student-athletes were permitted by the National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA) to make money based on their names, images, and likenesses.
This means that student-athletes, who had previously been barred from making
any financial or brand deals until after graduation or turning pro, can make money
based on their personal brands.

This means student-athletes can:

● Charge for autographs
● Host camps
● Formulate brand partnership deals
● Be a paid influencer for a brand
● Formulate brand partnerships
● Host social and digital ads on social media and other digital content

And this is just the beginning!

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An indication of the importance of this new focus area for personal branding is
Front Office Sports’ free NIL (name, image, likeness) certification providing an
overview of what to expect from NIL protocols and steps in using specific tools
(Facebook and Instagram) to build a personal brand.

SECTION 2

Personal Branding

In digital marketing, sales, social media, public relations, or any other
discipline, having a reputation or brand is key to future employment and
thought leadership. People are not only getting hired for what they have done
or for what work they have created but for how much they are “known” in the
industry.

Why has this happened, and when did it happen? What are the current
expectations for professionals when it comes to having a brand for themselves?
What are the components of a personal brand versus personal branding?

This chapter will discuss the core elements of what exactly is a personal brand,
what is not a personal brand, components associated with personal brands, and
initial steps to consider moving forward in building a personal brand. In
addition, we will cover what personal branding as a practice focuses on, and
how this helps build a sustainable brand that resonates with audiences.

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Figure 1.2.1

What Is Personal Branding and a Personal Brand?

First, let’s make sure we get some key terms out of the way before moving
forward. Personal branding is the strategic practice of intentionally and
consciously implementing efforts to support, grow, and enhance the
associations, perceptions, and attributes people give to a specific person.

When it comes to personal branding, it is important to understand what exactly
it means to have a personal brand. Any person, brand, or community can create
an image online, but that does not mean a thing when the personality, voice,
and person behind the screen does not match the person or brand in front of
you. Alignment of who we are with how we want others to perceive us is
important in establishing a clear, consistent, transparent, and authentic voice
online.

A personal brand is the collection of perceptions, associations, personality
characteristics, interests, and areas of expertise a community or industry
associates with an individual person. A personal brand is so great because:

● It’s free to create
● The barrier to entry is minimal
● Any person can create a brand
● You become your best spokesperson for your brand

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Having a personal brand opens doors to experiences that may have been closed
otherwise by gatekeepers and others in the industry who have risen due to
traditional practices. A personal brand provides a person options to go outside
of the lines in ranks that have been in place for years.

For example, want to capture attention on TikTok for an internship? Would it be
appropriate to go through the traditional means of applying for the internship?
Yes, but what else can be done? Showcase the impact and work you have done
as a creator on the platform with your unique perspectives and insights. Tag the
accounts to let them know of your content. Build relationships with
professionals at the brand in advance of the internship opportunities.

Yet, it is important to not think that creating a successful personal brand is
easy. No, in fact, building a personal brand that is successful and sustainable
takes time, energy, patience, and investment of resources. The creation of a
successful personal brand also does not happen overnight. A personal brand can
take years to build — and it is important to understand the risks, challenges,
and issues that may come with the territory.

In the digital and social media industry, personal branding has gotten a negative
connotation. Some have said that personal branding is meant for “self
promotion” or that if you are promoting a personal brand, you are a narcissist.
Let’s discuss some myths and misconceptions and consider what a personal
brand is and is not:

HAVING A PERSONAL BRAND DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE SELF-CENTERED OR FULL OF YOURSELF

Having a personal brand means you want others to know who you are and what
you stand for. There are professionals who rely only on their personal brands,
but when it comes to providing substance, they are focused more on their
overall appearance. Or, in some cases, what they are presenting is not who they
are. Yet, these people are not in the majority. Someone who invests in a

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personal brand is intentional with their time, space, voice, and platform in
order for their perspectives to provide value to their communities.

BEING INTENTIONAL WITH YOUR TIME AND VOICE IS NOT A BAD THING

Focusing on quality interactions and sharing detailed pieces of content is better
than spurting a lot of noise and wasted airtime for everyone to consume.

A PERSONAL BRAND IS GREAT FOR YOUR POSITION, BUT IT IS NOT GOING TO REPLACE YOUR POSITION

If you assume that because you have a personal brand, you can do whatever you
want. Never make assumptions because you may be completely wrong and the
consequences may not be pretty. A personal brand is not only powerful, but it is
fragile as well. Many people — from celebrities, sports figures, and even
marketing professionals — have realized their personal brand can only protect
them so much, and in some cases, not so much.

YOU CAN ONLY HAVE A PERSONAL BRAND IF YOU HAVE MILLIONS OF FOLLOWERS: WRONG

Some of the best leading voices and thought leaders with real experience in the
field do not have some of the numbers of social media followers as other
designated “thought leaders.” Followers is a vanity metric that can be easily
manipulated. As mentioned before, anyone can have a personal brand, no
matter where you come from and where you start. The big thing to remember is
you first have to start in order to build a personal brand.

PERSONAL BRANDING IS ABOUT STANDING OUT AND OWNING YOUR HIGHLIGHT REEL, NOT ANYONE
ELSE'S

Instead of focusing on what others are doing, take a note from their playbooks
and create your own highlight reel. Be your best cheerleader and spokesperson
on what we are doing rather than looking solely at what others are presenting.
With that being said, be mindful of what you are sharing publicly on your

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channels and how it can be interpreted. Sometimes what is shared is only a
certain frame or perspective, and not the whole picture. Be aware of this as you
are scrolling through your Instagram or news feed. Plus, you want to be aware
of how your content is being presented and interpreted because you do not
want to make the wrong first impression. Attention is the currency at hand, and
you could lose an opportunity if your work and personal brand makes the wrong
impression on a potential employer, boss, or thought leader on your work and
personal brand.

SECTION 3

Components of a Personal Brand

Understanding a personal brand is one thing, but there are many components
that make up a personal brand. In many ways, personal brands are like onions
(or ogres in the movie “Shrek”), with many layers to discover and to be aware
of. With that being said, there are many components that are part of a personal
brand, such as:

Figure 1.3.1

Personality

Are you outgoing or shy? Do you consider yourself funny, or do you consider
yourself serious and focused? Think about all of the distinctive characteristics
that make you unique. What are your beliefs and views on certain topics? What
are some of the attributes you would use to describe yourself? How do others
describe you? Asking yourself these questions can help you determine who you
are and what you have to offer to the world with your personal brand.

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Authenticity

Be yourself! Be natural in your approaches and authentic in terms of who you
are and what you like or are passionate about. You have to be true to who you
are as well as to others you are interacting with.

Yes, it may be tempting to be like others, or to create a “picture perfect”
image that may not be the most authentic and true representation of who you
are. It may be tempting as well to be someone your friends or colleagues want
you to be. Others may even want to place you in a box because of your role or
position. If anyone tries to put you in a box based on certain expectations or
perspectives that are not true to you, take a sledge hammer, knock down the
walls of the box they tried to put you in, and move along.

Uniqueness

Your personal brand needs to be unique and distinctive enough for others to
recognize and recall. This does not mean you have to try super hard to make
sure you wear the same colors consistently, have specific shoes you wear at
presentations, or push artificial components of your brand (such as catch
phrases, etc.). Brianne Fleming has built a career working with pop culture
moments, trends, and groups (like the Backstreet Boys) and marketing, whereas
others have specific food and beverage items that are distinct to them. CNN
reporter Kerry Flynn embraces her love for Dunkin’ and Peloton, whereas author
Jason Falls is all about bourbon. Each of these professionals has distinct
viewpoints on their respective field, but are memorable based on what they like
and are passionate about.

Expertise

Make sure you have an area of expertise that can provide value to the
community in your industry or field of study. Expertise comes into play when

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you get experience in the field in the form of freelancing, volunteer work,
internships, and jobs, to name a few. It is important to showcase these points
offline and online since there are many online who claim to be experts in a field
but who do not have the knowledge, background, or experience to validate
their points. Or, even worse, some people lie about their experience to create
the illusion they are experts even when they are not. These are the individuals
who call themselves “gurus,” “change evangelists,” or now “digital futurists”
since individuals are constantly trying to update their titles to fit growing
expectations. Do they have experience in these self-given titles? No.

Professionals such as Matt Kobach (Fast) and Amanda Goetz (TheKnot) are often
referred to as leading experts in the social media marketing field based on the
insights they share on their social media channels. Yet, there are others who are
more specialized and focused on key areas and specializations, such as Alexa
Heinreich, who is a social media professional who embraces and advocates for
accessibility on social media. On the other hand, Joey Wagner (JWagner Group)
has decades of experience in event planning and marketing with his work with
the Kentucky Derby and other entertainment ventures. He shares his insights
publicly on his channels. These professionals have done very well to create a
brand for themselves within the social and digital community. We need more of
these professionals who are doing the work to be showcased.

Brand Voice

Having a strong brand voice for your personal brand is a key part of what makes
you, you! A brand voice is the overall tone you present in your updates and
communication online. It has to be strong and sustainable. Are you someone
who wants to be positive and upbeat? Or do you want to tell your community
the way it is in a very honest and unfiltered manner? This is where you have to

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determine what you stand for — what is important to you — and how you will go
about communicating this to your audience. There are many professionals who
have a distinct brand voice, such as entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk with his
“hustle” mentality that is consistently present in all of his content, or Jack
Appleby, creative strategist at Twitch, with his analysis of various points of
commentary on social strategies.

Value

If you do not provide value to your community, what are you doing? How are you
sharing what you are passionate about? What are your interests?

Are you sharing a voice and perspective that may be different from others? If
the answer is “yes,” that’s a good thing! Your content — whether a blog post,
video tutorial, or series of tweets in a thread shared online — should provide
value. Be intentional with how you present and share content and how you
engage with others.

Community

Building a presence and voice in a community is a great way to build not only
your brand, but connections in specific communities as well. For example,
Twitter is for connecting with people you want to meet, and LinkedIn is all
about business connections. #MarketingTwitter brings together people who are
working in social and digital marketing roles, and the community is filled with
professionals who help one another out.

Julian Gamboa, social media manager for Adweek, was able to build the
#MarketingTwitter community on Twitter, bringing together professionals from

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all walks of life on a single platform where participants could make connections
and new friends. Julian has become a leading voice in the community where he
is respected and appreciated for what he has done to bring professionals
together.

TEXT FROM A TWEET BY JULIAN GAMBOA (@JulianGumbo) on Feb. 16, 2020:

Doubt it'll take off but let's start a thread of brands whose social media managers you'd like to connect
with + include what you currently do. We'll just let connections happen. I'll start:

I help manage the @adweek account and I'd like to meet the @Pokemon account manager.

Gamboa not only brought professionals from all walks of life together, but he
also provided a place where professionals could discuss topics and issues that
influence their work on a day-to-day basis. For example, conversations on
where social media lies in the organizational structure and what are the
necessary qualifications to be part of the field are just some of the professional
topics come to life. However, others such as mental health, sports, and hobbies
(ex. Gaming, Pokemon, etc.) show the personal nature of this community. This
is why in many circles, Gamboa is referred to as the “Godfather of Marketing
Twitter.” He can be found online via Twitter and other social media channels,
and loves engaging with students and young professionals.

Consistency

This means that your personal brand is not just what you share online but how
you conduct yourself in every situation and circumstance. Meaning, you are the
same person you are on TikTok as you are presenting at an industry conference.
Your brand voice, perspectives, and behavior are the same. Take the time to
think about how you are presenting yourself in every single exchange online and

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offline. You do not want to have a situation where someone thinks you are Dr.
Jekyll online and then meets Mr. Hyde in person.

SECTION 4

Steps for Brand Building

In a 2019 TEDxUAlberta presentation, speaker and entrepreneur Luron Morrison
outlines nine steps for building a brand, whether for yourself or business. The
steps are presented in the graphic below:

Figure 1.4.1
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Following are considerations for approaching these steps.

STEP 1. DEFINE YOUR PURPOSE

What are your overall goals in life and in your career? What makes you excited
to grow and move forward in your life and career? These are the starting points
that make up the foundation of a personal brand’s focus.

STEP 2. UNEARTH YOUR EXPERTISE OR TALENT

What are you good at? What are your talents? Answers to these questions are
areas of expertise in which you could offer advice, help, and guidance.

STEP 3. OFFER A NEW AND IMPROVED OPPORTUNITY

What are the areas in which you can improve on the standard in your field?
What are the experiences and unique features you feel make you stand out from
the crowd? Make sure to showcase these openly and consistently across the
board.

STEP 4. PERSISTING AND HAVING FAITH IN YOUR CAPABILITIES AND BUSINESS PLAN

Success does not happen overnight! It takes time, dedication, and investment
over the long term. You have to take a little bit each day to work on your
personal brand. Have faith that if you set goals, invest in yourself, and take
initiative in improving your perspectives and expertise.

STEP 5. DEVELOP AN ATTRACTIVE PERSONALITY

This is not saying that you have to completely reinvent yourself for the masses
but about taking what you have to work with and integrating key characteristics
and attributes others are looking for. Are you a leader and take initiative? Do
you mentor and help others? Are you positive and outgoing in your work and
presence? Adding elements of leadership and professional characteristics into

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your own personality brings together amazing opportunities while making
memorable impressions.

STEP 6. START A BLOG AND / OR PODCAST TO BUILD TRUST AND AUTHORITY and STEP 7. OPTIMIZE
AND GROW YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE

This is where a blog, YouTube account, website, newsletter, and other content
tools come into play. These elements all need to be integrated into a personal
brand (discussed in a future section of this chapter.)

STEP 8. KNOW YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE

You have to understand with whom you are engaging and with whom you want
to connect. Do you want to connect and network with fellow professionals?
Explore new business opportunities?

Understanding what your audience values and is motivated by will help you
make sure your content strategy provides an experience your audience values.

STEP 9. CREATE AND PROMOTE VALUE-ADDED CONTENT ON A CONSISTENT BASIS

Building a brand one day and saying “I am done!” will not work. You have to
take the approach that building a personal brand is something that needs to be
invested in and worked on every day. Consistency is the name of the game:
building a personal brand is great, but in order to achieve your goals, there has
to be value provided over time. Audiences will come to you more and more if
they feel they are getting value out of what you are sharing, creating, and
discussing.

SECTION 5

Let’s Start Building a Personal Brand

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Maha Abouelenein, a public relations and social media professional who has
worked for Gary Vaynerchuk and Google, has shared her passion on the
components that are needed to get a grip on what it takes to be successful in
the field and for a personal brand.

Maha Abouelenein: The Significance of Getting a Grip on Communication

Considerations

As this textbook will present, there are many steps to creating, managing, and
launching a personal brand. Following are seven considerations as you get
started:

1. RECOGNIZE THAT A PERSONAL BRAND SHOULD NOT BE BASED ON SOMEONE ELSE

People like Gary Vaynerchuk and other entrepreneurs have gotten a lot of press,
media attention, and opportunities. Their accomplishments are great! Way to
go! But do we need millions of Garys operating all over the place? No. We need
unique perspectives from people who have different experiences, voices, and
insights in a given area. Diversity helps grow the field, and if we were all the
same, how do we move forward?

2. EVALUATE WHAT MAKES YOU, “YOU”

This is a big one because you have to reflect and really think about what makes
your personal brand unique and special. Each person is in control of the actions,
updates, networks, community interactions, voice, information, content, and
relationships built on and offline for a personal brand. What is great is that we
are all very unique individuals, and we have to celebrate and be excited about
the attendant possibilities. Reflecting on, analyzing, and evaluating what makes
you, you will be presented in a later chapter.

3. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH TO SEE HOW OTHERS SEE YOU AND YOUR PERSONAL BRAND

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As with the previous point, you have to evaluate how you see yourself, your
role, and how your personal brand plays a part in your perceptions. Is your job
part of your personal brand? Is the industry you are working in aligned with
what you are trying to do to build a personal brand? These are just two of the
questions to consider here. In addition, you have to look at how others perceive
your brand and which of your attributes and personality traits they pick up on.
You have to see whether the brand characteristics you perceive within yourself
match how others see your brand. This approach helps bring forth the important
element of aligning attributes, expectations, and perceptions for a personal
brand.

4. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BUILD YOUR OWN BRAND

No one else will build your personal brand for you. You are the one who is able
to control your actions, networks, voice, and information and content you
create, share, and talk about. You are the one that has to put forward the hard
work and time to build your own communities, branding, assets, and more. No
one is going to help you do this. With that being said, this does not happen
overnight; and it takes investment of resources, patience, and time to
determine your personal brand and your place in the community of which you
want to be a part.

5. PERSONAL BRANDS EVOLVE OVER TIME

As a student now, you know you will be a professional once you graduate from
college. What happens if you are interested in going into another field or area
later on? That’s okay! Personal brands are supposed to evolve and grow. Humans
and companies evolve and grow over time, so why can’t personal brands? Do not
put artificial barriers in place that would dictate that you have to be in the
same area forever. You must be adaptive and agile as industries continue to
grow, and your personal brand must evolve as well.

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6. PROVIDE FREE RESOURCES, IDEAS, AND PERSPECTIVES AT FIRST

It takes time and energy, as well as investment, to be recognized and
appreciated on social media for your personal brand. Recognition requires a
little bit each day of reaching out to others, sharing your points of view, being
generous with your resources and knowledge, and giving back to the industry.
There may be times when you are doing work for “free” — but that is okay.
Experience is one of the underlying factors that helps significantly when you are
starting out in the business.

7. PLAY THE LONG GAME

Personal branding is all about embracing a marathon — not a sprint —
perspective. If something you do works, great! Celebrate and be aware of what
that means for the future. If something did not pan out as you thought it would
(ex. networking attempt did not result in any exchange, content shared did not
perform well online, etc.), learn from the experience. Taking initiative will
teach you what works, what doesn’t, and what to do in the future. Being
persistent in this while doing a little bit of work each day will help the overall
growth and sustainability of your personal brand for the future.

SECTION 6

Summary

Personal brands are not exclusive or available for only certain people. The beauty
of personal brands is the fact that anyone has one. But unless resources, time, and
dedication are committed to personal branding, there will be missed
opportunities.

In order to build a successful personal brand, you first have to understand what a
personal brand is and what it is not.

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The overall goal of this textbook is to provide a framework for the practice (both
as a science and art) of personal branding to enhance personality characteristics,
passion and interests, and promote marketable skills that will capture a distinct
and memorable personal brand. Personal brands that embrace these points will
make a mark on society.

Glossary

brand voice: the overall tone you present in your updates and communication
online

personal brand: the collection of perceptions, associations, personality
characteristics, interests, and areas of expertise a community or industry
associates with an individual person

personal branding: the strategic practice of intentionally and consciously
implementing efforts to support, grow, and enhance the associations, perceptions,
and attributes people give to a specific person

Assignments

Defining Personal Branding Assignment

Your task is to collect five definitions of “personal brand” from your network. Ask
your friends, family, or fellow colleagues.

Analyze their responses and ask yourself the following questions:

● What are some of the similar features mentioned?
● What are some of the different characteristics mentioned?

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Then ask yourself these questions:

● How do I view personal branding?
● What are steps I will take to continue building my personal brand?

Elevator Pitch for a Personal Brand Assignment

You are riding in the elevator and you realize you have one chance to pitch your
personal brand to your dream team for an internship or job. You have to answer
the following question: “What makes you ‘you’?”

Provide two versions of your pitch: one in a 30-second sound bite and the second in
a 15-second sound bite.

Projects

Components of a Personal Brand Project

Review the components of a personal brand presented in Chapter 1. Then, fill
out a table based on the one below.

In the “Rationale” column, identify the traits / characteristics you have that
align with the given personal branding component. The Evidence section of the
table is for listing how you are displaying these components. If you feel that you
do not have or do a component, explain the steps you will take to work on these
components.

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Video on Personal Branding Project

Create a 1-minute video narrating the definitions you gathered in Chapter 1
Assignment 1. In the video:

1. Identify the definition similarities and differences, and then add your own
definition

2. Include what personal branding means to you.

Then, share this video on your social media channels to see what your
community thinks and feels about your definition and take on personal
branding.

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Chapter 2: Perspectives on Personal Branding

Learning Objectives

● Identify when personal branding began to become a focus
● Describe different perspectives on personal branding
● Evaluate best practices regarding perspectives on personal branding

SECTION 1

Personal Branding: When Did It Really Begin?

Personal branding was not invented in the 21st century. In fact, it has been
around for quite some time. Yet the ways people have used their means to
build, grow, and execute their personal brand over the years has evolved as
technology and communication channels have evolved.

In the following video, author and speaker William Arruda discusses briefly the
personal branding phenomenon and how it has become such a focus.

A Brief History Of Personal Branding

It is important to recognize that personal branding has evolved and grown over
the years and that there are many perspectives on the topic. Some focus more
on themselves, whereas others are more about working and collaborating with
people to amplify their brands. Others view personal branding as puffery that
should not be valued over “real experience and merit.”

This chapter discusses these perspectives and best practices when working with
individuals who have these perspectives.

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SECTION 2

Perspectives on Personal Branding

What is Personal Branding?

Let’s first clarify certain aspects of perspectives on personal branding.
Everyone's views on personal branding differ based on their overall perspective,
or view of the world, and their own experiences. Many times, people assume
there is only one way of doing things, like personal branding, but what makes
this an exciting area to explore in marketing and social media in particular is
the fact that there are so many ways of approaching your personal brand. So, if
anyone talks about the only way or the only perspective on properly building a
personal branding, they are incorrect.

Second, it is important to know that based on the perspective or approach you
take in personal branding you may or may not get the results that you want.
This can be both frustrating and challenging, but be aware that you want to do
what is authentic and true to you as an individual.

Third, you want to take the personal branding perspective that is true to who
you are. You do not want to take a perspective on personal branding if it does
not align to how you really feel about personal branding.

With that being said, personal branding perspectives that will be discussed in
this section include:

● Critical (or critic)
● Collaborative
● “Me”
● Subtle

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● Ownership-focused
● Iconic

Figure 2.2.1

Critical (or Critic) Perspective

Yes, there are those out there with the primary view that a personal brand is
NOT as valuable as others may think it is. There have been many cases,

including this article from the BBC, that try to make the case against personal
brands. Even Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook spoke at the Wharton School of the
University of Pennsylvania on how you do not need to have a personal brand:

Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant discuss 'Option B' at Wharton
Those with a critical perspective think that a personal brand is not always the
most important element to consider when looking at professionals or
professional growth. These individuals share the mindset that a personal brand
can get you so far but is not the end-all, be-all of items to be considered.
Those with the critic perspective:

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● Focus more on achievements and experiences than branding
● Are traditional in what they look for in candidates and partners
● View personal branding and self promotion as exhausting and overrated
● Are not deterred by the branding or promotion of a person

The critical perspective is not necessarily wrong when it comes to personal
branding. The perspective looks at the complete picture of the individual
beyond just what they are promoting and showcasing.

The way to reach critics of personal branding is simply by making sure you have
the skills, expertise, and experiences they value and appreciate. In this case,
personal branding is the extra frosting on the cupcake to stand out.

Retired professor Dr. Dale Hartley wrote in “Psychology Today” about some of
the concerns people have regarding personal branding. He offers ways to
combat some of these concerns, such as:

● If you just talk about who you are, that is considered to be just an
exaggeration (otherwise known as puffery). You have to market yourself by
showing your past accomplishments and show how you are going to continue to
achieve them once you are there.
● Be true to who you are and make sure your personal brand “really” is who
you say you are. Again, actions speak louder than words, and your behavior,
actions, and perspectives have to be all aligned and consistent with each other.
Authenticity is a core component in establishing credibility with those who are
critical of personal branding methods.
● Showing others that the time, effort, and investment in personal branding
IS real world experience and can offer value to businesses and others.
Otherwise, people may be concerned with the fact you have spent so much time
building yourself up that you did not get any “real world experience” in the
industry and helping others. Clarifying and educating others on the experience

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and skills learned and gained from personal branding is going to be very critical
here to articulate on.

Collaborative Perspective

The collaborator perspective focuses on seeking out others or other brands to
partner and collaborate with and not necessarily on being the center of
attention or the person in the spotlight.

Those with this perspective build relationships and connections with others to
amplify their own personal brand. They focus on achieving individual goals for
their personal brand, but they realize that in order to do so they have to work
with others.

Those with the collaborator perspective:

● Understand the need to work with others to extend a brand to different
audiences
● Have a team-focused mentality
● See equal mentions and collaborations as win-win situations
● Value relationship building with collaborators for the long term rather than
as one-off partnerships
● Understand the need to provide return on investment on efforts for
collaborations
● Focus on identifying win-win situations for brands to work together

If you're looking at a real-world example of how the collaborative brand
perspective is showcased in the industry, look no further than rapper Travis
Scott.

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The amount of partnerships and collaborations that he has created and
amplified over the past few years exceeds expectations in the industry. In
addition, his partnerships have been vastly successful and well received from
others across the spectrum. His work with Fortnite and McDonald’s shows the
reality of win-win situations.

Travis Scott and Fortnite Present: Astronomical (Full Event Video)

“Me” Perspective

This perspective is pretty self-explanatory, but it is important to know that the
primary focus is to achieve all wins and a spotlight on the person individually.
Those with this perspective are not collaborators, but in partnerships their
primary focus is on what is in it for them.

Those with this personal branding perspective:

● Focus on what will benefit the individual only
● Embrace strategies that are short- and long-term in nature but sometimes
get caught up in the moment when fame and accolades come around
● Value mentions, fame, and share of voice for brand above all else
● Have a “me first” mentality when it comes to opportunities, challenges, or
collaborations
● May appear to be self-centered and focused on achieving personal goals
over others involved (for example, community, brand, and other industry
partners)

The Kardashians are the prime example of those who are focused on building
their own brand to achieve goals. The youngest of the group, Kylie Jenner, has
solidified herself as a “self-made billionaire,” but the overall focus is to achieve
her own goals for her personal brand.

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Kylie Jenner: From Lip Kits To A Billion Dollar Fortune | Forbes

Subtle Perspective

The subtle approach is just as it is stated: it is not always in your face, but
rather involves building the brand slowly and strategically with effort and ease.
This perspective understands that in life you have many chapters and roles to
choose from but it takes time and investment to achieve those goals with your
personal brand. These individuals understand the obstacles and challenges they
may encounter by doing something different, but they are motivated to achieve
goals with small yet impactful moves over time.

Those with the subtle perspective:

● Primarily focus on building a sustainable and strong brand for the long
term, not to get 15 minutes of fame
● Build their brand through various strategic partnerships and collaborations
that have grown slowly over time that eventually have a significant impact on
their brand

One of the examples of someone who has a subtle personal brand perspective is
entrepreneur and actress Reese Witherspoon.

Witherspoon, of “Legally Blonde” fame, is also an entrepreneur with her
clothing line Draper James and her movie production company Hello Sunshine.
Witherspoon has worked strategically over the years in finding projects and
collaborations that helped her achieve her goals for more opportunities for
females in the industry. But these actions did not happen overnight; they took
years to achieve. Once the world discovered what Witherspoon was doing, it
was realized that she had been working on this for years under the radar.

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Regally Blonde: Reese Witherspoon Won't "Stay In Her Lane" | Fast Company

Ownership-focused Perspective

This perspective holds that your personal brand is your most valuable
possession, so it is important to invest, protect, and guard it in all ways. While
that view is somewhat related to the “me” perspective, it is different in that
the overall focus and drive of those with the ownership-focused perspective is
owning the power and control of where, how, and why a personal brand is
executed and placed in an industry.

Those with ownership-focused perspectives:

● Are dedicated to their craft
● Commit to getting credit and value for the creative work they produce as
part of their personal brand
● Focus on how their personal brand is presented and used in the media and
other places
● Are the biggest advocates for their work and value in industry

There is no other perfect example of this than singer Taylor Swift. Swift got
herself in many headlines over the focus of control over her music and brand
over the years and has had great success with this venture. This shows that with
dedication, persistence, and investment, a person can be able to control a bit
more of how and where their personal brand operates.

Iconic Perspective

This is usually the ultimate — and hardest — perspective to realize, but it is
good to have goals in mind. When we talk about iconic brands, we are talking

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about the brands that have transcended industries into pop culture and personal
branding history.

Those with this perspective:

● Build bridges with personal brand to achieve unique opportunities
● Are strong advocates and storytellers for the brand
● Embrace memorable characteristics (for example, personality, uniqueness,
and presence) that make them memorable to others
● Extend their brand outside of their main arenas to reach new audiences
● Collaborate with unique partners to stand out
● Make an impact at the social, community, and global level

Let’s take some of the more iconic brands that have grown and that still are
relevant to this day. First, there is NBA powerhouse Michael Jordan, seen as the
best player to have played basketball — a status that of course can be debated
in the sports community for years to come considering LeBron James and Kobe
Bryant.

Yet no one can argue the impact Jordan has had on the sports industry. Not only
that, but his presence and brand collaborations have come together to extend
his brand to other avenues such as shoes (Air Jordans) and entertainment
(“Space Jam”). Jordan was able to create his brand and not only benefit that
brand in the industry but change the shoe and sneaker industry completely.
Here’s a video that outlines how he was able to do that.

How Michael Jordan Changed Sneaker Culture Forever | One Man and His S…

On the flip side, let’s look at Britney Spears, the singer and pop star icon that
has dominated the charts and news headlines for years while also dealing with

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challenges. An interview with Kim Kaiman shows how the music industry and
artists, like Spears, have embraced branding as part of their overall strategy to
engage with their audiences.

The New Rules of Personal Branding Strategy: Interview with Music Marketi…

Summary

All of these perspectives have different views on personal branding. While there
may be some perspectives that may not fall in line with how you view the field,
it is important to see what is practiced and embraced in the industry and other
cases to evaluate on.

SECTION 3

Best Practices

Here are some elements to keep in mind as you move forward with this course and
your personal branding journey:

GO WITH YOUR GUT INSTINCT; BE TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE

You are the person who knows your story, perspectives, and goals for your personal
brand. Authenticity is the most important thing to be aware of here.

BALANCE INVESTING IN YOURSELF AND COLLABORATION

It’s good to have a balance between working on your personal brand and investing
in relationships to form strong brand collaborations and partnerships.

It’s good to have both, but if you focus too much on one side of the spectrum, you
may run into challenges. For example, if you focus too much on you (“me”

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perspective), you could lose out on opportunities since everyone thinks you are all
about yourself. However, if you just focus on brand collaborations (collaborator
perspective), you are known as a collaborator, but what else? Be strategic in your
approach.

THINK LONG-TERM AND OWN YOUR BRAND

Taking ownership of your work and advocating for your worth and value is critical
and needs to be something in which you — and you alone — invest time, energy,
and resources. Collaborators will help you along the way, but it has to start and be
led by you.

BE AWARE OF THE CRITICS, BUT DO NOT LET THEM CONTROL WHAT YOU DO FOR YOUR PERSONAL
BRAND

It’s always good — and proactive — to be mindful of those who may not like what
personal branding is all about. We can all learn from each other, even those who
may not share the same views on personal branding. Yet, understanding these
concerns and views helps in better understanding what needs to be done to turn
these critics into ambassadors for personal branding. Some may change their views
based on your actions, but do not be surprised if they do not change.

SECTION 4

Conclusion

With all of the various perspectives on personal branding, it can be somewhat
overwhelming to see which perspective you may fall under. Perhaps it’s a
combination of two? Or there may be a perspective or view that is not listed that
you fall under? Perspectives evolve and change over time as personal branding and
its practices do.

Assignments

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Infographic Assignment

You are to create an infographic through Canva or Adobe InDesign to illustrate one
of the perspectives of personal branding. After choosing a perspective, use one of
these design programs to create an infographic that:

1. Illustrates the perspective’s key concepts

2. Illustrates the perspective’s ideas

3. Includes possible personal brands considered part of your chosen perspective

Make sure to provide references for the information, statistics, and / or images
you use for the infographic.

Overview of Perspectives Assignment

As a group, create a brief slidedeck presentation on the following perspectives of
personal branding:

● Critical perspective
● Collaborative perspective
● “Me” perspective
● Subtle perspective
● Ownership-focused perspective
● Iconic perspective

The presentations should:

● take 5 minutes or less to present
● outline examples for examples that are NOT in the textbook for Chapter 2

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● have a final slide that outlines which personal branding perspective the group
/ group members take and why

TikTok or Reels Video Assignment

You have been asked to create a TikTok or Reels video educating others on the
different perspectives of personal branding. Working in groups of two students,
come up with a creative and innovative way to teach others about the different
perspectives of personal branding.

Chapter 3: Building a Career on Personal Branding

Learning Objectives

● Determine necessary skills to integrate into a personal brand for creating
future career opportunities
● Delineate the expectations of having a personal brand
● Evaluate career material must-haves for showcasing a personal brand

SECTION 1

Introduction

Personal branding is an area many have assumed can only benefit an individual
for partnerships, acknowledgements, and other personal activities. Yet, can a
personal brand be the unique factor that separates you from another candidate?
And there are these questions, which are the same professionals in the
workplace are asking themselves:

● “Do I have the qualifications necessary to be successful in the workplace?”

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● “What experiences are necessary to have as a marketing, social media,
public relations, or communications professional?”
● “Does a personal brand really make or break a professional opportunity?”

The answer to that final question is simple: “Yes, a personal brand is necessary
to be successful (and distinctive!) in today’s landscape.”

This may be surprising to hear since it is sometimes not disclosed or even
discussed in professional circles. Let’s put this in perspective from a business
standpoint. Mint Mobile, a cell phone company that’s rising in the technology
space, wants to hire a new community manager for social media accounts.
There are two candidates for the position, both who share the same qualities
and experiences: internships, grades, experience, and education — all from
great programs that garner a lot of respect. However, Candidate 1 has no active
presence on social media. Candidate 2 has built a community focused on new
technology opportunities and challenges for gamers on Twitch and has been
actively creating their own content for their personal brand on Instagram and
TikTok.

If you were the hiring manager for this role with Mint Mobile, who would you
hire? Most likely Candidate 2 since this is a community manager role and having
personal and professional experience online is a key factor for the position.

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Figure 3.1.1

Is a personal brand the only thing you need to have? No. A personal brand can
get you an invitation to the interview, but your experience is what closes the
deal. Experience and a personal brand is a winning combination.

SECTION 2

Requirements

Whether someone is starting out in school or is a successful professional with
years of experience, personal branding has certain universal requirements —
for any industry, profession, and situation. As you build a career on personal
branding, make sure to adhere to the following:

Authenticity

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No one likes to be played, let alone misled into believing a person is someone
they are not. Being true to who you are is one of the most important
characteristics to have.

As speaker and business leader Tai Tran discusses in his Tedx Talk at Berkeley, it
is important to build and design a professional brand that is well put together,
but it is also important to stay true to who you are.

Designing a purposeful personal brand from zero to infinity | Tai Tran | TED…

Humility

When it comes to advocating oneself to a community or industry through social
media, there seem to be two sides. On one side, there are individuals who only
talk about the work they have done and how good they are, and that is it. On
the other side, you have those who are quiet and waiting for others to advocate
and speak on their behalf because they are shy and do not really want to be
labeled as “self promoters.”

Like most things in life, there is a middle ground wherein you can be an
advocate for your work but also let others amplify what you are doing. That’s
ultimately the perfect combination for professionals to master and sustain.

Strategic Mindset

As they say, “If you build it, they will come.” However, just saying you have a
personal brand is one thing. Building a solid foundation that can be executed
across different channels is what is key.

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SECTION 3

Areas for Showcasing Skills

In addition to building a personal brand, you have to be your best advocate and
tell your story, and, in some cases, highlight to others the skills you have. It’s
one thing to say you have experience or the skills necessary for a job or career,
but presently in the industry it is necessary to show others your skills. For
example, saying you know how to create content for TikTok is just one part of
the equation. Employers and brands will ask you for samples, reports, and even
metrics and takeaways to make their own decisions.

With that being said, venturing off into the workplace for a career opportunity
can be a bit overwhelming. Some of the questions you may raise when going
through the process of using a personal brand to get into a career include:

● “What do I need to showcase?”
● “What if the place I am applying to does not value future employees with
personal brands?”
● “Does the experience of building a personal brand go in a particular place
in my cover letter and application?”

Considerations for showcasing your skills may not be highlighted in other
courses, textbooks, or even at a career center. Yet, these important
considerations can help you stand out from other candidates.

Here are distinct areas of personal branding to keep in mind when making
decisions on how to showcase your skills:

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Figure 3.3.1

RESEARCH

Research, which requires you to collect data and understand what the numbers
mean, is an essential skill for personal branding. But, at the same time, you
should be creative in how you could incorporate researched insights into the
strategies for your personal brand.

Understanding where you stand compared to others, knowing the key areas that
are being discussed in a given profession, and determining the competition in
your area of expertise are all important elements that tie into research. All of
the data insights and analysis we do for clients and campaigns can absolutely be
incorporated into personal branding.

WRITING

In order to have a successful brand, you have to be able to communicate your
story to others in the written format. This is not just about having great
grammar and spelling capabilities but also about the ability to write and adapt a
message based on platform, channel, audience, and situation. Each platform —
whether you are looking at a blog or even Instagram — has a different format
and expectations. Plus, each platform may have a completely different
community expecting certain pieces of content.

For example, written content or commentary on TikTok may not go over well on
LinkedIn. Writing is a key element to showcasing your personality, perspectives,
and ideas, but it has to be done in the right place, at the right time, for the
right audience. Otherwise, the content may not resonate or even be

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acknowledged by others, which could impact your personal brand growth and
industry presence.

CHARISMA

Interviews — which may be published in books or presented on live shows and
broadcasts — are a great way to showcase your personality, interaction, and
presence.

Mark Schaefer, author of the book “KNOWN,” has conducted many interviews on
the subject in the media, industry conferences, podcasts, and more in regards
to the importance of showcasing your personality through charisma. By sharing
interviews, a person is able to show an audience personality and human
characteristics that may or may not be present in their work.

It is important to recognize that communicating effectively while being
interviewed requires skill sets apart from your being prepared to give speeches
and presentations. Though, presenting effective speeches and presentations is
necessary social proof to support your portfolio and personal brand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqSzPcomaxo&feature=youtu.be

COMMUNITY EDUCATION

Educating others on a topic relevant to an industry or community is a great way
to not only grow a professional network but also to establish presence on a
topic.

Education can come in many formats, but it is mostly associated with teaching,
speaking engagements, and workshop trainings. But these outlets are not
limited to just professionals. In fact, anyone could conduct, organize, and
launch a speaking event or workshop session.

46

You could reach out to educate others by hosting a workshop at a local
professional event, volunteering to present social media trends at a local
business, or even hosting your own live video session on Instagram or LinkedIn
Live about a topic you are interested in sharing. All such outreach helps you
gain exposure and build connections in the on- and offline communities you are
trying to reach.

SECTION 4

Showing Your Personal Brand

As discussed earlier, a personal brand takes more than just stating you have
one; showing what your personal brand is made of is even more important.

WEBSITE

Your website should be the online hub of your personal brand — and having an
online hub for your personal brand is key.
You are able to control the overall look, feel, and presence of your designated
website, and, as your website is owned media, you retain control. A website
could be considered like owning a house. You are able to do a lot with it.

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Figure 3.4.1

SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media channels are key extensions for your personal brand but should not
be the primary hub for posting everything you have. All social media platforms
are considered as earned or shared spaces and can be changed and adapted (or
deleted!) at a moment’s notice.

Social media as a field changes rapidly from one day to the next, so it is key to
be aware of the growing expectations, changes, and impacts for your personal
brand. One day Snapchat was the only one with story features; now everyone
has them, including Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and now TikTok.

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Compared to websites, social media channels are like renting an apartment. You
can do a lot, but you have to follow the rules and expectations. Plus, these
platforms can go at a moment’s notice, and the effort, time, and dedication you
have built in growing your personal brand on these accounts is all but lost. Look
at what happened a few years ago with the Vine stars. After buying the
platform, Twitter got rid of Vine, leaving thousands of creators without a home
for their personal brand or community.

As stated earlier, social media is like renting an apartment, you could be
evicted or let go at any time. That’s why you need to have a permanent home
like a website or blog where you are able to control and host your personal
brand. That way, if a platform goes away, your personal brand is still accessible
and vibrant online.

Resources

For social media, this is why it is crucial to follow resources and professionals
who are able to stay on top of the latest trends. Some of these resources and
professionals include:

● Taylor Lorenz for trends around TikTok and Instagram
● Matt Navarra for all things social media
● Andrew Hutchinson of “Social Media Today” for latest updates on platform
trends
● Adweek #MarketingTwitter for trends and applications of these changes
from a brand perspective

EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Email marketing sometimes gets a negative view since it has been around for a
long time and many people get spam in their inboxes. However, if you are able

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to provide value with information, resources, and insights on a given topic,
newsletters may be the way to go. They provide long-form reading opportunities
with a lot of information and resources, which is very attractive and valuable to
community members.

COVER LETTER AND RESUME

These will never go away. Cover letters and resumes are the main personal
branding items that everyone needs to have. This does not mean they cannot be
branded or even visual. Utilizing tools such as Adobe InDesign, Canva, and more
can really brighten these items up to showcase your personality, brand colors,
and more.

INTRODUCTION VIDEO

Video is a great way to showcase who you are, what you stand for, and what
others can expect from you as a professional and as a person. Many introduction
videos are less than a minute long and can be embedded in other resources such
as a website, social media profiles (a pinned tweet from Twitter, for example),
and more.

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