Branding is a process aimed at shaping and maintaining the image and personality of a brand. This involves creating a cohesive visual identity, a consistent brand message, and a distinctive brand value (1). It aims to differentiate itself from the competition and attract loyal customers through strong emotional connections (2).

Personal branding is the art of presenting and marketing oneself as a brand. It involves highlighting one’s personality, skills, and values to stand out from others. Personal branding may, for example, aim to enhance career opportunities or increase personal visibility and reach (3).

Both in corporate branding and personal branding, the focus is on reputation and external impact. Jeff Bezos states, “Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room” (4). This quote underscores that every action has an external effect, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and personal responsibility. However, the danger lies in interpreting it as an invitation to focus on how others perceive you and what can be done to optimize that perception—a phenomenon often observed in corporate branding, where the emphasis is on aligning the image with the target audience.

The way individuals are branded should be entirely different. It should be about enhancing your personality so like-minded individuals can find you. In personal branding, it’s akin to a singer finding their unique voice and amplifying it to their audience, whereas corporate branding is more like planning a show—analyzing your target audience and creating an enticing performance (5).

What I mean to convey is this: When questioning the feedback a room gives about you as a person, the ultimate question shouldn’t be: How can you behave differently so that people around you think positively of you? Instead, it should be: Are you living authentically, and have you accepted your true self so that others in the room can understand you? Are you clear in your vision, mission and values?

If the feedback in the room isn’t positive, in my opinion, there are only three reasons for it:

1. You are not living your “why” or not communicating it clearly enough externally (Read the book “Always Start with Why” by Simon Sinek).
2. You are trying to fit into a role that doesn’t suit you. You are not being yourself or living up to your potential.
3. You are in the wrong room.

In personal branding, it should be much less about marketing your personality and more about the journey to discover your own personality. Don’t waste time worrying about what others think of you; instead, focus on understanding and expressing yourself and your superpowers better. If you see and acknowledge them within yourself, others will automatically see them, and you won’t need to worry about your external impact. In doubt, your only option might be to leave the room and search for like-minded individuals.

As Nietzsche wisely said: One can only thrive among those of like mind and will.

Ines Wehmeier

(1) Redaktion marketing.ch. Lexikon – Branding. Online: https://marketing.ch/lexikon/branding/. 12.02.2024

(2) Klein, R. Was ist Branding? Für Gründer. Online: https://www.fuer-gruender.de/wissen/unternehmen-fuehren/marketing/branding/. 12.01.2024

(3) Graßer, A. (2023). Was ist Personal Branding? Definition, Strategie und Ziele. Hubspot. Online: https://blog.hubspot.de/marketing/personal-branding. 12.01.2024.

(4) Avery,J., Greenwald, R. (2023) A New Approach to Building Your Personal Brand. Harvard Business Review. Online: https://hbr.org/2023/05/a-new-approach-to-building-your-personal-brand#:~:text=As%20Jeff%20Bezos%2C%20the%20founder,people%20collectively%20hold%20about%20you. 12.02.2024

(5) Walker, D.  How To Create Your Brand From Scratch. The Hungry Entrepreneur Blog. Online: https://www.dainwalker.com/blog/how-to-create-your-brand-from-scratch. 12.01.2024

(6) Nietzsche, F. (2013). Briefe. Berlin: Hofenberg

Image source: Who are you? (www.pexels.com)