By Emily Jasper, Forbes.com
Special to Online Career Tips
Having a personal brand helps to set you apart in a digital world where it’s really easy to get lost. Your brand becomes an asset, something that can even be negotiated with as you move through your career. You might be hired on to a company to be a thought leader or brand ambassador. Things can get tricky, however, when your personal brand and your company brand start to mix, potentially diminishing your value.
Recently, I discussed personal branding with Karen Kang, a recognized brand strategist, author, and CEO of BrandingPays LLC. Her insights about personal branding apply to how people maintain their own value, even when they also have to promote a company brand.
“It is so important for people to develop a personal brand,” said Kang. “Whether you’re a brand ambassador or not, you don’t know how long you’re going to be associated with that company. And if everything people know about you is wrapped up in that company, when you part ways, you don’t have a brand anymore.”
Working with a company’s brand can be filled with landmines, though. Especially when there are mix-ups in property ownership or blended messages. It’s easy for a personal brand to get diminished or swallowed up by the company, and Kang says you have to be proactive to keep that from happening.
“When you’re developing a personal brand separate from your company’s branding, stake out an area for yourself,” said Kang. “Be known for your own thought leadership. Be bold and not just a “me too.” In this day and age, being a “me too” is death.”
If you don’t have a personal brand, it’s very easy to get lost in the shuffle (or a Google search turning up someone who isn’t you). “Your career and job could be in jeopardy if you’re considered expendable or forgettable,” said Kang. “You aren’t highlighting your unique value. It’s actually less risky to have a strong personal brand and stand for something than to follow the status quo.”
When you are representing a company’s personal brand, make sure you’re finding a way to meet in the middle. That could mean having your picture used as part of your company promotion, or tying the promotion to your value as a thought leader. “I look at people who get out and do speaking engagements or are on expert panels,” said Kang. “And they’re getting their name out there as well as the company name. It’s the best of both worlds. You have certain expertise when you’re on a panel, and you’re also representing your company in doing so. People should find that medium to help retain personal value.”
How do you manage your brand, even when you might have company brand responsibilities? Follow Kang’s advice:
- Decide what it is you’re going to talk about and be known for in your personal brand that’s a little different from the company promotions
- Identify your personal brand strategy, goals, unique positioning, and target audience
- Find the right avatar photo and stick with it consistently across your personal profiles
- Get to know the influencers in your ecosystem
- Identify what is your personal brand property and what is the company’s property (document legally if needed)
“Personal branding is something that takes time and effort,” said Kang. “You’d put together a strategy for your company, so put together a strategy for you. Then when you change companies, your value follows you.”
About Karen:
Karen Kang is the author of BrandingPays: The Five-Step System to Reinvent Your Personal Brand, based on 25 years of brand positioning consulting, including her years as a principal and partner for Regis McKenna, who put the Apple, Intel, and Genentech brands on the map. She is the Founder and CEO of BrandingPays LLC, a corporate and personal branding company that offers consulting, training and coaching, and is a sought-after speaker at leading business schools and professional organizations.
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