Why Your Personal Brand Sucks
Mostly People are personal brand sucks now a day. Entrepreneurs, CEOs, business leaders, and anybody else who will listen, I consistently insist, are not defined by their personal brand. I always remind them that it is the consumers, not the business, who have to foot the bill for everything. How well do they listen? Not at all, actually. My mind immediately went to why.
Everyone, it seems, has a web profile. The necessity dictates it. And your internet presence follows you everywhere you go, whether you’re trying to sell something, expand your business, or get a new job. As a result, the answer is yes, it does make a difference.
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Unfortunately, most of us have terrible personal brands. Feeling that way is very normal, and you have plenty of company. Even I can’t say that mine is very noteworthy. The issue is that there is no how-to guide for such a thing.
Some books may be available, but I seriously doubt that their authors have a clue either. The truth is that social media and user-created content have only been around for a short while. To figure out what works, we’re all just kind of winging it. That includes everyone, even the experts who think they know everything.
In any case, you might expect me to have some sort of intuitive grasp on this subject given my background as a man who oversaw marketing at several high-tech corporations. Even while I don’t have a 100% accurate grasp of what does and does not work, I do have a good concept of what doesn’t. If you’re worried that your personal brand is doing more harm than good, consider the following ten points.
You Have the Writing Ability like a Third Grader.
Maybe I’m exaggerating for effect, but if you’ve ever spent any time at all on the internet, you’ll understand what I mean. Collectively, your writing abilities fall short of expectations. LinkedIn’s blog feature is accessible to the public now, and I’ve already seen some very cringeworthy entries.
There’s Just Too Much Information.
Keep things straightforward; everyone knows it’s good advice but nobody follows it. Consider an item made by Apple. Tell me what you observe. The Apple logo and the product’s name are both trademarks. Do you understand why? Apple is well aware that we are inundated with data and can retain just a small fraction of what we take in at any given time. Select the most important point and make it as noticeable as possible while downplaying the others.
The Vast Majority of What You Have Here is Filler.
Everyone knows it to be true even if no one ever says it. People who live in glass homes shouldn’t throw stones, but I cut my teeth in the cutthroat world of high technology, where everyone tells it like it is. Someone probably told you if your work sucked. And I suppose I should have known better, given your track record, if my content were truly terrible.
Stop Using Motivational Sayings Already!
That’s the only time I’ll say it. Your brand is unique to you; it has nothing to do with Apple, Thoreau, or Gandhi. Please, for the love of God, do not quote yourself. That’s the most obnoxious, condescending, and conceited behavior I’ve ever witnessed. Ever. Don’t quote me on it.
That Photo of You is Terrible.
Come on, you have to be able to think of at least one passable photo of just you, without your pet, kid, or significant other. Not a porn brand, a family brand, or a cartoon brand; it’s just called “personal brand.”
You Have a Unique Handle…Like Everyone Else
Distinctly distinct does not stand out. The two are really different. The target audience’s perspective is what matters most; thus, differentiation refers to how your product or service appears to them. Focus on what makes you better than the competition instead than trying to stand out from the crowd.
You Cannot Take a Hashtag Seriously If You Take It Personally.
The entirety of some of your Twitter profiles are made up of obscure or overused hashtags. Some people become obsessed with symbols. In no way is that intimate or artistic. Just get to work and start using your vocabulary. Develop a unique selling proposition that stands out from the crowd without resorting to exaggeration or insider jargon.
Hashtags are one of those quirky but occasionally perplexing social media characteristics. But once you master them, you’ll see immediate and substantial benefits.
Hashtags are used to organize content and conversations around a common theme or issue, making it simpler for users to find relevant material.
Although Twitter and Instagram see the most use of hashtags, they can be used on any social media platform.
There’s No Prompt to Take Action.
There must be a clear and compelling call to action in all marketing efforts, or else nothing will change. You can get a like, follow, or link from a user, but if someone happens to stumble into your profile, it wouldn’t hurt to have a clickable link to your website there. The inclusion of external links to your other social media profiles is not required. That’s just an endless loop.
You Take Yourself Too Seriously
Don’t act all serious and dramatic like you’re about to be discovered by a big Hollywood director. This is a Twitter bio, not a tombstone inscription. You will only succeed in having others view you as hypersensitive and self-absorbed.
Conducting in a world where certain celebrities legitimately make millions of dollars a year by merely living their life in such a manner that they give frequent fodder for tabloid magazines makes it hard to take yourself seriously. Still, it’s not wise to take yourself too seriously all the time. Many of us, I believe, stymie our own progress by being too hard on ourselves. Maybe you put too much stock on your work title or your interests. I believe that most of us are guilty of this to some extent.
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You Never Provide a Justification When Asked “Why?”
No, you shouldn’t come right out and tell people why they should work with you, but you should convey a message that answers WIIFM (what’s in it for me), where “me” refers to the other person and not you.
Lastly, one point. Saying “I’m a husband/mother,” “my ideas are my own,” or “I adore Sushi and the Green Bay Packers” takes up valuable real estate and distracts from the message you really want to convey. That is the essence of “branding yourself.”