Fundamentals of Personal Branding
Dr. Muhammad Fayaz
Assistant Professor (MBA)
Ch#1 & 2
Brand
A brand is the overall perception and image that people have about a product,
service, company, or individual. It encompasses everything that makes something
distinctive and memorable, including its name, logo, visual elements, messaging,
values, and customer experiences
• Coca-Cola:
• Identity: Red and white color scheme, distinctive cursive logo, classic glass
bottle shape.
• Promise: Refreshing, joyful, and consistent taste.
• Experience: Coca-Cola is associated with happiness, sharing, and timelessness.
Their marketing campaigns often emphasize family, friends, and special
moments
Brand
• Apple:
• Identity: Minimalist design, apple logo with a bite, sleek product design.
• Promise: Innovation, premium quality, and user-friendly technology.
• Experience: Apple is synonymous with cutting-edge technology, creativity, and an
ecosystem that offers seamless integration across devices.
• Nike:
• Identity: The swoosh logo, the tagline "Just Do It," and athletic imagery.
• Promise: Empowerment, performance, and achieving one's potential.
• Experience: Nike’s branding is all about inspiration and pushing personal
boundaries. Their products and advertising focus on athletes of all levels,
motivating them to excel.
Personal branding is the process of defining and promoting what you stand
for as an individual.
Your personal brand is a culmination of the experiences, skills and values
that differentiate you.
A personal brand is the image and reputation an individual builds and
maintains to represent themselves in the world, particularly in professional
contexts. It reflects how you present yourself to others, your values,
expertise, personality, and the way you communicate. A strong personal
brand helps you stand out, build credibility, and influence how others
perceive you.
Products are manufactured in
factories while brands are
manufactured in consumers mind.
Brand and Personal Branding?
If you are an entrepreneur working on launching a business, you may wonder
whether it is best for you to build your company using business branding or
personal branding.
A business brand is built around an identity you create for your business and is
independent of your personal name.
A personal brand is built around you personally and your name and your
business name will be one and the same
What defines a personal brand?
A personal brand is centered around an individual.
The brand encapsulates their strengths, personality, ideas and expertise, and
they are at the centre of the brand, acting as an ambassador.
The personal brand heroes one person, these businesses aren’t always small
scale solopreneurs and freelancers.
Well known personal brands such as Tony Maticevski, Collette Dinnigan, Marie
Forleo, Tim Ferriss, Chris Ducker, Oprah Winfrey, Walt Disney and Amy
Porterfield are all backed by teams
Brands….. Your response and feeling towards these
brands?
Personal Branding…..
Personal branding is the practice of creating a unique and cohesive identity for
yourself that reflects your values, skills, and personality.
It's about how you present yourself to the world, both online and offline, and
how others perceive you.
Effective personal branding can help you stand out in your professional field,
build credibility, and create opportunities for career advancement.
Why some people don't want personal branding
01- There is fear and scare and think if their work fails, or commit a legal mistake and
break law, or fraud. They cannot hide, everyone knows them, and next time they might not
be able to start a business or getting hired by another company.
02- Lack of Confidence is another big concern with personal branding. Simply put, if you
are not confident in yourself or your work, you will have a lot of trouble branding yourself.
(No self-efficacy and Inner Believes) People with a weak sense of self-efficacy: Avoid
challenging tasks. Believe that difficult tasks and situations are beyond their capabilities.
Focus on personal failings and negative outcomes. Quickly lose confidence in personal
abilities
Why some people don't want personal branding (Cont’d)
03- Lack of long-term commitment
• Personal branding is not something that you can invest an hour or two. It’s a 24/7, full-
time job that takes a lot of attention, and hard work to do.
• Personal brand is a very demanding process which takes a lot of time, effort and patience.
If you want your brand to remain respectable you will have to work for it.
• Well, if people remembered you for something really creative, they will expect to see it
again. Otherwise, you will be forgotten as signers and musicians from music industry.
Once they were brand in the market abut not anymore.
Building a recognizable personal brand is really hard job which requires long-term
commitment.
Why is personal branding important?
(What are benefits of personal branding?)
Why is personal branding important?
(What are benefits of personal branding?)
Labelling Theory
There is a field of study in sociology focusing on what’s called Labelling Theory.
“According to this theory, if a child is told they are bad over and over, they will
end up being a bad person. On the other hand, someone who is told they are
good-looking or intelligent will have a more positive self-image.”
This theory illustrates why it is so important to use the correct words when
describing yourself, your work and everything related to your personal branding.
8 Laws of Personal Branding by Brian Tracy
Brian Tracy, a well-known motivational speaker and self-development author,
outlines several key principles for effective personal branding
1. The Law of Specialization
Focus on one specific area of expertise where you excel.
A graphic designer who specializes in creating brand logos for startups can
become the go-to expert in that niche.
2. The Law of Leadership
Become a recognized leader in your field by sharing your knowledge and
insights.
Writing articles, giving talks, and leading workshops on your area of expertise
can establish you as a thought leader
8 Laws of Personal Branding by Brian Tracy
3. The Law of Personality
Infuse your unique personality into your brand to stand out. Example: A
fitness coach who is known for their humor and motivational style can attract
clients who appreciate their unique approach.
4. The Law of Distinctiveness
Differentiate yourself from others in your field.
A realtor who offers virtual tours and 3D walkthroughs can stand out in a
competitive market
8 Laws of Personal Branding by Brian Tracy
5. The Law of Visibility
Increase your visibility by being active and engaged in your industry.
Regularly posting on social media, attending industry events, and networking
can help you stay top of mind.
6. The Law of Unity
Ensure consistency across all aspects of your personal brand.
Your social media profiles, website, business cards, and communication style
should all reflect the same brand message.
8 Laws of Personal Branding by Brian Tracy
7. The Law of Persistence
Build your brand over time through consistent effort and patience.
Continuously updating your blog with valuable content over the years will
gradually build a loyal audience.
8. The Law of Goodwill
Cultivate goodwill by building positive relationships and helping others.
Volunteering your expertise for community projects or mentoring young
professionals can enhance your brand’s reputation.
Developing your Personal Brand
The Self-Branding Process
Developing a personal brand involves a strategic approach to presenting
yourself in a way that highlights your unique strengths, values, and
professional goals.
The Self Branding Process
• Creating a personal brand is not something you do overnight. It takes time,
effort, and consistency to build a strong reputation.
• Follow this step-by-step process to develop your own personal brand strategy
and position yourself as an authority in your field:
• Step 1: Discover yourself
• Step 2: Tell a Story
• Step 3: Build a digital identity
• Step 4: Build an audience
• Step 5: Establish credibility and gain visibility
• Step 6: Be consistent and focus on quality
The Self Branding Process
Step 1: Discover yourself
The journey to building your brand starts with self-discovery and setting up a goal.
Building an authentic brand requires a deep understanding of yourself but makes it much
easier to be consistent in the long run.
Start by listing your accomplishments and expertise. Ask yourself these questions:
• What makes me special?
• Did I make an impact on someone’s life?
• What did I achieve as a professional that others would like to copy?
• What is my key characteristic?
• What do others already think of me?
• You may also need to consult friends, colleagues, or a mentor to point out your key
personality traits.
Step 2: Tell a Story
• The best way to say a story nowadays is by creating content. Writing blogs, opinion pieces, branded images
for social, or videos (vlogs, stories, and lives), your unique selling proposition (USP), the reason someone
might follow you.
• A story with the right tone of voice will make you memorable. Your brand voice can be:
• Warm and approachable,
• Professional,
• Light-hearted or humorous,
• Strong and loud,
• Overly emotional,
• Positive, or
• Simply weird
Step 3: Build a digital identity
• Your online presence matters a lot. your audience will be online and search for your website or social
media.
• Work on your digital marketing skills or hire someone to help you build your digital identity. Personal
website: This is a must-have. Create a website where your audience can find more information about
you;
• Logo: It’s a good idea to create a logo, but you might not need it in the first steps of your journey.
• Social Media Platforms: Choose 1 or 2 social media channels your audience often visits, like Twitter,
Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Join the conversation, develop a meaningful content marketing
strategy, and share your story.
• A LinkedIn profile is recommended for everyone, even if you don’t update it often.
• Branded email address: Having a business email will add to your credibility. It signals professional
communication over a personal address like Gmail or Yahoo. Whether you own a small business or are
a solopreneur, business emails go a long way for credibility.
• Prepare a content calendar and consistently create content for social media and your website (blog).
Step 4: Build an audience
• To create effective personal branding, you need to consider your audience. The most
important part is deciding who is your target audience. Think of your audience’s
demographics, what they like and dislike, and where they tend to hang out.
• The number one indicator of success in a digital brand is having an engaged audience,
it is more important than a massive amount of followers, but one leads to another.
• Use social media profiles to connect with your audience and engage in meaningful
conversation. First, provide value before self-promotion. This will create a fan base
that will eventually become loyal followers.
• Keep in mind your brand message and tone of voice; it’s how you will brand yourself
to various communities to build your own community or following eventually.
Step 5: Establish credibility and gain visibility
• Establishing credibility and gaining visibility go hand in hand.
• There are many ways to increase your personal brand’s visibility and can be divided
into content strategy and speaking opportunities.
• You can earn credibility by producing content for your own channels or for others:
• Author a book
• Start a podcast or find guest speaking opportunities
• Write a regular blog
• Host or guest in webinars
• Post regularly on social media
• Engage in public relations activities
• Attend industry/niche events
• Join and participate in communities both online and offline
Step 5: Establish credibility and gain visibility
• Work on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Contribute guest posts on other sites
• Keep a regular email communication, e.g., newsletter
• Speak at events live or online (especially in keynote speeches)
• Get interviewed by podcasts or vlogs
• Collaborate with influencers and creators for webinars
• Appear in TED & TEDx talks (local TEDx events are great to start with)
Step 6: Be consistent and focus on quality
• Building a brand takes time and dedication. The key here is consistency and
focus on the long run with quality content.
• To become a thought leader in your industry, you must first offer value to your
audience.
Know your audience, participate in communities, and most importantly, be
true to yourself.
Mini Assignment
Mini Assignment
Write a Biography of Yourself
Name:
Phone:
Social Media (WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter or any other):
Email Address:
Current Position:
Organization:
Education:
Experience:
Mini Assignment
• Your Profession —What would you say to a stranger who asked who you were? David
would say, "I'm a social media strategist." This helps in the development of your one-
sentence biography.
• What do you do?—Of course, you have to tell people what you do, or they will have no
idea how to use you in their current state or setting.
For example: "I am a social media strategist and trainer who specializes in corporate
communities and executive teams." We now have an idea what do you do.
Mini Assignment
• What do you stand for? talk about your specialty and uniqueness you have it or you
think you have the potential to be mastered in that specific area.
• What have you accomplished? —What is the most important thing you have
accomplished? For David it is writing a book and being listed as one of the top business
professionals under 40 years old in USA.
Don't list all of your accomplishments, no matter how cool they all are.
Just pick your top three, and it should be the most important ones for you.
• Perform an audit of your online footprint (google) and write what information
available about you?
Examples of Influencers with Personal Brands
Here are a few successful influencers who have built a solid personal brand
over the years.
Each of these people has a unique story; they knew their audience and what
message they wanted to put out there. They were consistent with their
personal brand strategy and always kept the quality of their content high
Oprah Winfrey
• Oprah Winfrey is one of the world’s most successful and well-known media
personalities. She is the founder and CEO of Harpo Productions, Inc. and has
ranked as the richest African American of the 20th century.
Oprah has built an empire around her personal brand, which stands for honesty.
• Social Profiles:
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
Gary Vaynerchuk
• Gary Vaynerchukis a Belarus-born American entrepreneur, investor, author, public speaker, and
internet personality. He is the co-founder of VaynerMedia, a social media agency.
• Gary is best known for his work in digital marketing and social media, where he has used
techniques such as Facebook Live video streaming to promote
• He has created a very outspoken personal brand sharing his “brutal truths” on social media.
• Social Profiles:
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook Group
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Podcast
Mari Smith
• Mari Smith is an internationally renowned Facebook marketing expert, keynote speaker,
and author. She is the co-author of Facebook Marketing: An Hour a Day and is frequently
quoted in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.
• Mari has built a massive online following due to her area of expertise in Facebook
marketing and her personal brand as “the Queen of Facebook
• Social Profiles:
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Mari Smith’s Social Scoop (Facebook Group)
Tony Robbins
• Tony Robbins is an American entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker. He is best known
for his self-help books and seminars, which have been featured on NBC, ABC, and CBS.
• Tony has built a personal brand around helping people achieve their goals and live their best
lives.
• Social Profiles:
• TikTok
• YouTube
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Podcast
Neil Patel
• Neil Patel is an entrepreneur, blogger, and co-founder of two startups: Crazy Egg
and Hello Bar. He is also the founder of Neil Patel Digital.
Neil is known for his marketing skill set, and he has been able to help companies
like Amazon, NBC, Viacom, and General Motors increase their revenue.
• Social Profiles:
• Twitter
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
Marie Forleo
• Marie Forleo is an entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker. She is
best known for her self-help books and seminars, which have been
featured on NBC, ABC, and CBS.
• Marie has built a personal brand around helping people achieve their goals
and live their best lives.
• Social Profiles:
• Instagram
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• Podcast
Final thoughts
• Personal branding allows you to create an identity for yourself that stands
out from the rest. You control your own brand message and will offer the
next step in your career, whether that means more job
opportunities, personal brand as a creator or building a business empire.
• Now that you understand what personal branding is and why it’s
important, it’s time to start thinking about your own personal brand
strategy
Q & A.
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!Thank You
All Rights Reserved to Kardan University 2014
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