One of the mantras I use in my book, Selling You, is: Create. Live. Sell. I say it a lot. I live it. I breathe it. And there’s a reason for that. Who you are isn’t just a gimmick or a trend or some influencer-speak. It’s real. Every single person on this planet has a personal brand, including YOU. And if you don’t know what yours is, it’s time to take a course in YOU.
Your brand is your identity – who you are. It’s also your personality and how you behave, and the “experience” others have with you and how you are remembered.
Here is a small exercise: Write down answers to the following questions.
How do you introduce yourself? If you had to describe your personality and appearance, what words would you use? How would you describe your passions, superpowers, values, purpose and how you’re different from everyone else?
How did you do?
For a lot of people, this is not a natural exercise. But it’s so important! So, let me break down a ‘course in YOU’:
- What are your passions? This can be anything! You will narrow them down later, but for now, list them all. Think of things that energize you and the things others like about you. What moves you? What do you love to talk about? What do you love most about your job?
- What are your superpowers? What are you really good at? These are things that are easy for you – whether it’s a natural skill or one you’ve spent time working on. List your best strengths (and don’t say “customer service!) – something you could brag about.
- What are your values? This is different from passion. These are your non-negotiables of behavior – how you think, react and behave. What annoys you and why? What do you do when you feel your values or boundaries have been compromised?
- What is your purpose? How do you see your role in society? In your family? At work? List your hopes and dreams and goals. Is there something you like to do to influence others? This is another area that can challenge some people.
- How are you different from everyone else? Your personal brand is all about YOU. How do you attract attention? What are others attracted to about you? Are you bold or cautious, decisive or careful? Are you late or on time? Are you creative or analytical? List what makes you unique.
To really know yourself, is to really understand what brand you’re putting “out there” and how to change it if it’s not working for you. I give a ton of examples of a ‘course in YOU’ in Selling You of successful (and quite frankly, unsuccessful personal brands).
But first, you need to know yourself – really well. That’s where “Create. Live. Sell.” comes in. You create your brand (the one you want!), then commit to it and live it, then use it to sell yourself and get whatever it is that you want.
Let’s get started!