Brand Yourself First - Brand Equals Reputation

Why do we have to extricate brand from reputation?mom.
To me they are not mutually exclusive. A lot of what IPersonal branding isn't just about your smile, what you
teach is about establishing yourself as a value provider,wear or having your face on a magazine. It's not just
hence your reputation is PART and PARCEL to yourabout your message. It's about CONGRUENCE
brand identity.between your reputation and your message, your
People who make themselves indispensable are notimage and your demeanor.
losing their jobs - they're making their own way. Even ifYou can put on a great dress and have a great smile,
companies collapse, they have other options they canbut an airhead by any other name will be just as
pursue - thanks in part to positioning themselves anduseless at a networking event as the one dressed in
having a great reputation for results.rags.
Reputation=Brand=ReputationPersonal Branding is NOT about creating a facade. It's
You can't have one without the other.about celebrating the best parts of the real you in a
In real life, when a person knows you by yourway that makes you marketable, in demand, and gives
reputation, that's how you are perceived. It is, inyou back control over your business. We're not talking
essence your brand. Do you want to be known as aabout logos and letterhead here. We're talking about
self-centered egoist? That's your brand. You want tothe core voice of your business in congruence with
be known as a kind-hearted marshmallow? That'syour product or service.
your brand.When I talk with Direct Sales reps, so often they focus
Don't want to be known at all?so heavily on the product. I think in light of the recent
That's your brand.company closures, it's safe to say that had those reps
The people who have developed a reputation forbeen focusing on building their own reputation in the
excellence and delivering results are rarely out of a jobmarket place (their brand), they would not be in the
- and if they are it's by choice. Employers clamor formad scramble they find themselves in today.
people like that.: someone known for delivering thePersonal Branding is necessary for anyone trying to
goods on time, under budget, with an amazing WOW"be known" in the world. When I think of all the
factor."personal brands" in high schools (the punker, the pot
Your reputation is NOT separate from your brand.head, the nerd, the band geek, etc.), I believe even
Indeed it is the CORE of your brand. Personal brandingmore that there should be a required course on building
centers on who you are, and what you're all about atreputations. You may think of these as labels, and to
the core of your being.some degree that's true. It's the early formation of
Reputation is not the only component of building a solidyour personal brand. The glory of high school is that
brand, but my mother ALWAYS equated McDonald'syou can try one on, and ditch it later. Once you're a
with a clean restroom and cheap eats when we were"grown up" it's not so easy to shed the reputation
travelling as kids. It was part of their reputation. It wasyou've built for yourself.
a core component of what endeared the brand to my