As the competitive landscape gets noisier and noisier, many experts believe that customers—whether Business Decision Makers (BDMs), Technical Decision Makers (TDMs), end users, or consumers—are going to be making purchase decisions based upon personal branding.
Personal branding? Isn’t that just for celebrities like Jamie Oliver, Oprah, and Donald Trump?
Nope.
The fact is, because customer engagement is more and more often based upon personal relationships (or the impression of them) these days, even larger companies like Intel, Microsoft, and Sony are recognizing the value of personal branding.
Of course, Apple realized this value long ago through the charisma of Steve Jobs. But unfortunately, most tech firms—alas, not even Apple, anymore—simply don’t have an executive figurehead with his crazy-good natural magnetism.
So many organizations, large and small, are now looking to develop a more intimate relationship with customers via personal branding. But riddle me this, Batman:
Should personal branding be about who you want them to think
you are—or who you really are?
For the answer to this, let’s look back at those celebrities I mentioned up top. Did any of them set out in the beginning to “develop a personal brand?” Absolutely not; they were just being themselves, and the brand developed around them. Think about it:
- Jamie Oliver: Goofy and down-to-earth, cause-supporting family man
- Brand Perception: Anything branded with Jamie’s name is accepted as health-oriented, simple-to-use/do, and championing the average Joe (or Jill)
- Oprah Winfrey: Easy-to-relate-to, generous media mogul
- Brand Perception: Whatever Oprah attaches herself to is assumed to be cool and new, great for personal growth and development, and helping those in need
- Donald Trump: Arrogant, business-savvy millionaire
- Brand Perception: Products and services under the Trump umbrella are perceived as upscale, top quality, and destined for success
Have these folks fallen short of these generalized perceptions every once in a while? Of course they have—they’re human, after all. And that’s exactly what makes them relatable.
They may be wealthy and powerful, but when it comes
down to it, they’re just a flawed as we are.
And that, my friends, is exactly what makes them so successful as people—and as brands. I think the tech industry should loosen up and learn some real lessons here.
A personal brand not only makes your organization more relatable; it can also create a buzz that stuffy, by-the-book corporate brands just can’t achieve. It can draw customers to you, rather than keep them at arm’s distance. And the bottom line is that customers feel much more comfortable opening their wallets to do business when they feel they have established a personal relationship.
What do you think? What’s your fave personal brand—and why?
