It’s been very interesting to watch the rise of the concept of personal branding over the past year. At CareerScribe… we’ve been talking about it for awhile, but only in the past year has the concept been discussed more regularly. Only a year ago when I spoke to student groups of 60-70, I’d get 3 or 4 hands when asked if they had heard of the concept. 3 weeks ago when speaking to an auditorium of 275 students, every hand was up.

A recent article by TheLadders was titled “How to Use Your Personal Brand to Switch Careers”. Although I like the concept, most people don’t even have a “brand”, let alone one they should be promoting. A personal brand can be assembled pretty quickly by pulling together those artifacts and stories that attempt to show a more genuine identity to others, but just like networking, if not leveraged… personal branding, if not promoted properly and results measured, it likely won’t be worth the effort either. Measuring the results is what will help you understand your Brand Value.

Follow the concepts of product marketing if you really want to understand how to make personal branding successful. Consider concepts such as Brand Identity, Brand Promise and Brand Awareness. Too much to go into here, but stay tuned…. you will be hearing a lot more about these things too in the next couple of years.

So who out there has heard of personal branding?  Maybe the better question should be, who has heard of personal branding but has no clue what it means?’

I’ve found in my experience that everyone wants to get a leg up on their competition, no matter what they are competiting with them for.  It is just in our nature as a society.  That’s why sports are so huge, we are squarely focused on being the best at what we do.  So, whether it’s a person, team or company at some point they are going to want to gain some sort of competitive advantage.

Here’s what baffles me.  Companies KNOW how important branding is, why don’t individuals? With all the tools at hand; CareerScribe, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, why isn’t everyone building their own personal brand everyday?  Sometimes I wonder why people talk about how silly social media is.  Yes, I agree it’s silly if you use it like your average everyday user.  But what most people don’t know is that you can use social media for a PURPOSE!

Change perception!  Don’t think of social media as an opportunity to tell everyone that you’re out walking the dog or having Taco Bell for lunch, use it as a tool to build your brand.  Who are you, what are you about and how do you handle yourself?  Isn’t that what consumers want to know about the brands they purchase?  Why not create a brand out of the most valuable thing you’ll ever have………YOURSELF?!

So how do I create said brand you ask?  Here’s a great way to start!  Sign up for your CareerScribe account TODAY and stay tuned to the blog for more tips on how to use social media to build that brand!

Stick with me, and we’ll gain that competitive advantage together!

“What in the world is the point of Facebook?!”  I hear so many people say this and it just drives me crazy.  It amazes me how people often don’t see what’s right in front of them.  I know Facebook says they are creating a “more connected world,” but I say Facebook is creating a more marketable me!  It is a very powerful branding tool that gives us a platform to really set ourselves apart, IF we use it the right way.

The IF in that sentence is key.  Facebook can do amazing things for your personal brand, but it can also damage it just as quickly.  I recently read this article about recruiters using Facebook to look more deeply in to the candidates they are sifting through.  People are looking at us everyday!  They are looking at who we are, what we’re up to, our pictures, our friends…..they are researching and who’s to blame them.

So what can you do to make sure you are displaying the you, you want them to see?  For starters, think of Facebook as more than a social network.  Think of it as a way to turn yourself in to a brand, not just a profile.  It is a way for you to show off the you that you want people to see.  Here are three easy tips to start building your personal brand and differentiate yourself with Facebook.

#1 Be Careful
Like I said, people are looking so pay attention to what you’re showing them.  Pictures, posts, things you like, all reflect on you.  So make sure that those things are what you want people to see.  This is a quick way to build your brand and show what you’re about, but if you’re not careful it can damage that brand just as quickly.

#2 Be Creative
There are some really cool things you can do with your Facebook profile.  One of my favorites is using your profile pic as a tool to market yourself.  You can make it bigger, show more stuff and do some really cool tricks.  Check out how these people used their PhotoStream to do some really cool stuff!  Get creative and it will really catch people’s attention.

#3 Be Active
Don’t let your profile sit stale.  Make sure you are actively contributing to the social aspect of Facebook.  Join conversations, post links, generate interest, but make sure that you are doing it in the right context.  Don’t forget, people are watching and reading, so make sure that you are sharing in a brand conscious way.

There is so much stuff that Facebook can be used for.  It’s a perfect marketing and branding tool for both personal and business use.  It is a powerful tool and the great thing is that over 700 million other people think so too.  That gives you the potential to have a huge market to share yourself with!  So sign up or sign in to Facebook and start branding yourself TODAY!