I'm Louise Fletcher. As President of 
Branding is big! And individual branding - for your career, your job search, your online presence - is emerging as a key tool for differentiating yourself from the pack.
But as you work to identify and develop your brand, be absolutely certain that it's authentic. After all, your brand is defined as what OTHERS think and say about you - not necessarily what you say about yourself! And if you don't match your brand, it's nonsense, pure and simple.
You can define yourself as "the go-to guy for sick companies" or "the expert at identifying lucrative market opportunities." But if people don't think of you that way, your brand is not authentic and has no meaning.
You then have two choices: 1) change your brand message so it reflects the reality of who you are and your promise of value; or 2) work to change your image and identity by doing (and publicizing) the things that you want to be known for, so that your brand (the perception of others) evolves to match your self-perception.
Great point Louise, personal branding is all about authenticity - not spin or hype.
Take a look at the really strong celebrity personal brands for good examples - Oprah or Brandson for example - even Trump - love him or ahte him he display those three key qualities - Clarity, Consistency, Constancy.
Posted by: Paul Copcutt | September 07, 2006 at 01:02 PM