Your Personal Brand: Keeping it Real!

Good marketers understand the need for consistency and congruency between what a product portrays and what it offers. The same is true of a personal brand: authenticity, sincerity, and a consistent reflection between the walk and the talk.

In my life, I have come across many people who say they will help you, but they don’t. Some say they will be filled with integrity, but they aren’t. I tend to be a fairly naïve person; I take people at their word. But when their behaviors do not demonstrate what they say, trust is broken, and is very difficult to repair.

My brand is pretty simple: honest, hard-working, warm, service-oriented. I loved the moment that I recognized the statement about myself — “Midwest warmth + Florida sunshine” — because it talked about my roots and my current location, plus the fact that I want to always be positive, optimistic, and warm-hearted.  “Ya sure, you betcha!” I try to take my work seriously, but not myself.

I coach and mentor young professionals, young adults, and even teens who aspire to build a great reputation and career. One of my very first lessons to them is about their “Brand”. What do they stand for? Who do they serve? An outward portrayal of this is incredibly important. It must be authentic, or people will sniff out the inconsistencies, and that trust will be broken. Social media, schoolwork, extracurricular activities — all matter in order to harmonize with the message.  

I especially think this is true when we are challenged. When our back is against the wall, and we must make quick decisions or find a way through emotion or hardship, the congruency is tested. The Brand shines through — for good and bad.

After all, you cannot talk your way out of something you behaved your way into.