What personal branding and marketing is not

1. Personal branding and marketing is NOT pretending to be someone you're not

This is probably the number one myth I come across in my work. There's an incorrect perception that personal branding and marketing means pretending to be somebody else - the funnier, cleverer, more charming version of you.

This couldn't be further from the truth! Pretending to be someone you're not is likely to cause you trouble in business as the truth always comes out. Personal branding is about taking a long, hard look at yourself, finding your strengths and weaknesses and identifying what makes you different from others in your industry. Personal marketing is about learning to highlight your uniqueness and your best talents to get noticed and stand out from the clutter.

The best personal brands are those that are authentic. People see through a 'fake' and are attracted to those who are genuine.

2. Personal branding is NOT image consulting

Although image plays a part in your personal brand, it's not the only aspect of personal branding and marketing. Yes, it's important to make a good first impression visually. For example, if you're looking to hire an employee for a professional position and you're faced with two candidates who have the same skills, experience and strengths, but one dresses like an office worker and the other dresses like she's on her way back from a run, you'll probably pick the former over the latter.
Nobody will deny that image counts. But, but if you can't back up an awesome image with great performance, your style won't get you anywhere.

Personal branding and marketing recognises the importance of everything - the way you look, the way you communicate, your individual talents and how you differentiate yourself in the workplace. Strong personal brands are consistent across all areas, from what they wear to how they behave at functions and even how they respond to emails - everything counts.

3. Personal branding and marketing is NOT just about networking

Once again, networking is a valuable tool in your personal branding and marketing arsenal, but it's not the alpha and the omega.

You might be the world's best networker, but if you don't know how to communicate what differentiates you from the crowd, you'll just be another business card in your contacts' rolodex.

Networking is most effective as part of a structured personal branding and marketing plan. First you need to define your personal brand and then find out what sort of networking will work best for you and think about how to market yourself authentically as you network.

4. Personal branding and marketing is NOT for celebs only

Personal branding and marketing is not just for the likes of Oprah and Richard Branson. It's for anyone who wants to grow their personal profile and business opportunities in the workplace.

In Branding & Marketing YOU, I interviewed nine successful South Africans who shared their thoughts and experiences of building and marketing an authentic and powerful personal brand. These people are from industries as varied as accounting, politics and broadcasting. Some are introverts, others are extroverts. They are a mix of ages, races, backgrounds, genders and personalities, but each person has learnt to pinpoint their unique skills and traits and market these in an authentic manner. You don't have to be famous to develop a powerful personal brand.

What IS personal branding and marketing?

Now that we've looked at what is isn't, let me share a few thoughts on what personal branding and marketing is.

Personal branding focuses on your USP (unique selling proposition), how you position yourself relative to colleagues and competitors and how you are able to 'package' yourself in an authentic and noticeable way that makes you stand out.

Personal branding and marketing is about knowing yourself and understanding what differentiates you from others with similar qualifications and experience. Powerful personal brands have a deep sense of purpose and a desire to make an impact.

Much like branding a product or service, personal branding and marketing is an ongoing process that requires consistent attention. Remember, your personal brand is your greatest asset. Look after it; protect it and grow it.