Tom Peters in 1997 in his book called ‘The Brand Called You’ opined that each individual, regardless of sex, age and position, is a brand in itself. This concept formed the substratum upon which the entire edifice of personal branding rests. Personal branding has changed the way we perceive ourselves for good. Let us together delve into the effect, reach and influence that personal branding has on different spheres of our life. Go on reading and get enlightened.
The ‘Effect’ of personal branding
One most striking aspect of personal branding is that it not only has a direct effect on the life of an individual but also the lives of people associated with him. That said, the effect of personal branding might vary from an individual to another. An eminent professor of International Marketing in the Northwestern University at the Kellogg School of Management Philip Kotler, famously opined, “If you are not a brand, you are a commodity.” This quote reinstates the power of personal branding in effecting an individual and a group alike and aptly brings to the fore the significance of personal branding.
If you adhere to the fundamentals of personal branding, your chances of succeeding in your life proliferates. Personal branding inspires you to focus on personality development, which paves way for a resounding success. You inculcate few essential virtues, which in turn instill confidence in you.
The ‘Reach’ of personal branding
Most students of personal branding agree that the scope of personal branding is beyond limitations. Personal branding offers us the choice of choosing the nature and size of our target audience. Your target audience may vary from few individuals to the entire world depending upon your requirements and preferences.
For starters, it is advisable to initially cater to a limited audience and enhance it with time. Jumping on the bigger pie, more often prove disastrous. If you have an established brand at your disposal, you can always make efforts to enhance your audience. Social media and other tools can help you with your endeavor to augment your audience.
The ‘impact’ of personal branding
To get a better understanding of the ‘impact’ of personal branding, let us delve into the concept of branding. We reveal inclination towards products that are best presented with catchy taglines and promise of value. Several small enterprises run after these brands to acquire their dealerships and franchises. To cash on the popularity of these brands, many companies come up with products similar in looks and value.
Similar is the case in personal branding. The moment you establish your brand firmly, the perception of your customers and business associates tend to change. Be it the most discerning of individuals or the naysayers, each one will strive to associate with you in one way or the other. Paris Hilton, the heir of the Hilton group of hotels is an established brand. People in the show biz chase her for TV shows and guest appearances, while the many aspire to launch a clothing line and cosmetics collection named after her. This is the impact of personal branding.
‘Outcome’ of personal branding
If one adheres to the principles of personal branding, the outcome will invariably be in his favor. Personal branding enables an individual to leave an indelible impression on the minds of the target audience. He gets unlimited opportunities to further his career prospects and augment personal caliber, which opens floodgates of success for him.
Be it your career, social life or personal relationships, personal branding makes its presence felt in all spheres. This is the power of personal branding.