3 minutes reading time
(688 words)
The Secret To Personal Brand.
Whether it's love at first sight, or something that grows over time, when we know more about other people, there is more inclination to trust - or not!
That transparency is a scarce commodity - don't we all feel safer wearing 'the mask' to hide our imperfections and insecurities?
There are those that are highly visible on social media - and yet say absolutely nothing about themselves.
Some others , instead, hoping to be perceived as the 'expert', or 'authority' on their chosen subject. Others, to portray the glitz and glamour lifestyle.
Do we admire them? Do we respect them? Do we envy them? Perhaps, but do we trust them?
Very doubtful.
And because there is no trust, it can never be a relationship. Only ever a transaction.
Personal Brand is, by definition, a self-determined portrait of Who we are, what we value and believe.
From that should stem our thoughts, actions and congruent stories.
Content, especially content that is easily replicated such as information/data, doesn't grow a Personal Brand. That's simply a bunch of words on a page, or screen that add to the social media 'noise'.
The Secret To Personal Brand?
Creating big meaning from small moments.
"You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you." - Andy Warhol.
There is a story I always share of a Ladbrook Grove, London estate agent that for me remains so memorable and indicative of his character. Born and raised in the area, he was an integral part of the community.
To cut a long story short, his firm had been instructed on a repossession property. Instead of following the usual process, this agent knocked the door several times before getting a response. He asked the owner what was the problem, to which the answer was that the owner had lost his job and was struggling to make ends meet.
The agent went out of his way to help that owner quickly find a job.
There were other similarly shared stories and in those brief moments, I gained more trust for that agent than for any highly-respected competitor.
An agent in Devon, for whom Kindness is one of his core values. He sees it not as a weakness but as a strength.
An agent in Birmingham who puts Family and Faith before all else.
And one in SW London who shared with me something intimate but that, once again, provided more insight into his character than anything.
The small memorable moments - each having big meaning.
All the social media humble brags, all the costly advertising and all the direct marketing becomes yesterday's news.
When a Personal Brand is strong enough and attracts the people who find affinity with it, the trust is bullet-proof.
Actor, Will Smith, received plenty of negative exposure for his actions at last year's Oscar Ceremony. But plenty of people supported him because they know the real Will Smith as a kind, considerate and loving father/husband.
Myself included.
There are countless examples on social media of small moments that seem, at the time, insignificant. People post them for no other reason than that they are snapshots of their lives. But those snapshots tell a far more interesting and revealing story than the million-pound mansion that was sold, the "delighted to announce that I am starting a new position" post, or the dreary information designed to position them as an 'expert'.
Personal Brand is essential if we need to build any sort of trust.
There are those that prefer to remain anonymous and to hustle their way to success. People would not Trustmiss them if they were gone tomorrow and they are tarred, by association, with the very worst transgressions of their profession, simply because they fit-in rather than stand-out.
An estate agent! A realtor! Ranked bottom-three on the Veracity Index of Trusted Professions alongside politicians & journalists. All the qualifications and regulation in the world won't fix that problem.
So that's the secret to Personal Brand. Create big meaning from small moments.
How hard is that?
The secret that is worth sharing.
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Comments 2
Im actually smitten with the title of your article. It applies to everything!
Excellent article!
So much truth in those words. Only yesterday, my sister who works for a global legal company shared a story with me. She said, their is one solicitor who stands head and shoulders above the rest for her. She came from South Africa to the UK penniless, jobless. She got herself a job at a law firm and loved it so much, she trained for years to become a fully qualified lawyer. Her journey wasn't easy, she was on a low salary and struggled financially, mentally you name it. But she did it. She is also one of the most humblest people you could ever meet, and has time for everyone in her company (unlike some she says, who got there through an easier route).
I have personally always been interested in the individual, what makes them tick, their personal journey, values and beliefs. It totally fascinates me and hooks me in every time!