Have you ever been in a job interview where they asked “How would you describe yourself?”
It’s a loaded question, really. How do you answer without seeming conceited or insecure? There has to be a happy medium, right?
If you’re trying to establish a brand, you should really be able to answer this question. Not only that, but you need to be able to answer it in a boastful way that doesn’t come off as being too in love with yourself.
This is because, like it or not, you are your brand.
The way you represent yourself individually has a lot to do with how people will see your brand. Or, if you are more of a behind the scenes sort of business owner, those that you choose to represent your brand will provide that reflection.
Think about Subway and their spokesman, Jared. Jared has lasted so long as the face of the Subway brand because he is a) an everyday sort of guy and b)he is an actual living testament to just how healthy Subway can be. Therefore, he is the perfect embodiment of the Subway brand.
Now imagine that Jared is a grungy sort of guy that wears baggy pants and has roughly a dozen piercings in his face. That is not going to be the best representation of Subway no matter how his personality is spun.
So yes, your personality is going to represent your business and your brand. Because of this, you need to do some self-reflection and ask yourself what sort of brand attributes you want to build. If you are naturally funny, maybe you want to inject some humor into your band in the form of advertising or marketing. On the other hand, if you’re known for being more of the level-headed serious sort, chances are that humor won’t really translate well into your brand attributes.
The key is to remain honest. Even your most appalling of character flaws can be spun into brand advertising, as long as you present it honestly and with integrity.
What sort of interesting aspects could you inject into building your personal brand?