The 10 commandments of personal brand (Part 1)

Don’t worry, I’m not going to go all Moses on you and decree how to lead a wholesome life. (If you want to covet your neighbour’s wife, go ahead – although don’t blame me when it all goes pear-shaped!)

Instead my blog is reflecting on an article I read recently by designer Mark Edwards of The Engine Room called The 10 Commandments of Brand.  Because even though Mark’s list focused on making the most of your company’s brand, the same rules apply for your personal brand too.

So with 2012 still in its infancy and those good intentions to make this the year you work on your personal brand still fresh in your mind, you can use this as a checklist to keep things on track.

Using Mark’s headings as a guide, here’s my take on what’s important.  I’ve listed the first five commandments to get you going and the rest will follow in my next blog (it keeps your brain from overloading and saves me having to come up with a new blog idea so soon!)

#1 Be true
The bottom line is if you can’t believe in the personal brand you’re peddling, you can’t expect anyone else to either. Being authentic is one of the three golden rules for your brand and that means being yourself – warts and all.  (So long as there’s not too many ‘warts’, in which case you’ll be needing my help!)

#2 Be clear
Covering the remaining two golden rules, clarity and consistency will help people to understand what you have to offer. That means keeping focused and not being afraid to repeat your brand messages; Nike says “Just Do It” every time.  It doesn’t blur the message by also saying, “Get on with it,” “What are you waiting for?” or “Pull your finger out.”

#3 Say something
As Mark put in his article, ‘from The Bible to Harry Potter, all of humankind is absorbed by stories’.  Think about it…when you recently met someone for the first time, what was the thing you remembered about them? Their job title and company name, or that amusing anecdote they told you about that time they saw Lorraine Kelly with her bra off*?  It’s about making sure you say something but also making sure it sticks in people’s minds.

#4 Take aim
This commandment is about having a clear idea of who you want to buy into your brand and how you come into contact with them. Don’t waste time doing tweets or Facebook updates if that’s not where your key audiences lie; focus your efforts where they will see/hear what you have to offer.  (Just because we’re told online media is THE tool to use, doesn’t make it true for everyone.)

#5 Don’t stop
They say in marketing it takes seven ‘touches’ before your advert makes an impact, and it’s the same for your personal brand.  For instance, setting up your LinkedIn profile and then doing nothing with it won’t deliver.  You need to keep it updated, add or delete stuff as your career changes, grow your network, contribute to discussions, post updates.  Do things that will keep you on people’s radars and they’ll start to notice you.

So now’s the point when the Eastender’s drumbeat kicks in and you realise you’ll have to wait for the next installment to discover what the other five commandments are.

In the meantime, let me know what you think of the five so far and please help me to spread the word by using the buttons below. Thanks!

*This is a genuine anecdote I heard from a client, and yes, we did find a way of incorporating it into her profile!