Shining through

I just received some of the best advice I've had in a long time from fellow blogger David St. Lawrence. His suggestion to reveal more of my personality on my blog (since that's what blogs are for!) addressed something I'd been thinking about for some time, both for my offline and online world. I often point prospective clients, as well as members of presentation audiences, to my blog as an example of the many-to-many online trend, plus to show how bloggers are often negating the sanitized marketing messages of corporations. So, it hasn't been easy for me to walk that fine line between being professional while 'unsanitizing' my own message and letting my own authenticity shine through. But this is nothing new... in the real world, I find I have the often have the same challenge. As an only-child military brat, I grew up into a very independent and somewhat difficult-to-know adult. As I mentioned to David, I think I'm going to learn more through blogging than I'd ever expected!

So if a corporate brand is an idea in the minds of customers, then a personal brand is the idea of me in the minds of everyone I come in contact with. So I've been asking myself, what is my own personal brand? And I realize now that I can't stop at simply defining my brand; for if I keep half my brand attributes hidden, then the idea formed in the minds of others won't reflect my true nature. I think this goes back to honesty, transparency and authenticity in the corporate branding world, of which so many companies are afraid. And many (probably most) individuals are as well.

I like the recent post on BrandAutopsy on Executives are Blogging. My theory is that executives are concerned about the same thing as I am: they're so tightly linked with their companies, they're apprehensive about letting personality and personal viewpoints shine through without somehow tainting the corporate brand. And yet some of the best brands are those where personality does shine through. Far from tainting the brand, quirky and offbeat and honest personalities make the brand more human, more approachable (ike Virgin and Southwest Airlines).

And as I read back through this post, I realize that I've been writing for too many years with my business hat on... I think I've forgotten how to be quirky! Bear with me, this will be an evolution...

Comments

[Anne Toole]

I'm doing the same thing right now, trying to develop my personal brand. I'm doing it through a blog, in fact, but I don't know how successful I'm being. I'd love to see more posts from you on this subject.

[Wayne Hurlbert]

I was struck personally by the relevance and significance of Jennifer's post.

As business bloggers, we are often guilty of not providing enough personality in our posts. I for one, am always striving to provide my readers with information about using a blog in their business.

The personality part gets pushed to the curb as I write about how to's and techniques.

Perhaps Jennifer may have found, like all we business bloggers need to discover, that there may be a mixture of fact and personality in our blogs.

[Darren Rowse]

great post - I was just thinking yesterday that I wish I knew a little more of the person behind your blog. Not that you need to reveal loads of highly personal details like many personal blogs do - but because otherwise blogs tend to become rather sterile.

I think about the business people that I've learnt most from over the years - the ones that I consider to have taught me the most are the ones that have allowed me to see some of what is going on inside them - the ones who have taken me for a beer for lunch - the ones who have used humor in their approach.

Yes it is a fine line to walk - but one well worth getting a little closer to. I've found that in my own blog people are much more willing to be repeat readers (and I guess that is one measure of success for a blog) if I engage them not only on a head level - but a heart one.

Anyway - looking forward to seeing you explore this.