A Brand Called Me

Radhika Raj of Hindustan Times has come up with a good story on Personal Branding looking at both the pros and the cons.

The story also talks of the four pioneers of Personal Branding in India.

Here are my answers to the cons or the objections raised by some experts against personal branding.

Criticism 1

“A personal brand has an impact on society and also creates an experience like Mother Teresa or Mahatma Gandhi” Nabankur Gupta

Answer

Yes, a personal brand should have an impact on society. But it is not necessary to have as big as an impact like Gandhi or Teresa. After all we have global brands, national brands and regional brands in products too. 

Interestingly earlier a person first became a regional brand, then national and then went global. But today due to internet the scenario has changed. You can become a global brand in one year’s time though in a niche area without going through the traditional path and becoming a regional brand first.

Criticism 2

“Most companies provide tools that promises visibility and packaging not brand value. A brand is something that provides a specific idea.” Anand Halve

“It is important to be critical of these tailor made services because they help in image building not in substance development.” Gita Chadha

Answer

Yes only visibility does not create a brand. There is a difference between online branding and personal branding. Online branding is only visibility but personal branding is visibility plus personal growth. Or in simple words Personal Branding means, “Become what you aspire, communicate what you are”

In any industry the professional and unprofessional players exist side by side and so in this industry. But if a client is only interested in online branding and not personal growth, the consultant cannot force the growth down his throat. As the proverb goes, “You can take a horse to the water but you cannot make him drink.”

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