That "thing" you want could be a job in a new industry, a promotion in the company you're currently in, a consulting gig, new clients who pay their bills on time, orders for your products, or investors who are enthusiastic but not overbearing. Your personal brand might be geared to your getting media coverage, a reality show, a steady flow of referrals, or recommendations from people in high places: whatever it is you want to attract and leverage.
As a former marketing executive with the number one most recognized brand in the world: The Coca-Cola Company. I speak to audiences all around the world on personal branding and why people buy. Among my proudest affiliation is that I teach at UCLA Extension, where I enjoy sharing what I find most personally and intellectually challenging as well as what I believe is the greatest service to people who want to transform their careers and business. This is what I do for students at UCLA Extension in my Personal Branding Bootcamp, coming up this November 17-18, daily with my clients at ShoutBrand, and what I did on CNBC - where I was named America's Job Coach.
By the time you have finished our post today, you will learn the purpose of personal branding and the three most important questions to get you started on creating - or revising - your goals for your personal brand.
Well, I use the term audience to mean those people who have what you want. If you were a movie star, you'd need an audience to pay for movie tickets and the DVDs or digital downloads that pay your salary.
Yes, you may have figured it out by now. You have an audience everywhere you appear - even when these other people don't think they're your audience. That is a fundamental principle of successful personal branding. You must think of everyone and anyone as an audience, and you've got to think of yourself as the star of your own life, business and career.
Now you know WHY you need to appear on - and represent yourself - to the one billion plus people who are on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google Plus, Twitter, blogs, your YouTube channel, Foursquare, AND any other social networking site or physical event where your audience is.
You've got to present a crisp, clear and compelling - as well as authentic - image about who you are , which is what we now call your personal brand.