Your Personal Brand Promise

When we consider the brand of a company, we often think of the image that comes to mind based on our experiences. If the same is true for your personal brand, what comes to the mind of those who experience you every day?

This past weekend I had the opportunity to consider this question with over 60 professional speakers from the National Speakers Association gathered in Dallas, Texas. The attendees included fellow Certified Speaking Professionals, as well as members of the Speaker Hall of Fame. It was a privilege to be in the company of some of the best in our business.

It was a great weekend of development and fellowship. While we learned a great deal from each other on a wide range of topics, the focus of the meeting was delivering our brand in the marketplace. We’ve chosen an industry where we personally are the product, so we have a responsibility to develop and deliver a brand. Regardless of what you do for a living, you have a personal brand seen by your family, friends, co-workers, clients, and anyone else you encounter.

Throughout the weekend I was reminded of several great points related to a brand. One, a brand is a promise we make to those around us. But even more than that, it’s the promises we keep. And two, a brand is not what we develop and present to others. A brand is what people say about us when we leave the room. When you consider your personal brand, are you keeping the promise of your brand by the actions you take? And based on that, what are people saying about you when you leave the room?