Personal Branding Blog – Dan Schawbel

Who is Katherine Banning?

Currently living in the US, Katherine is a member of the National Trust (UK), as well as English Heritage, the Royal Oak Society, Friends of Kew, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation (US). An energetic and enthusiastic professional, she plans to graduate from Eckerd College with a degree in Museum Studies in 2008, and hopes to return to Washington DC to attend graduate school with a concentration in Museum Studies and Historic Preservation.

Katherine Banning’s Story

Museums are my passion. In college, I majored in Museum Studies and took all the courses I could find in Cultural Heritage Conservation and Historic Preservation. I took honors classes, volunteered for extra research assignments, stayed on the Dean’s List, and worked very hard to learn everything I could about my favorite subjects. But as is often the case, I had guidance only on fulfilling my majors, not advice on establishing a career. I’d never heard of Branding.

It was by happy accident that I took an Arts Marketing class taught by Marshall Rousseau, Director Emeritus of the Salvador Dali Museum. Professor Rousseau assigned a book called Museum Branding, by Margot A. Wallace, and I read it voraciously. It was fascinating to think of museums as just like people, with identities of their own, often in need of image consultants.

With that idea in mind, I googled “Personal Branding” and found Dan Schawbel’s site. I followed his advice and bought my own name’s website, before anyone else. Then I jotted down some fundamental ideas from his blog: have the same photo on all social networking sites, create a tagline, and get busy building a Brand. Despite my schedule, (I work two full-time jobs while going to school and volunteering) my online Brand quickly and easily became a reality.

Although I still have a lot to learn, and my site could do with more content and some polishing, it’s a start. With each blog I read from Dan’s Personal Branding RSS feed, I feel better informed, and I’m grateful for the head start. I have Professor Rousseau to thank for opening my mind, and Dan Schawbel to credit for helping me focus my efforts. Personal Branding isn’t just online marketing – it is our duty to ourselves, these days. Frankly, it should be taught at every college.