Personal Branding Blog – Dan Schawbel

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I’m starting to enjoy this series of posts on my new book. It really gives me a chance to give you some background and context before you start reading it. I’ve told you how I got my book deal and why I was the chosen one. Now it’s time to tell you why I wanted to write this book. Ari Herzog, a Personal Branding Blog reader, gave me the idea for this one.

There is no personal branding class in college

Students go through college without learning how to get a job, yet their intention is to acquire a job when they graduate. They enroll in classes such as math, English, and history, without learning how to develop their own career path doing what they love. Are you surprised that 90% of people aren’t happy at work? Most people have to figure out everything on their own and to expedite that learning curve, this book fill the gap.

Even a “career class” wouldn’t be enough to survive this new workplace. You need “brand management” class or “personal branding” class. The Japanese have already held one of these courses last year, but it needs to be worldwide. Every single student should be forced to take an introduction to marketing class before they are allowed to graduate. The class should be during their first semester with a transition on how to use basic marketing principles in your own life. This book should certainly serve as the class text book.

We are always being judged and we always have to sell ourselves

From asking a girl on a date to raising your hand in class, impressions count and how you influence people to take action is also important. This book will teach you how to present yourself positively. Instead of letting someone else brand you, you will learn how to make a lasting impression in a few seconds. When it comes to business, you have to get your fellow employees on your new project or to pitch potential customers on your new product. People purchase base on branding, including how much they know, like and trust you (reputation).

We can have as much presence as companies

There is a major opportunity to stand out and make a name for yourself with little to no money invested, at the cost of your time. If you want to monetize your passion, then you will have to sacrifice today to get what you want tomorrow, which includes hours and hours of work. Web 2.0 is a personal branding enabler that allows you to have as much presence as the company you work for. Using blogs, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and more, you can build brand equity and get your name out in front of the right people.

People have a limitless potential but don’t realize it

In today’s work environment, don’t expect a company to take ownership of your career. They may offer on-the-job training and some mighty fine perks, but at the end of the day, your career rests in your hands.

You need to be a leader. You need to have confidence in who you are, your value and what you can deliver to others. You need to feel empowered to make a difference. You need to read this book .

Personal reasons for writing it

I’ve really enjoyed helping coach people these past few years.  To see the excitement and enthusiasm when people go through self-discovery and start using web 2.0 tools is incredible.  I feel like it’s the right thing to do to pass this knowledge that I’ve gained over the past few years onto you. I didn’t originally write this book to build my brand or to make money, yet both have occurred as a result.  My thinking is that the more successful I become, the more I can give back.