Can You List Your Personal Brand Attributes?
November 3, 2008 at 12:14 pm | In Career Development, Personal Branding, Success Strategies | 14 CommentsTags: Brand Attributes
I think one of the more useful exercises in personal brand discovery is listing your brand attributes. How do you describe your personal brand? Today, I want to quickly go over the reason for choosing various attributes (personality adjectives, qualities), by using myself as an example. I want all of you to write down at least three of your attributes. Feel free to blog about your attributes or comment on this post, sharing your attributes with other readers of this blog.
“Brand Attributes: Functional or emotional associations that are assigned to a brand by its customers and prospects. Brand attributes can be either negative or positive and can have varying degrees of relevance and importance to different customer segments.” – allaboutbranding.com
Why do we need to define our attributes?
As brands, we have to constantly describe ourselves to others, through online and offline means. Aside from filming a video or using imagery, few bio’s on blogs, websites or social networks really describe the individual. In essence, our attributes define us and people judge us based on first impressions, so we need to listen for feedback, as well as project THE RIGHT attributes to others. Personally, I use my attributes on my resume, website and blog because they capture my personal brand in very few words.
My brand attributes as an example
- Goofy: I have a very loud contagious laugh and say really random things sometimes.
- Animated: If you’ve seen my podcasts, you can probably tell that I use my hands a lot to convey my message. Sometimes I use them too much, but it’s partly because I get really excited and have passion for my subject area.
- Resourceful: When it comes to being a connector or answering someones question, I can get things done very quickly. I have a robust network, which has skills in various areas and can answer your questions, if I cannot myself.
- Creative: I like to come up with new ideas and implement them. I’m also a graphic designer and web developer by trade. I do the covers for Personal Branding Magazine, as well as most of the graphics on my websites.
- Ambitious: I have really big goals in life, such as making sure every single college on earth teaches students about personal branding before they graduate. I’ve been running this blog for two years, and also have a magazine, awards, a TV podcast series, an upcoming book and more.
- Prolific: I’m a heavy content producer, including ten blog posts a week, videos, interviews, etc.
- Energetic: If you’re ever met me, then you know I’m high energy. My passion fuels my desire to work as hard as I do. Energy is an important attribute for me because it connects to my personality. You certainly wouldn’t be bored around me (unless you hated personal branding).
It’s your turn! What are your brand attributes?
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With a week gone and 35% response rate so far my top brand attributes as defined by the new Beta version of 360 Reach personal brand assessment:
Supportive
Likeable
Connected
Colaborative
Positive
Giving
With the new v4.0 these now translate in to Brand Personas as follows:
Connector
Charmer
Giver
Caregiver
Optimist
Truth teller
Judge
Motivator
Entrepreneur
Expert
Just my toonies worth
Comment by Paul Copcutt — November 3, 2008 #
@Paul – those are some great attributes…thanks for responding
Comment by Dan Schawbel — November 3, 2008 #
Dan,
I’m so glad you listed “goofy” at the top of your brand attributes list. I consider “silliness” one of my top attributes, but I work hard to temper it, so as not to scare people off or cause them to think I make light of their situation or job search in general. Silly is what I would be all the time, if I could get away with it.
My other brand attributes:
Enthusiastic
Caring
Giving
Truthful
Analytical
Entrepreneurial
Collaborative
Resourceful
This is a great exercise!
-Meg
Comment by Meg Guiseppi — November 3, 2008 #
@Meg – the worst thing we can do is take ourselves too seriously
Comment by Dan Schawbel — November 3, 2008 #
Passionate, Trustworthy, Humorous, Knowledge Seeker, Ambitious, Excellence.
Great exercise for identifying what you want your personal brand to be. When you become aware you are able to constantly seek improvement and ways to promote/enhance your brand.
Very cool!
Comment by Chad Levitt — November 3, 2008 #
@ Chad – “trustworthy” is a very significant brand attribute..but it has to be earned…
Comment by Dan Schawbel — November 3, 2008 #
Dan, this is awesome stuff! I’m super new to PB, and am gonna give this some thought over the next few days. Thanks so much for sharing!
Comment by Josh Tilford — November 3, 2008 #
Dan…how timely, I just punched out a post that talks about “Who are YOU?” and lists a simple tool to define your traits…which can also form the basis of your brand attributes. For the record, mine are;
* Enthusiastic,
* Outgoing,
* Talkative,
* Emotional, and
* Friendly,
http://www.thechiefbrandofficer.com
Comment by Luke Harvey-Palmer — November 4, 2008 #
To my mind, my brand values are Strategery, Learner, Input, Quality, Avant Garde, and Candor. Cheers.
Comment by joseph rueter — November 4, 2008 #
@Luke – you are certainly outgoing and enthusiastic!
@Joseph – quality is key
Comment by Dan Schawbel — November 4, 2008 #
Sincere, loving, passionate, driven, visionary, good communicator, peacemaker, inspiring, and honest.
Comment by Josh Tilford — November 5, 2008 #
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Pingback by You are not a personal brand – you are a character | Broadcasting Brain — November 10, 2008 #
i will say my brand attributes are;
enthusiastic, goal oriented, helpful, friendly, dependable, resourceful etc
Comment by yinka olaito — December 24, 2008 #
i realy liked it when i read it this is what i nid because i am trying to improve my positive characters
Comment by botho mphafe — January 29, 2009 #