5 Books That Will Help You Make a Personal Brand: Brands are basically markers of identity – when used in the context of a company, a product or a service, branding means giving it a life of its own. Thus Nike shoes have an identity of their own which separates them from any other pair of shoes. Similarly, an iPhone has its own unmistakable identity that no other phone does. Thus, by branding a product, you make it irreplaceable – nothing can ever substitute it.
In recent times, the concept of personal branding has emerged. Put simply, it basically means branding yourself. It refers to deliberately or intentionally influencing the public perception of a person in order to align it with the company or the product or service they sell. This helps individuals to create credibility – or perception of expertise within a market. Thus, it taps into one’s unique strengths and resources to craft the perception of being an authority in the field. For instance, Elon Musk has built his personal brand on hard work and commitment, because his work ethic, apparently, has no match. Here is a list of the 5 best books on personal branding, in case you want to develop your personal brand.
5 Books That Will Help You Make a Personal Brand:
You Are The Brand by Mike Kim
Excellent for people who like step by step guides, this 8 step procedure to building a personal brand is rife with anecdotes, examples and thoroughly practical yet wise counsel. In this book, Kim talks about how you can market yourself as well as possible. One important piece of advice he gives in this regard is to make lasting relationships. Using the metaphor of a campfire that is inviting and warming during cold nights, he says that you need to build a campfire around your personal brand. No matter what the nitty gritties of your personal brand are, it needs to be inviting and welcoming for others to invest in it. This book is not merely informative but also extremely persuasive and motivating.
Platform by Cynthia Johnson
The subtitle to this book is ‘the art and science of personal branding’ and this is exactly what the book aspires to be. It mixes intuitive strategies with intellectual ones and the more artistic aspects with cold-blooded scientific ones to craft a manual of personal branding. Through the tools of ‘personal proof’, ‘social proof’, ‘recognition’ and ‘association’, she explains the process from an ‘unknown’ to an ‘influencer’. Indeed, she provides solace to everyone, arguing that anyone can be an influencer if they use the digital and physical platforms available to their advantage. In the process, she provides useful tools – that are both technical and creative to make the best of available resources.
Digital You by William Arruda
With the boom in social media and the digital revolution that has changed the landscape of marketing forever, it is of immediate urgency to tap into digital resources to create a personal brand. This book comes to the rescue. It is an introductory guide for laymen and experts alike, which reveals how anyone can use their personal story to create a brand, express it and cultivate it too. Throughout the graphs of your career, which may grow and ebb in crests and troughs, you can cultivate a digital thought presence. And Arruda is here to show you how. There are also chapters on how to make the most of the digital career giant Linkedin. Plus, there are insights for people who sell products as well.
Promote Yourself by Dan Schawbel
A large part of a company is people’s perception of its entrepreneurs. And an even bigger part of a company is the employees that represent it. So it’s necessary to brand yourself and promote that brand, not just for the sake of the company but for the sake of your personal and career growth. The idea behind this book is that you may be the most talented person in town, but if people don’t know of your talent, the potential will remain unrealized. Thus it’s crucial to market your strengths in order to capitalize on them. And this is where this book comes to the rescue. It provides a how-to guide to getting success at the workplace and in life by simply being yourself and letting the world know who you are.
Reinventing You by Dorie Clark
Whether you need to switch jobs or even a career or begin something you’ve always wanted to, what is crucial is having an accurate assessment of yourself. The face of the company is its entrepreneur and its employees, so it’s necessary to make a business align with your personal brand in whatever way possible. Thus, you need to know your unique strengths and capitalize on them and know your work’s flaws and minimize them. Dorie Clark, in this wonderful book, provides a way to do exactly that. With ample resources, she provides a guide to understanding yourself, deconstructing yourself and rebuilding yourself in order to create a personal brand that is absolutely true to yourself.
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