In my previous post I discussed the elements of business and personal branding for a small business. Determining your brand for your business as well as the logo, brochure, website, social media presence and then tying that into your personal brand will never be easy. It will continue to be a topic that will be discussed as when and where one will prevail. Is it situational? I am currently visiting family and friends in New Jersey and, as much as I am a small business owner, I am a sister, aunt, sister-in-law, extended family member, old friend and a mom. In each of these I am still a personal brand but yet representing the business.
There are social media applications that promote the personal aspect of the brand. When creating profiles we know is never easy to say “I” have done or “I” am. On the flip side it is very easy to say as a business “we have done.” Does success come in numbers? As a small business do we feel invisible to the rest of the world as it relates to our business brand?
A personal brand is more tangible. You meet people and they can reach out and touch the person behind the company but generally do not equate that they are shaking the hand of a company.
4 Reasons it is Situational
1. Networking Event. People meet a name and a face. If the time dictates that an impression for the company can be made will that supersede the name and face? Personal branding probably will prevail.
2. Social Media. Depending upon the application this can be either a personal or business brand. However, if you are keying in on LinkedIn, Plaxo and the like, the personal brand will be prevalent but if you are taking advantage of business and personal applications both can be successful.
3. Old Friends. Curiosity. They remember you as who you were which is a personal brand but yet they want to know what you are doing now which translates into a business brand.
4. Family. This one is the clearest but the most confusing. They talk about you as a personal brand with a hint of the business brand but once someone picks up on either brand they promote that one.
Personal and business brand do co-exist but it really is situational. Everyday we will always be a small business owner, at times a mom, sister, aunt, cousin -but can we ever stop being a small business owner and that is not invisible.
What situations are you both? Just one brand? Thoughts?
photo credit: muffinmc’s