Do You Understand Your 'Brand'?

The idea has become increasingly popular. Here are tips on how to brand yourself.

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Based on how often the word "brand" is used nowadays, the term might as well be listed by UrbanDictionary.com.

Everyone from big-name rappers to the local barber has been throwing the word around with reckless abandon. Come to think of it, "brand" is almost the bougie equivalent of the more 'hood term "swag."

But what is meant by "brand"? According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, it is defined as a class of goods identified by name as the product of a single firm or manufacturer.

Wikipedia defines it as a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.

Notice that neither of these widely accepted definitions mention anything about a person being a brand. So does that mean that when people describe themselves as one, they don't know what they're talking about?

Yes -- and no.

"A brand is an identifiable mark often associated with a product," says publicist and brand strategist Tahira Wright of the firm Branded PR, which has worked with celebs like Ludacris and AirTran. "There has to be a proven mass appeal, and widespread recognition of the product, for it to be referred to as a brand.

"For example," Wright says, "Target is a brand . . . the red bulls-eye logo is a nationally identifiable mark. People may also be considered brands, most notably, celebrities and public figures, who likely have brand extensions that serve as a part of their overall brand. Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs is a perfect example of being a brand in and of himself, with brand extensions CIROC and Sean John."

Expert and author Dan Schwabel says that today, personal branding is one of the most important concepts in the workplace. Even if you aren't selling a tangible product, you should be looking at your talents and mere existence as a commodity.

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Think you have what it takes to have a personal brand like Oprah Winfrey? These days, everyone is said to have a brand. The emergence of social media, social sharing, and reality television in the last decade has made the term somewhat overused. But what does it really mean?

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines “brand” as a class of goods identified by name as the product of a single firm. Tahira Wright, publicist and brand strategist of the firm Branded PR, adds that there must be mass appeal and widespread recognition in order for something to be referred to as a brand. Apply this perspective to personal branding and examples like Oprah and Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs come into mind—people who have developed their personal brand to attract mass appeal.

The obstacle some people are encountering is uncertainty when it comes to goals. In his column for Georgia Public Broadcasting, Brandon Smith addressed the latest trend of not setting goals. He supports goal-setting, rather that succumbing to the notion that life is too fast paced to bother setting goals. "Goals serve a very important role. They give us a direction," he said. "They paint a picture of the world we are trying to create."

There’s obviously no rule of thumb to say that setting goals leads to a successful and prosperous brand, just like there’s no sure way you’re maximizing your brand’s exposure.

Let’s talk about it on February 5! Folow Loop21 on Twitter to join the TweetUp as we discuss the importance of building a healthy brand, share best practices for building a brand, and hone in on how to leverage our brands. The hashtag is #L21Success.

Join us for our live TweetUp!

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