The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

Good salespeople are looking for a new job every day. They need to be “hired” by their clients and prospects on a regular basis. When I was a sales manager, how someone applied for an open position was my indication of how they would approach a prospect. Even now, as I’m going through applications for designers, I think of how my actions parallel that of a busy prospect.

When a fad reaches saturation, it’s often ready to start dying out, or at least transition into something else. Since it seems that everywhere you turn, someone is talking about the mistakes and must-haves for your personal brand, has this fad run its course? Are you a skeptic or fanatic for personal branding?

Where do you stand on personal branding?

• Do you read the hype about a personal brand and roll your eyes?
• Or are you an established thought leader in your industry?

You know the value of your investments. What is the value of your personal brand? It’s somewhat difficult to always control your investments due to outside forces, but controlling your brand is in your hands. As a salesperson, the value you garner from your personal brand is priceless. 

“Personal branding is the process of developing a 'mark' that is created around your personal name or your career. You use this 'mark' to express and communicate your skills, personality and values. The end goal is that the personal brand you develop will build your reputation and help you grow your network in a way that interests others. They will seek you out for your knowledge and expertise." — Laura Lake, Marketing Expert

The mantra that "you need a personal, professional brand" is no longer new. If you're like most sales professionals, you're open to the idea, but it can seem like such a major project. Let's look at three myths you need to move past to get started building a brand for yourself. 

Defining what position your own professional brand should take is hard work. Which is why most salespeople and development officers are still talking mostly about their company, their products, and their causes on their LinkedIn profile.

It’s important to be proud of your company. If you are, you might even say you’re blessed, or damn lucky, depending on your point of view. But when someone is deciding whether or not they want to take time to meet with you, it’s about you.