Personal Branding: 5 Secrets of Success from Guy Kawasaki

(MoneyWatch) 

Personal branding is a hot concept, which is both good news and bad. For fans of the idea, its ascendancy means more people can benefit from presenting themselves in a compelling way. For those trying to stand out from the personal branding herd, however, it could be a problem.

With everyone and their mother trying to make a name for themselves, it's harder and harder to be heard through all the noise. To do so you need expert help, and for top tips there are few better qualified to help than entrepreneur and uber-blogger Guy Kawasaki. Recently on Dan Schawbel's Personal Branding Blog, Pete Kistler dug into Kawasaki's book Art of the Start and outlined five secrets of personal branding success he found there:

• Make Meaning, Not Money. If you're into personal branding with the goal of making money, stop now. You will attract the wrong kind of people into your life. Instead, start with the goal of making meaning. What better way to align all your actions with your long-term goals. What kind of meaning will you make? Kawasaki suggests two ideas for inspiration: 1) right a wrong, or 2) prevent the end of something good. What will you do to make the world a better place?
• Make a Mantra. In three words or less, what are you all about? Kawasaki believes that mission statements are useless. He says, make a mantra instead. FedEx stands for "peace of mind." What do you stand for, in the simplest terms?
• Polarize People. Personal branding pundits often advise against being a "jack of all trades," or a generalist that isn't very good at something specific. What does Guy believe? He suggests being great for some people rather than trying to please everyone. Do not be afraid to make people react strongly for or against you. As my former business partner used to remind me, you're not doing something right unless you're pissing someone off. That doesn't mean be a jerk. That means just don't try to appeal to all people, or you'll end up a mile wide and an inch deep, mediocre to everyone.
• Find a Few Soul Mates. We're all on this journey together. It's silly to think we are alone in our careers or in our life. Find people who balance you. Then make time for them. If you're busy, make plans in advance so you have to schedule around them. You're only one person, so surround yourself with people whose skills round you off.
• Don't Let the Bozos Grind You Down. Not everyone is going to like you. Not everyone will always agree with you. That's a fact of life. So don't let criticism or doubters bring you down. As you live out your mantra, it's your responsibility to be strong in the face of "no," and "you can't do that." Guy says, ignore people who say you won't succeed. Use negative words as motivation. Prove people wrong.

Read More on BNET:

• Why Your Personal Brand Sucks: Attack of the Clones
• Is Personal Branding a Load of BS?
• 5 Branding Secrets of Lady Gaga and Apple

(Image of Guy Kawasaki by nerdegutt, CC 2.0)