Quite often I hear an opinion, that personal branding is nothing but “a nice to have” – perhaps important for newbies and wannabes, but definitely not relevant for “serious business people”.
Great professionals and business owners often simply overlook or totally ignore this topic. And yet, the world is changing whether we like it or not.
You must have heard the expression that “every company has the face of its owner or leader”. In today’s world, this carries significant monetary value, as found by various studies. For example, one of the leading communication companies in the world, Wever Shandwik15 has studied this topic in further detail together with KRC Research. Their latest study proves that almost half (44%) of a company’s market value is related to the reputation of the CEO of the company. The same study also reveals other advantages that CEOs with strong personal brands bring to their companies. It appears that:
- 45 % of employees relate the reputation of the company to the reputation of the CEO
- 77% of employees are loyal thanks to the reputation of the CEO
- 87% of investors make a positive or negative investment decision based on the reputation of the CEO
Brunswick’s Connected Leadership report points out that, while certain industries are more prominent on social media, there is at least 1 senior executive in each industry who successfully uses social media and supports through his/her personal brand the marketing and sales activities of his/her company’s brand.
The more successful you want your business to be, the more important personal branding becomes. In today’s digital society, this is no longer an option to be overlooked, and it needs to be marketed just like your products and services. Those with a clearer, more memorable, distinctive and stronger brand will win. It is not a question any longer whether it becomes imperative for your business, but when. Those who jump on the train now and do not wait for the train to pass them at full speed will definitely enjoy greater advantages. The alternative you can choose is whether to run after the train or be left behind completely.
And I’m certainly not talking about every professional, CEO or owner becoming a “social media star ” with millions of followers on social media. What is important is visibility and relevance for your customers, partners, investors and employees, as well as a clear positioning that supports the company’s brand.
Do you already use personal branding as a strategic business tool?
