PRACTICE MARKETING blog

I’m often asked what’s the difference between a Reputation… and a Personal Brand?

NOTHING… potentially.  Most personal brands are just reputations.  And they miss out on the real long-lasting fruits of their labor.  But reputations that enjoy 3 powers are able to leverage Personal Brands.

The attached podcast goes into detail about these 3 powers (or differences between a reputation and a personal brand).  It also asks you quick questions to help you measure the power of your personal brand.  If you just have a reputation, you can learn 3 new marketing tips every week to automatically transform into a Personal Brand.

Does your reputation enjoy these 3 powers?

1. PURPOSE power
2. COMMUNITY power
3. ENDORSEMENT power.

Again, my podcast goes into detail about what I mean.  I also give examples of personal brands who leverage each of these 3 powers.

Ultimately, ENDORSEMENT is the greatest power of your Personal Brand:

Your clients may recommend your services to their friends because of your great reputation.  As your reputation precedes you, prospects are attracted to you, and it’s simpler to close the deal.  Because they trust your insight or experience, they may even ask you for advice or recommendations – on topics unrelated to your expertise.

But a reputation only strokes your ego.  While it feels good, it can trap you.  If your clients recommend you, but add… “Oh, ask for … he’s the one you want to work with… don’t bother with the others.”  Then your reputation surely expresses your great competency, character, and charisma… but it erodes your Endorsement Power.

With the power to endorse, you need not do all the work yourself.  You can become sought after, yet still enjoy free time.  More than with a reputation, your “Full-Spectrum” Personal Brand will enable you to delegate, recommend and co-brand products, services, and other professionals.  How can you further develop the Endorsement capability of your reputation, or personal brand?  Find out by listening one of my most detailed podcasts below!

In her book about the personal brand Emeril!, Marcia Layton Turner explains, “In order to sustain itself beyond the end of the individual on which the reputation has been built, a brand must be active in multiple media.” 

Listen Now:

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