A strategic approach to self-branding

Abstract

Self-branding – which reflects how an individual wants to be perceived by employers, potential employers, clients, professional peers, and others in a way that will enhance their personal image – requires a careful, systematic, and adaptive strategy. To place self-branding in the proper context, we begin with the concept of branding as it relates to the sub-set of self-branding. We present an overview of brand management, brand longevity, global issues, and brand communications; and discussions of brand personality and positioning, brand equity, and corporate branding. Then, we investigate strategic self-branding, including: an overview of self-branding, the steps involved in self-branding, self-brand differentiation/positioning, mastering the self-brand, self-brand management and re-invention, and creating and sustaining an online self-brand.