How do I create a personal brand?
My husband is a Christian private university professor in the PhD program. We are Gen Xers and feel intimidated by all this "branding" talk but clearly understand he needs to jump in now and create his brand, get a website running, be present in social media. Any advice to do this on a low budget for him, well, us?
Great question. Personal branding is everywhere these days. There are plenty of resources that explain it in detail, but here’s my simpler take.
First: Decide if you even need one.
Not everyone does. A personal brand matters most if:
People need to choose you (for consultants, freelancers, speakers).
You want to be the go-to for something at work (leading to promotions and new roles).
Professors already build brands through research and teaching expertise. They only need to think “personal brand” if they want to stand out from others in their field.
Building a personal brand.
If you decide it is worth building one, ask yourself these three questions:
What am I good at that brings me joy?
This defines what you do. Without clarity here, your brand will feel empty and superficial.
What do I want people to think I do really well?
This guides what you share. Your brand doesn’t have to show every side of you. Focus on the professional side you want people to remember—with a small personal touch to make it human. Like this photo and sneaky hover-over caption that shows just how much my husband loves teaching math 😍
What words do I want people to use to describe me?
This sets your voice. To let people experience your personality, avoid third person. Write and speak directly to them. Like this masterclass example from Ann Handley.
Put yourself out there.
A brand is useless if it stays hidden. You don’t need a ton money, but you do need consistency. The musts:
A website that sounds like you and shows your work.
Showing up in the channels your audience uses—their preferred socials, discipline-specific forums, podcasts they listen to, or conferences they attend.
Consistency is everything. At the end of the day, a personal brand comes down to two things: talking about what you want to be known for, and making sure the right people see it.
All of this applies to your job, too.
No one is sitting around waiting to notice your contributions. Everyone is busy and worried about their own journey. If you want opportunities, you have to share your wins.
This doesn’t mean arrogance. It means being clear, grateful, and giving credit, while making sure leadership sees you. If you won’t advocate for yourself, no one else will.
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