Laura Fitton said something in email that really sparked my thinking. She asked me what it was like going from Chris Brogan to chrisbrogan (or something like that). Meaning, the BRAND of chrisbrogan (the website, the twitters, the whatever). What’s interesting in the question is the notion of what it means to be positioning one’s self as a brand, and how this varies from being someone who uses his name all over the web.
Authenticity
I’m me, no matter where I am. I say the same kinds of things to everyone I meet. Sometimes, I’m more guarded, but three sentences after that, I’ll probably say something that I’ll have to apologize for. I’m just that way. Here’s a secret tip: if I’m making fun of you, it means I like you. (Like 9 year old boys do, right?)
Have Something to Say
Bring a message. Make it something you value, and then communicate it in a way that’s useful to people. And learn how to say it better and better. Don’t take up space just to be there.
What I Do In a Day
In my day, I have several missions that connect to the same central theme: use digital tools to extend REAL relationships. What do I do to get paid? I build a conference (extending relationships). What do I do for passion? I promote PodCamp (extending relationships). What do I do for fun? I use Twitter and LinkedIN and Grasshoppers (extending relationships).
Whoa. You mean… there’s a central theme to everything I DO?
Is There A Value?
Sure there is! I know how to move communities to do things of interest, value, and worth. I show people how to use tools in a different way. For instance, I use Twitter as an engagement platform. I use Facebook for business. I use LinkedIN to deliver friend-sourced value. These are NOT your average ways of using these platforms. Nothing INSANELY tricky. I could show people how to do the things I do. But I do it for love of discovering ways of extending relationships using digital tools.
If the world’s attention and trust are shifting away from traditional advertising (even if only in a big fat chunk), there’s value in understanding how to leverage tools like the ones I use to build an influence.
Privacy versus Personality
People ask often about my being “out there” all the time. I haven’t had a problem with it yet. I freely credit Robert Scoble with giving me the model. The more accessible I make myself, the better chance I’ll find someone of interest and importance. Yes, it’s occasionally rough. Sometimes people’s expectation is that I can spend TONS of time with each individual person at an event. I can’t, but not because you’re not interesting. I always feel like an ass at times like this.
Cautions
Avoid becoming what I call “Human Brand Spam.” I try hard to NEVER be that kind of chrisbrogan that tells people about myself as a brand. I talk about what I’m passionate about and I hope you know my name, and there’s a little bit of something you see of value in what I’m saying/doing. But I’m not going to be “THAT GUY.” If you ever think I am, check me.
Work on your brand. Don’t just assume that all the weird things you do add up to a brand. Or do assume that, and know that others might not dig it.
Above All Else, Add Something
There’s lots of ways to criticize, tear down, crap on things, and more. Be the person making something new, useful, interesting. Be the person creating value where none existed. Find ease. Find something that you can do better than others, and then show THEM how you do it.
What about you? What about your brand? What do you do with it, consciously or not? What are people associating with the brand you’ve made for yourself?
And how do you interpret MY brand? What am I to you?
Photo credit, Brian Solis