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I have a lot of trouble with personal branding. I think most people do which is why there are so many personal branding coaches out there. Good ones. I usually end up talking to them about the city they live in or their families or social circle because I don't think I can ever reconcile the two brands I currently have: a quirky social media addict and a nonfiction writer that now and again feels the need to tell people about how I ran away from college in Iowa or the thrill of spray painting my favorite lines of poetry under bridges.
Personal branding coaches will tell you to write for other people - for the perception of you online. There should be consistency of message across the Internet and other really sound advice. Writing coaches will tell you to write about things not necessarily thinking of your audience. Big problem. Here's a great writing quote from Mary Karr's new book (one of my heroes):
"Tell your stories and your story will be revealed... don't be afraid of appearing angry, small minded, obtuse, mean, immoral, amoral, calculating, or anything else. Take no care for your dignity."
Since I don't want my personal brand to be "that small minded, amoral social media consultant" I have had to have 2 brands online. I don't know what the personal branding coaches would think about this I haven't asked Dan yet. When I write under my personal brand or for clients I am constantly thinking about how my audience will perceive my message and when I write a piece of nonfiction I have to sit near the quote above which is taped inside my writing book and look at it every time I want to delete a sentence that makes me seem mean, small minded, obtuse, or any of those lovely qualities (there are many).
So my word of advice to online writers, bloggers, and those seeking to perfect their personal brands is it's okay to have 2 if they clash with one another and when you are creating something to first think about which brand you are writing for and create accordingly.
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Comments
01.12.10
Hi Caitlin, writing with passion is the most important thing. It's sometimes a difficult line to draw - making writing to safe or potentially offending people - especially if you write on sensitive topics. cheers...
01.12.10
I absolutely agree with this- that's why I do write on/for multiple blogs.
Who I Am:
Social Media Geek
Boston Red Sox Fan
Washingtonian
If I was to write about all three of those things on one blog, nobody would be interested.
So that's why I write for my friends Boston Sports blog and I run a blog about Washington, DC. So I can maintain separate and consistent identities.
01.12.10
tempo- exactly! I struggle with this daily but am getting much better at switching back and forth now that I've decided I don't need to merge the 2.
Patrick - Sounds like you've found some great outlets for your different styles - you should write a post about that. On the social media blog not the sports. :)
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