53 Comments // Oct 20 2005
The Art of Self-Branding: Part One
Pretend You're an Amnesiac
Update: Read Part Two | Part Three | Resources
A Brief Primer
Branding. Most people think that “brand” begins and ends with the logo, when the truth is much more than that. Essentially, a brand is an idea and perceived value formed by its intended audience based on a company’s culture, product, and service. An identity system that includes the logo and colour scheme is typically the starting point of a brand, but it can branch out to exactly how you word things to customers, to what type of people you hire, to what furniture you even want to use. Tyler Durden says, You’re not your khahkis. With branding, you’re not your frigging logo. Not quite.
So how do you get your brand to dance and sing? Branding for another company is already quite a venture, but branding yourself is almost a completely different animal altogether. The main difference with branding your company versus a client, is that there are restrictions with your client. With you, there’s typically none. And worst of all, you may even have to get philosophical about it!
The best way to go about tackling this project, in my opinion, is to pretend you’re an amnesiac. A new company without a brand is just like an amnesiac — there’s a general feeling over how things should be, but you are completely lost. An amnesiac has a previously established personality perceived by those around him, but has no idea how to define it.
Who am I? What am I?
When you are trying to define a brand, it’s best to get back to basics. Who are you? What do you like to eat? What movies do you enjoy? What music do you listen to? What do you absolutely hate? Define who you think you are… and then, without revealing that, ask others to reveal who they think you are. Back in September, I asked some friends and strangers to play a game — in three adjectives, describe “Lea Alcantara.” The important part is making sure you get a varied number of people with different levels of relation to you to answer this honestly. The results can be very enlightening, as it reveals the depth of this person’s relationship with you as well as how you are perceived. It would be best to ask these people individually so they’re not influenced by what others have already said.
Here are the responses I received:
| Name | Relationship | Time Known | Extra | Adjectives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Via | Sister | Forever | n/a | Creative, Funny, Intelligent |
| Ana | Sister | Forever | n/a | Funky, Aggressive, Sweet |
| Brett | Ex-Boyfriend | 3 years | n/a | Passionate, Impatient, Loving |
| Jason | Best Guy Friend | 8 years | n/a | Compelling, Poised, Controversial |
| Elina | Great College Friend | 5 years | n/a | Enthusiastic, Independent, Meticulous |
| Anika | Girlfriend of Friend | Few months | n/a | Smart, Assertive, Sassy |
| Dora | Good Friend from High School | 8 years, off and on | n/a | Vivacious, Larger-than-life, Exuberant |
| James | Online Friend + Client | 2 years | Never Met | Quirky, Sharp, Stubborn |
| Nathan | Online Friend | Few months | Never Met | Independent, Sassy, Bright |
| AJ | Online Acquiantance | Few weeks | Never Met | Diminutive, Girly, Frivolous |
| Abadi | Stranger | n/a | n/a | Funky, Sophisticated, Happening |
What was interesting was people, no matter their relationship with me or length of time, already had a few distinct impressions of me: namely, intelligence and some sort of sassy attitude attached. Naturally, that pleased me, as that was how I would have liked to be portrayed. This is the time you compare the notes you wrote about yourself to what others mentioned.
Now, most of the adjectives are going to be positive because of the nature of my relationship to these people, but it’s interesting to note less uplifting adjectives: diminutive, girly, frivolous. Harsh as they sounded, it actually proved to be a very valuable critique. I fired off an e-mail to AJ and asked him to explain what he meant, and he proceeded to give me a detailed critique that mentioned that pitfalls in choosing a name like “lealea” — that I had to be aware that some will think of it too childish or girly. He mentioned I could get over that by extending my personality as part of my brand and it would justify the name. And I went about and did just that. Now the fact that my website has a feminine slant along with a quirky name and identity has made it unique and memorable.
Use your perceived disadvantages to your advantage!
Where am I? Who are you?
Be aware of your surroundings and who you’re speaking or pitching to. Will you do a lot of local business? International business? What’s your target market? Define these, and then do your research!
Some people have mentioned they found the “tone” of my website refreshing because it wasn’t drowning in fancy business lingo. I made a conscious effort while creating the copy for this website to remain friendly and open, but professional at the same time. This would make sense, because of the types of clients I would like to have — would the arts community welcome a more conservative tone? Not at all. But here’s the thing: I have had a couple of conservative-type clients anyway, despite all this colourful funkiness. How did that happen? Well, because they still liked my work and despite the fact they had more subdued leanings, they appreciated my attitude and are hopeful that whatever “edge” I have in creating this site would be reflected on their work, too. It’s very important to be yourself and brand yourself accordingly — like people will be drawn to you, and those that aren’t similar to you that are still drawn respect where you come from.
How'd I get here?
Remember, remember your roots. When researching and thinking about your brand, ask yourself what brought you to this point in your life to launch a new company, website, identity, what-have-you. Where do you come from and how did you get where you’re at? Remember — your brand must tell some type of story. If you have no roots, you have no history, so why would someone care about your brand or identity if you don’t have anything to back it up?
Distilled Information
Never stop asking questions — but also know which answers are most relevant to you. When I was creating my logo and colour scheme, there was a little bit of hesitation regarding the pink. Some absolutely hated it, others loved it. What was I supposed to do? Who should I have listened to? The answer is, of course, yourself. In the end, you have to decide what information given to you is relevant, and don’t be afraid to negate what some have said because sometimes it could be down to personal preferences at this point. Everyone has an opinion. People already have a perceived notion of what they think you should be like, and that could colour their thinking. That’s not to say you should dismiss what others say, but remember to file the bits of info where they belong.
Put it all together
Branding can get as extreme or as subtle as you want. There are many important aspects to branding yourself, but here’s the main thing that you should etch in your brain: be consistent. It’s a simple enough idea, but it’s often bungled up.
A small anecdote that I heard at a business seminar: A company decides to launch a brand new website that caters to youth. The website is fun, interactive, has exactly the right pitch and body copy, and it drew a lot of visitors. Unfortunately, the company didn’t make much money. Why was that? After some investigation, we find out that the company’s physical office was completely wrong: the interior of the place was cold and dark, reminded teens of the principal’s office, and the ancient secretary they had at the front also didn’t help matters. While their website was jumping with youthful vitality, their office was not. The branding was inconsistent, added confusion, and made their potential customers wary.
Again, your brand is more than just your logo or even your website: it is everything that involves your company! You shouldn’t show up to a client’s meeting wearing a grey suit and tie if they run a motorcycle store, the same way you wouldn’t show up in t-shirts and jeans to a financial institution. Be consistent. And most of all, be honest.
Short and Sweet
Who am I? What am I? Where am I? Who are you? How’d I get here? You don’t need to be a rogue secret-agent to ask these questions. With a little bit of work, you’ll be on your way to defining your own brand!
53 blabs to The Art of Self-Branding: Part One
Add something to the conversation!
Name Nathan Smith
Date Oct 20 2005
07:45 PM
I told you those adjectives fit! Anyone who quits her job to freelance has to be both independent, and a slight bit sassy, but possibly not so bright. Though, it has proven to be a wise decision!
Name Zach
Date Oct 20 2005
08:02 PM
Woah! When you were saying how big it was I had no clue it was that big.
Very good article.
Name Victoria Rendell
Date Oct 20 2005
08:11 PM
Very informative article.
Name Jørgen Arnor...
Date Oct 21 2005
05:05 AM
Great article… This is the way to go about it – Start off with great reads about relevant issues… And superbly done design…
Your print-CSS could’ve been better – use visibility:none on design elements, for instance… But hey, that’s just minor issues, coming from one who hasn’t even bothered making one for himself yet…
Name Trenton
Date Oct 21 2005
12:00 PM
This is great. I’m about to do some self-branding of my own, so this definitely gave me some ideas. At least now I know what general direction to go in. :P
Name Lea
Date Oct 21 2005
02:08 PM
J?rgen, I don’t currently have a print.css created yet, but that’s on my list of to-dos, especially now I’m going to have some articles written. Once all three parts are done, I think I may have it available as a downloadable PDF. I will have to think about it. :-)
Name Ana
Date Oct 21 2005
03:34 PM
I’m just happy to be number #2 on your graph! Wee. I love your work Lea.
Name Mary
Date Oct 21 2005
04:00 PM
I’m the one who hates pink, but does she listen to me? noooo :P
Name Yannick
Date Oct 25 2005
02:58 AM
Nice Article. Really helpful for someone like myself who is just starting out. I especially liked the bit about “Who am I? What am I?”.
Keep up the good work Lea.
Peace and God Bless!
Name Chris Mewhort
Date Oct 25 2005
06:08 AM
Hi Lea,
New to the site, I’m one of the people that came in on your rush of traffic from incoming links. I subscribed to your blog because of “The Art of Self-Branding”. I’m going through the motions also and appreciate what you have to say.
Really nice design.
Name Alex Andrei
Date Oct 25 2005
08:41 AM
Oh my! :)
I actually was/am in the process of .. getting ideas and advice to get started my own business.. and to build the site that would be the first “impression” to my future clients..
Argh! I was searching for a brand idea, and I found this article !!!
Thanks for the help!!!
(PS: this pink looks great!)
Name Sherwin Techico
Date Nov 03 2005
03:47 PM
@Lea: I couldn’t find a way to post regarding your Reboot. So pardon this comment on this entry. But I just want to commend you on a great, clean and pink design!
Congrats!
PS. Great article.
Name Binusha Perera
Date Feb 01 2006
08:24 AM
I wanted to get something started especially in design, I have being working as Java Developer for 6 years and ran a company called 6box solutions for 3 years. Now I work as a contractor and have being looking at getting into design. You article caught my eye and I think its great….
I wanted to improve my skills in design please feel free to give feedback its just the starting point …
Name Greg-J
Date Feb 02 2006
06:34 AM
I would have loved to finish this article, but my eyes began to bleed from their sockets by the third paragraph. Great color scheme, but terrible for focus.
Name Lea
Date Feb 02 2006
07:06 AM
Greg, I hope you went to the hospital for that eye problem of yours. :-) Now, if you really wanted to read the article, you could disable stylesheets for this page, or you can print out a copy (or even read the print-preview). Or, push comes to shove: Select All – Copy-Paste to notepad. :-D
I’ve had mixed responses regarding the readability of the dark maroon and the light pink/almost white text. Some have actually said it’s a welcome relief for their eyes, while others have had the bleeding effect. ;-)
In my screen, my colour scheme is a dark maroon, and rather readably pleasant, but I have seen it look a bit “harsher” in other monitors (brighter, more magenta) based on people’s personal settings. Can’t change that. It’s always a risk when you choose a different type of colour scheme especially across monitors.
Name Julieta
Date Feb 05 2006
09:46 PM
Very, very interesting and clear. I found it useful. Nice work! Love your site.
I’ve finished my website a few days ago, i’d like you to check it out, if you can, and tell me what you think. I’d like to hear your opinion. You seem to have things clear, and i’m just starting =)
Kisses and good job again!
Name g
Date Apr 01 2006
12:31 PM
Hi Lea, liked the article. I made the decision to study design about two years ago, and I remember that in a book called “Los tres pasos” (the three steps) by Arnie Warren, comes this exact game, which I asked my lil’ brother and my mother :$. But they were very supportive and wrote a lot of good stuff about me :)
Name H
Date May 02 2006
03:48 AM
In Fijian “lealea” means crazy. But you probably knew that…
- H
Name Gert Goossens
Date Sep 16 2006
09:46 AM
Great article!
‘filling the bits of info where they belong’ Isn’t that easyer said than done (i’m a rookie)?
Name Mireru
Date Sep 26 2006
11:30 AM
This article really helped me to finish my project…I used the method, and it worked smoothly. Thanks for sharing… :-)
Name Jacob
Date Oct 17 2006
12:50 PM
Great article. Very informative and insightful.
I’m currently in the process of branding my own graphic/web design business and have been tying myself in knots regarding the “who/what/where?”. Thanks for the help!
Name lineage2
Date Dec 15 2006
04:33 PM
I would have loved to finish this article, but my eyes began to bleed from their sockets by the third paragraph. Great color schseme, but terrible for focus.
Name Moraks Ayo
Date Sep 15 2007
01:40 PM
Branding, in my own opinion, is an intentional act perpetrated at impressing a unique style of individual recognition on other people’s heart.
Name John Shepard
Date Nov 10 2007
03:37 PM
Hi Lea,
I will enjoy reading your branding articles. Thanks for the insights.
Name Leah Sciabarrasi
Date Feb 14 2008
10:22 AM
Lea- You are amazing! I am doing a Self-Branding movie for a Grad Class and your resources are the best I’ve found. I love your site and designs. Keep doing what you are doing- making everything more simple and having clean, fun, sassy style
Name Fubiz
Date Apr 22 2008
08:00 AM
Lovely template.
Name Deb Pang Davis
Date Nov 12 2008
10:50 PM
Lea, Thank you for this. I’m going through a “self-branding” and am using your “game”. Your article was recommended to me by a friend and so far it is a great read.
BTW – I love pink :)
Name ian
Date Dec 07 2008
10:12 PM
Hey Lea,
Rowena passed me your site. Very cool stuff!
Name Andrew Wise
Date Feb 09 2009
07:42 PM
It’s tough to change course once you have so much invested in a particular brand or image, and I can understand why it’s so hard for companies to transform themselves, thanks for the great post — I stummbled it for you as well :)
Name rachel
Date Feb 14 2009
01:51 AM
That’s the way to but it.
i think if you can brand your name on the net as an expert of your niche, people will start searching for your name not the niche keywords.
Name James Kurtz III
Date Mar 27 2009
09:43 AM
Very good advice and I love that you worked a Tyler Durden reference in there. Kudos!
Name Bryan...
Date Mar 30 2009
11:01 PM
Hey Lea,
I know it has been years since you posted this, but I just wanted to let you know it is still making an impact!
I have recently begun trying to market myself better as a web developer, and have been stumbling over the branding situation. My name is rather long, hard to pronounce, and easy to misspell so I have been trying to think about ways to form an online presence that isn’t so handicapped by my name.
As I read, re-read, and practice the ideas laid out in this series of posts it is really helping to focus in on some of my own ideas for branding myself.
Thanks for such a great series!
Name Lea
Date Mar 31 2009
09:57 AM
Hi Bryan, Thanks so much for your kind words, I’m really glad my suggestions have helped you out. I know it’s been years, but that’s the power of the web: these articles live on and the discussion can continue as long as comments are open. :)
Name John
Date Jun 24 2009
06:37 AM
Lea, I saw this presentation on slide share and it was wonderful. I especially liked the bit about “How’d I get here”. Thanks for the great article
Name fenell
Date Jun 25 2009
05:46 AM
Yes, Self branding describes the process in which consumers match their own self-concept with the images of a certain brand. In fact, consumer buying habits are at a much deeper level.
Name robert
Date Jul 08 2009
03:04 AM
It is ultimately one the best blog i had ever seen ….thanks for posting this blog with tons of information….thanks for sharing..Lea
Name Dhamphy
Date Jul 14 2009
03:53 PM
Thanks for this Lea, it really helps…
Name Muhammad Habib
Date Aug 04 2009
07:41 AM
Thank you! Totally agree.
Regarding the color scheme, I found it amazing. It’ll be more nice just if you considered change the link colors, specifically when they are on the lighter part of the background.
Name Seun Lawal
Date Aug 05 2009
11:15 PM
Whoa! Your site design got me glued for here hours. Its great and quite relaxing.
I’ve been working of personal branding myself but had been slumpy about it, guess its time to go get some answers.
And, please do consider posting a pdf of the series.
Great article, great design – you just got a new fan.
Name Javier Rdz
Date Aug 10 2009
12:14 AM
Thanks Lea, this really help a lot.
From Monterrey, Mexico.
Name Tasha
Date Aug 11 2009
12:51 AM
I can I adopt you to be my new design mentor? :-)
But seriously, so far you have been the greatest catalyst for my wandering mind as far as getting my own freelance venture and branding in order!
Name Anna
Date Aug 16 2009
02:14 AM
I just caught your article on A List Apart, and just had to read and comment here!
The paragraph about the perceived pitfalls of your branding really stood out to me, because I was so shocked when I followed the link on ALA, and this page showed up. I remembered this site from over a year ago when I was naively searching around CSS Heaven for answers to my own branding dilemmas without really giving any thought to the process— rather than just the results. You definitely created a memorable brand for yourself!
I’m so glad that I found this site again and read the articles. I’m about to rebrand my own website (again), since I rushed my first design and idea, and gave very little thought to who I actually am and what I want my website to say about me.
Name sohbet
Date Aug 20 2009
10:44 AM
nice post and i have bookmarked this page.
regards
Name Vadim Uvazhny
Date Aug 24 2009
08:04 AM
The main thing we all have to remember: you need to be yourself. It is the most comfortable position. It is the most natural and organic. In other words, we shouldn’t create new qualities of our personalities. But use those we have already.
Name Jessie
Date Sep 08 2009
01:43 AM
nicely put.
Name Cristina
Date Sep 17 2009
01:19 PM
I’ve used this information to begin the process of building my brand. Thank you for this! Very informative. :)
Name Michael Murphy
Date Sep 23 2009
08:54 AM
Hi Lea
Just stumbled across your blog when looking for self branding advice.
Self branding is always the hardest of all design projects in my opinion. Im constantly going through change after change to make things perfect! Its a pain!
Thanks for the great post! Will be adding your site to RSS
Name Nick Turner
Date Nov 12 2009
12:39 AM
It is always nice to revisit your own brand after a few months/years to see if it really does portray you how you want to be seen.
I know I have a little note in my mission statement and business plan about how I see myself and want others to see me.
Name Boitumelo...
Date Nov 18 2009
05:12 AM
wow! thank u very much for enlightening me on a few tips that we sumtyms overlook cos we think they too obvious
Name Keith P
Date Nov 24 2009
02:05 PM
Two things. Firstly, I love the funky design of this page. Secondly, I’ve read scores of books on marketing/branding and your input was really quite refreshing. I like the way you look at things. Thanks for your advice.
Name Raina Van Cleave
Date Jan 13 2010
04:58 PM
Good stuff here. I’m currently transitioning careers, launching my creative skills and developing my right brain. I found this information really helpful in regards to branding myself. Can’t to read part 2 and 3. Thank you!
Name Alan Takushi
Date Feb 01 2010
08:10 PM
Shoot, this was written back in 2005 and I’m just now reading this? I love your writing style matter-of-fact explanations. Look forward to reading the rest after I go inward and find out who I really am. :)
Cheers!
Name Josh Black
Date Mar 01 2010
06:16 AM
Undoubtedly one of the most important features of the 21st c. are the branding either successful companies or famous personalities. Modern British dramatist Tom Stoppard identifies style as the basic mission of the individuality. Very important to remember ones’ roots, be aware of linguistic sophistication, try to behave adequately in all situations, be consistent, be helpful, “and most of all, be honest” .I think that the brandmaker as well as the brandowner are responsible to a great extent for their successful implementation into life. I do absolutely agree with the author that on the way to defining one’s own brand there shouldn’t be a little bit of work but a great deal of it!
Thank you and good luck