Developing a personal brand has always mattered, because reputations and referrals have always been a cornerstone of business success. The phrase personal brand get’s a lot bad press. People fail to understand that it is basically the “presentation deck” called “you”.
The way you introduce yourself to people, from the clothes you wear, the way you shake hands and what’s on your business card, are all part of your personal brand.
Do you hug instead of give handshakes? Being a hugger is part of your story, it’s part of your brand. It is how people identify you, vs. someone else they interact with that is similar.
Having good print collateral can be important for your personal brand regardless of your profession. For one thing, just having print collateral in a world where people scheme about the “death of print”, makes you unique and memorable. Having quality print work, both in the design and in the quality of material matters too, when it comes to making a good impression.
If you’re at a conference, it is more practical to hand out a dozen business cards than to trade smartphone details with a dozen people. It will save time, and if you are smart about it, you can make it a memorable moment. In fact I’ve decided to completely recreate my business cards with my face on them. In traditional business this is frowned upon, but I’m arguing that being remembered by face is more important than following conventional wisdom… I want the business, so I’m willing to risk “going rogue” and flying in the face of convention.
This is the same reason I still encourage my clients to take advantage of print to create experiences, especially if they are someone whose personal brand is directly tied to their business. For authors, photographers, public speakers and consultants this is essential and can help them stand apart from a saturated market. Print is a small price to pay when it comes to buying someones attention.
Here are some creative ways you can leverage print for your personal brand:
- Take advantage of business cards (put your face on them if you go to conferences and networking events)
- Consider using inspirational stickers with quotes and sayings you are known for or want to be associated with
- Print a bookmark with your top 5 tips and a link to your website or even your SnapCode if you’re on SnapChat
- If you’re a photographer or involved in event marketing or event planning consider printing tent cards as leave behinds and advertising for your business
- Use printed t-shirts with your quotes or tagline in your own photos when marketing online,
Here is a video I did explaining personal branding:
Roberto Blake is a Graphic Designer who runs his own one man Design Studio, focusing on Brand Development and Advertising. Roberto has experience in design for print, web and multimedia and has worked on out of home campaigns including billboards featured in Times Square. He is a monthly contributor to Print Media Centr’s News From The Printerverse, and a frequent participant at #PrintChat on Twitter. He is also a contributor for publications such as Print Magazine and How Design and has had work featured in Advanced Photoshop Magazine. Roberto is extremely active in social media, producing multiple YouTube videos each week to assist designers and other creative professionals through advice and tutorials.
Connect with Roberto: robertoblake.com / @robertoblake / rblake@robertoblake.com
