We all like to look good, the young to demonstrate their maturity and eligibility, the not-so-young to prove they are still attractive – and eligible. Our presentation of ourselves is our identity, to others but even more so to who we see in the mirror. At a time when self-confidence is on the wane and uncertainty about our own worth is increasing, how we present ourselves is of critical importance. The fact that we are now in an age of independence increases the need to regard ourselves as an entity that, like any ‘product’, needs promotion.
The time when a company looked after its employees as a family is not completely over. It soon will be. To be prepared we each need to regard ourselves as a brand. A Personal Brand is not the same as a Commercial Brand. Most brands are inanimate and so, to bring them to life, they rely on humanising attributes. Your brand already has a distinctive human personality but is it saying what you want others to hear?
‘Saying’ is a big part of human brand projection. How we sound determines how we are trusted, whether we are liked and if we can be believed. How well do you talk?
Here are some other questions to answer about your brand.
[1] Before meeting someone do I ask myself (a) what I want to learn from the meeting, (b) what is my strategy for doing so and (c) what impression do I aim to leave behind?
[2] When communicating with others do I (a) read them, and the situation they are in, consistently throughout, (b) ask engaging questions and (c) listen professionally?
[3] Do I encourage people by (a) smiling and being pleasant without lying to them (b) confirming their achievements and good points (c) making practical suggestions kindly?
[4] Do I enable those I meet to keep in touch with me and give them the contact data to allow them to do so?
[5] Do I illustrate my reasoning with stories that make the points vividly?
[6] Do I demonstrate enthusiasm for all the opportunities in life? Both resilience and keenness are infectious attributes, better in many cases than chemical medicines. You can perk up the engagement with another person just by being enthusiastic.
There are many more questions you can address to improve your communication with others. AI will produce lists of them for you. These are given because they are the areas most often neglected or forgotten, and yet they are the areas of greatest importance.
You will pay attention to other signs of contact, too. How you dress, the type of vocabulary and pronunciation you use, your personal grooming all contribute to your Brand Promotion. They are mostly peripheral issues. As any good marketer knows, paying attention to the customer is what matters. Paying attention to yourself must remain in the background. The humble person has usually commanded the most successful, and the most durable, image.
Your personal brand matters. It is not only who you are, it is who you want to be.
What we make of ourselves is, in the end, what we make of the world.
If you quack, walk and look like a duck – well, you know the saying.
Here’s to better quacking.
Good morning
John Bittleston
Do quack to us occasionally. We like to hear from you at [email protected].
19 June 2026
