Brace yourself because some of you are about to be offended by my brutal honesty. Lately when I started to hear everyone complaining about Personal Branding and Social Media, I fully agreed with their criticism. Everyone needs to stop the ass kissing and start being real. Honestly, I've been ODing on everyone PBing themselves for sometime now! Translation = I can't take the Personal Branding craze! Seriously, this shameless self-promotion stuff has got to stop! I feel like I'm back in high school watching the social misfit, who is desperate to fit in, try every trick in the book to gain attention. The only difference is we are no longer in high school. Instead this has graduated to Gen-Y's use of Social Media. It's nauseating to witness. If all the so-called Personal Branding experts would stand before Simon Cowell he would shake his head in disgust and in that smug, British accent say..."It’s dreadful, truly dreadful. I'm bored. I don't understand what you're trying to do. Tell me what the point is."
Maybe it's just that I don't understand how people can make a career out of Personal Branding, or maybe I just think it's an annoying career? Either way, I hate to be a hater, but it just feels like constant self-promotion. And essentially that's all Personal Branding is, which of course makes it slightly worse than a pushy salesman that is trying to sell you something. Because in the case of the self-proclaimed Personal Branding expert, they are trying to sell themselves! Wait...wouldn't that be similar to whoring?
We live in a society where status has become everything and image has leveraging value. We are constantly bombarded with branding, especially Personal Branding. You, Inc.! A Brand Called You! Brand Yourself! Inc. Yourself! Some would say go F yourself! Far too many people are concerned about how they "look" to other people when they should be focusing on who they REALLY are. Do you even know who you are anymore? You’ve turned your identity into a brand and in the process lost your true self. It’s sad really. And in a way, I feel sorry for them. I watch these people obnoxiously plug their blog posts countless times a day on Twitter and spend hours upon hours thinking of ways to promote themselves. One more follower. One more subscriber. One more fan. One more hit. Driving traffic to all their social media platforms has become their obsession, their drug of choice!
I feel like they are the type of people that buy into those "get rich quick" schemes that run on late night TV, that Personal Branding will bring them fame and fortune. For whatever reason, they seem to believe that if they name drop themselves and their web address enough that somehow they will be the next big brand! That people will remember me. People will like me. And they will know my name. Nope, sorry. Nike and Pepsi you are not and probably won’t ever be. All you're doing is irratating people and making them sick to death of you! I know, I know. The truth hurts, but someone had to say it.
The biggest problem with Personal Branding is there’s no sincerity. Because there’s no way in hell you absolutely LOVE every person you come across and think they are brilliant! We all know there are times when you disagree with them, but lack the balls to say so for fear of hurting your own "brand." It’s like your looking to be re-elected when you were never elected to begin with. Campaigning for office, but the office doesn’t exist! I’m just so sick of seeing Personal Branding experts handing out the equivalent of a virtual chocolate chip cookie to everyone they see who makes a nice poopie. It’s ridiculous! Being fake hurts a "brand" far more than being real. Even though everyone loves being complimented, insincere compliments can be seen a mile away, as can hollow connections and fake friendships. Sincerity and integrity go hand-in-hand. And I don’t see how anyone in Personal Branding could go very far without them. You've made yourself into a gimmick.
There is a big difference in how you appear to others, versus how you truly are. The difference is supposed to be in meaning, not in being. When you are authentic, you appear to others the way you truly are. When you aren’t authentic, your true face shows up in ways that are often shocking and unpleasant to others. Personal Branding is like a lot of hot air being pumped out at an amazing speed. Inflating one’s self is superficial, short lived, and often triggers some ugly demise that can create widespread harm. AKA, your peers hating you. And what could be worse to the high schooler, or in this case the Personal Branding expert, than your peers hating you? Bottom line, no one cares about your Personal Brand.
I enjoy mixing a small dose of hypocrisy in with a good old fashioned tongue lashing. So I will admit that I let TwitterFeed send out an auto Tweet on my behalf when I publish a new post to my blog, but other than that, I do my best not to PB myself. If people want to (note the hyperlinking) read my blog or follow me on Twitter - great! And if they don't, that's fine too. I just refuse to cram it down their throat. I don't need or want attention that bad. Being viewed negatively in order to see my name in (virtual) lights doesn't sound like a good trade-off. Honestly, I don’t even know what they are selling, or if anyone is even buying! I just know I hate how it’s packaged. So stop spoon feeding it to me. Please.
***NOTE***
If you feel me on this post, please ReTweet...because irony is beautiful like that.
46 comments:
I can't even tell you how many discussions I've had with people about this personal branding bullshit.
I find that the people who are interesting enough on their own don't have to worry about personal branding. I'd venture to say that if someone is spending their time promoting all their bullshit, then they are probably pretty unsexy in real life. And, come on, no one wants to be around that.
David, you touch on one of my big issues...real life vs. virtual. I just can't help but wonder what people are like in real-life, in so many cases I honestly think "they can't really be like this?" To me, your personal brand is nothing more than who you are and how you present yourself--both online and offline. You're not anonymous anywhere and you have to remember that. People will always size you up and see straight through insincerity. I'm with you in that I don't seen anything wrong with tweeting about a new post or linking (I do both when a new column comes out) but I try not to cram it constantly. Thank you for being bold enough to say what a lot of us are really thinking.
The unfortunate thing is that those who need to hear this will not listen. The bad personal branders are not just narcissistic. They are the ones who actually and truly believe that what they are doing is right and they are building their brand and connections.
Dan Schawbel has destroyed so many people. And like Elisa said, the people that need to ehar this, won't. People pretty close to you and I if I may say so.
If you worry about Personal Branding, then you are not remarkable. Outstanding people upset others. If everyone likes you, then you're a loser.
I've seen what you're talking about, David. And at best, it is pathetic.
I admit that I would like a few more followers for my blog. But I don't obsess over it: After all, it's not really that special other than as a medium to show off some of my work.
I suppose that's why I don't feel the need to break into Facebook, Twitter, or Livejournal.
i completely agree. in terms of blogs, i follow people who i like because i like what they have to say. not because i'm hoping they follow me too. you can tell people who do that, people who just want quantity instead of quality. i will take the latter everyday.
great post
.kisses.
Finally, someone said it out loud! I've had discussions with people about this topic for so long I'm sick of it. I don't have a twitter account and don't intend to go there. Not sure why but it isn't me. Some tried to literally force me into this and that just got me thinking. Do we really need that? Not judging if it's something you all do/like but it's not me. And, I'm happy if anyone ever reads my blog. Good for them. I'm flattered if more followers come along but won't be mad if not. I had people stop following me because I didn't follow them. Who cares?! Really.
Thank god! Finally someone is speaking up! For awhile I thought I was the only one who didn't want this squeaky clean and fake image. When I think of personal branding, I think of huge egos. I am over it, it's boring and it's so 2008. Thank you for putting a voice to what so many people are thinking.
You're a very passive writer and come off as very whiney.
The passiveness also shows that you like confrontation, but you aren't completely confident in what you're saying.
If you want people to listen, tell them what to think, don't tell us what YOU think.
And you didn't spell narcissistic correctly.
Bra - effing - vo!
I find that the people who are interesting enough on their own don't have to worry about personal branding.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!
The italics says it all. If you build it, and it's compelling, they will come. There is no need to push yourselves on people and/or pretend your something you're not. And those people you do schmooze and ass kiss will not tell you the truth. They will ass kiss back just so they can get a link back to their blog or a mention in an upcoming post. It's phony, transparent and lacks authenticity.
Show, don't tell. If you have to remind people every day that you're popular, you're not.
Social Media is only half the battle. If you don't have word of mouth that comes from people other than those in your little enclave or clique, then you will not thrive or survive. And if you can only exist as long as everyone gets you or likes you, then leave the internet now.
skimming the comments on my way to the post a comment button, i stumbled on Tyler Hurst's. Umm what? "If you want people to listen, tell them what to think, don't tell us what YOU think." i think that may be some of the worst advice i've ever heard. when people tell me what to think i shut my ears off.
back to my comment. i'm always flattered when i get a new follower on my blog, but i think having thousands and shoving my blog down throats would put too much pressure on me to write amazing things. my writing is not amazing, but it's me, and if you like it great! but if not, whatever.
Tyller...(spelled it wrong on purpose just to irk you)
Hey, I’ve always admitted I spell like a 2-year-old so insulting me on poor spelling doesn’t exactly break my heart. Although it does show that you don’t have something valuable to say in terms of debating this subject, so you result to nitpicking at a spelling error.
Let me get this straight. You want me to TELL YOU what to think rather than express what I think? So basically you want me to order you around like a child and not treat you like an adult who can think for himself? Ooook. I think you just insulted every person in the world when you say they need to be told what to think rather than think for themselves.
Of course the so-called Personal Branding experts believe this is how the world operates – tell the public what to think of you (that you’re great) because they are too stupid to draw their own conclusion of who you really are (which is a douchebag).
Honestly dude, I think you’re just bitter because everything I wrote in this post rings true to you. And let me assure you that I’m completely confident when I say nobody cares about your brand. Furthermore, people are laughing at you wearing your own brand on your t-shirt! I mean are you serious? Talk about douchy – wow.
lol
your reply was priceless
LOL That Tyler guy is silly,"...don't tell us what you think."
Um, call me crazy but can't you say whatever you want bc it's your blog? And isn't it's a choice to read a particular blog or not?
(If people don't agree with what's being written on someone's blog then don't read it. Unfollow. No big deal.)
BUT I understand there is a point to self promotion and personal branding but when it becomes annoying then obviously the person doing the pushing isn't doing a very good job.
That's all of my two cents!
I understand where you are coming from and sometimes personal branding gets a bad rap, but a successful brand is based on authenticity anyways. You need to be the real you because that is how people can connect with you.
Personal branding isn't about manipulation of image. Instead it's about knowing who you are and what value you can contribute to others.
I’m a techtard as David calls it so I really don’t know what personal branding is exactly, but I have to say that from this description & rant it sounds super annoying! A vacuum cleaner sales pitch comees to mind.
jen
Hey, this is a great post and I completely agree with what you're saying! The problem with personal branding is that people become obsessed with trying to get more hits to their blog and trying to be seen as the leader/expert in x topic.
But like you said, the people who are truly good at what they do? They don't need personal branding to make it.
I'll say that I too am a hypocrite in many ways. I plug my blog on Twitter and of course, am happy to get more hits/subscribers. But I'm not obsessed with it, because ultimately I want my own accomplishments in real life to overshadow any personal branding I might try to engage in.
Personal Brading...OMG! My anut speaks like this, "Whats your brand...we are selling an image." I love her but, where is the line between truth and lies. At one point do you stop being the "image" and how far are you willing to go just to get people to buy the shit your selling. At some point you'll loose yourself to the BRAND. I hang up on telemarketers and sometime I wish I could hang up on all the Self Branding. I can hardly stand the bull shit.
Fan-effing-tastic post!
HA! This one is for you!
http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/10-personal-branding-predictions-for-2010/
Awww crap. Now I feel like you were speaking to me when writing this. I don't know. I try not to advertise so much, but at the same time, I want those people who read my blog to be aware that a new post is up or something. This post is making me think twice about how much self-promotion I let myself use. I'm glad you posted this. The last think I want people to think is that I'm a narcissist...because I'm not. I put pictures of myself up and stuff, and everytime I do, I hope that people don't see me as an attention whore. That's not who I am. But I'm worried others may think I'm fake and full of myself. This post makes me want to go check on my blog and take out anything that makes me look like a self-centered A-hole. So here I go...
Dan...
I agree. And as a fellow entrepreneur, I realize we all need to market ourselves to a point. Naturally the Internet seems like a great place to do so because you can easily reach out to millions of people from all around the world! Basically, it’s a marketer’s dream come true.
However, Personal Branding has left a bad taste in my mouth (and apparently in the mouths of others) because we don’t even know what the "Personal Branding experts" are even selling! It’s all just a blur. To me it resembles the lifestyle of an aspiring Hollywood actor with dreams of making it big. They are always name dropping, always trying to make connections, always trying to hang with the in-crowd...and why? I just don’t get it.
Sometimes I think they don’t even know what they are selling! It would be different if they were marketing an actual service they can deliver on - like they can fix your car, take your wedding photos, design web graphics for you, etc. But to me, it seems they are more or less just saying..."Follow me on Twitter! Read my blog! Join my Facebook fan page. I don’t know why you should lookup to me, but just do it."
Anonymous...
Wow, you really think my post here inspired that post of Dan's? Hey, maybe he can help set all the Personal Branders straight.
On a side note, I thought it was funny that someone e-mailed me about Tyler Hurst saying they unfollowed him on Twitter today. I didn't even know who he was until he commented on my post! That's just proof that Personal Branding doesn't work because I didn't even know he existed, despite the fact he wears his own brand on his t-shirt!
No, no, no, Amy. This post DEFINETLY didn’t apply to you! :)
It’s completely fine to Tweet a new post when it’s published or share something you did that you’re proud of. No problem there and I do it myself.
The problem is when people devote their entire life to promoting themselves, constantly and obsessively. That’s what Personal Branding is. It’s like their career, but I really don’t see how the vast majority of those involved in Personal Branding make any type of decent income from it. Dan Schawbel is the exception to that, but there are few Dan’s out there, VERY FEW!
HA! Maybe it did. Yeah, I didn't even know him either. This was the first time I've EVER seen him even leave a comment on your blog. You can tell he was upset about the post because it referred to people like him. HA!
Amen to that.
I would just like to address Tyler's comment. Did you even read anything he just said? He is talking about being yourself, and being true to yourself. How is telling people what to think being true to one's self? If you had really looked at the number of David's subscribers/commenters (I don't think this is a word, but I don't care) you would know people are listening, just maybe not to you.
This is the best post that I have read by you. I used to obsess about the number of followers and in turn would follow bloggers that I didn't enjoy 100%. I don't do that anymore and feel so much better about myself.
Like others, it's nice to know that I'm not alone in thinking "personal branding" is a bunch of bullshit. As I'm fond of saying:
I'm a PERSON, not a BRAND.
The issue is that so many people sell "products" that they become associated with the products and thus the individual becomes synonymous with their product, hence where the "personal branding" idea starts. But usually the self-involved assholes who trumpet self-promotion have no product hence they strive to become the product, and knowing they have nothing of real value to offer, have to amp up their personalities and hollow buzzwords and lies; which is why they are seen as the full of it by those individuals who can actually see through such malarky.
Unfortunately, a lot of these talentless windbags are rewarded for such behavior. Which is why I feel compelled to disagree with you on one point: "The only difference is we are no longer in high school."
Either up to, or after, a certain point (I haven't figured out which) most of what goes on in the "real world" is still ALL just like high school. Same people. Same delusions. Same bullshit.
Rock on.
I think everything I would have wanted to add has already been eloquently expressed in the first few comments. Ironically, those first few folk who are commenting are people with whom I've had the pleasure of establishing relationships with NOT because of their personal brand but because of who they are as people.
I think that's what some of these people are forgetting -- branding for a market or a product is fine, but when you have people attached to it, that's when it gets all skewed. Authenticity goes a long, long way and even on the internet it's easy to see through someone. The emphasis should be on the personal, not branding. Life should be about making connections, not about selling...Or selling out.
That's my starry-eyed view, anyway. But then again, I dream of sunflowers and puppy dogs.
Great post, David. Nice job in articulating something that has seemed to be on the blogosphere's mind for awhile.
I’m loving reading through the comments here. Great feedback!
That sounded very Personal Branding speech-ish or me just now, huh? ;)
Speaking of Personal Branding speeches, I can’t help but say “huh” everytime I listen to someone go on about what they “do” (for lack of a better word) in terms of Personal Branding. It just sounds like a lot of fluff.
They throw in all these fancy words and important made-up titles to describe who they are and why you should think they are awesome. However, there isn’t any substance behind it. So once they stop talking, the listener/reader is left feeling confused.
The only comparison I came make to it is listening to Sarah Palin speak. Like Palin, Personal Branding experts, talk in circles. At first it sounds intelligent and informative. So you keep listening like they are going to teach you something or make a point, but once they finish speaking, you realize you just wasted your time. You are left feeling like "huh, what just happened?"
Can I ask what may be a stupid question? If not, too bad. That's what's happening.
What is personal branding? I'm getting an inkling of what it might be from the other comments, but I've never heard the term before.
I could look it up independently, but then I wouldn't have an excuse to comment.
I don't think auto tweeting a link to a new blog post one time is PB whoring. I think it's just a good practice to let people know when there's something new on your site, as opposed to hoping they remember to check it among all the other blogs they follow.
Anyways, good point. I think with the anonymous/manufactured quality of a blogging/online persona so many people forget what makes them unique. I've always found it's much more meaningful, and better at building relationships, to post an honest comment on someone else's blog than to spam your own activity through social media.
Tina...
The terms "Personal Branding" and "Social Media" are defined in my post. Just click on the links to them. It will take you to the Wikipedia page explaining what they are.
Sometimes the only thing people can sell is themselves.
Wait, that didn't come out right.
Basically I have nothing of importance to contribute here. As you were.
Oh okay. I still don't 100% understand it though. I went to art college, I don't know what any of this corporate gobbledygook is.
Carry on.
It will run its course.
"Word of mouth" and intrigue will make a comeback someday. Mysterious cards with just a name and number.
Occupation listed as "you know".
Wait, that might be the card of a prostitute.
Can't we just go back to hard copy portfolios and mysterious club meetings where we wear silly hats and swap trade secrets?
Here's the kicker though. Real promotion and real networking happen face to face. Online connections and personas don't mean squat in real business (yet). Those people dedicated to personal branding are missing the point.
Those other people that still peel their ass out of their Herman Miller chair and go to relevant events in their industry still have the upper hand.
You have to make relationships and network real time with real people.
Oooh, a Herman Miller chair is on my x-mas wishlist!
:o|
and I want a sonicare toothbrush. That is a nerd draw Sir David.
Agreed.
As you know, I recently wrote a post on the same subject. I asked people if they think personal branding can go too far, and my personal answer was yes. I'm totally with you. There are some blogs I just can't read anymore because they ooze "I'm the shit," and make me sick to my stomach.
The saddest part about all of this personal branding overload is that people are losing themselves in it all. I couldn't have said it better than this: "Far too many people are concerned about how they "look" to other people when they should be focusing on who they REALLY are. Do you even know who you are anymore? You’ve turned your identity into a brand and in the process lost your true self."
Thanks David for speaking out about this issue. The fact that we've both gotten so much support for our posts just goes to show that we're not the only ones who feel this way. I just hope our message reaches the people it needs to reach.
The only way I PB myself is through Twitter - like you I 'twit' new post. Other than I don't care. All I want is for people to enjoy my posts. I'm open to criticisms too - negative or positive. But I feel you and as you kindly point out: irony is beautiful so do check my blog! LOL
Yeah Sam, your post and a post from Carlos Miceli sort of inspired this rant of mine. :)
In a way, I was happy to hear so many other people fed up with Personal Branding because I knew I couldn't be alone is my strong dislike for it.
By the way, your post and Carlos's were great!
You sound bitter and jealous. What is your problem?
Jealous? Maybe you didn’t understand the post because what is there to be jealous about? Annoyed is more of the word. Honestly, a monkey could do the same thing. Hell, TwitterFeed is a bot and it does the same thing!
If you look at some of the so-called Personal Branding expert’s blogs, I have close to 2,000 subscribers and they have about 100...and that is with them whoring out their post links all day long and me basically doing nothing to promote myself/my blog.
There is a HUGE difference between someone building an empire like Donald Trump and someone building a sandcastle like most Personal Branding gurus.
Hmm...I'm with Amy here. I never heard of this term before and I'm wondering if I'm guilty. I don't use twitter much anymore but I do have my new posts autolinked on facebook - but all those people are my friends and fellow bloggers who do the same thing (so I don't think it annoys anyone and if it does they can hide me, right?). I'm not sure what else is considered going too far. From your description it sounds like you mean people like Rachael Ray - but then in one of your comments you mentioned Trump, and like him RR started an empire. I'm wondering then how you think people get themselves "out there"? What's the difference between someone who is trying to be informative and someone who is self promoting or branding? I understand going too far and being annoying but I guess I'm unclear on what the limit is.
Thank god someone else feels this way!
It's great if someone is excited about whatever project they're working on -- but I can't handle people being fake just to get readers, or hits to their website, or some kind of networking thing. I think it's particularly bad in NY.
I agree part of what you said and its kind of hurting LOL! I share part of the guilt hehe :D thanks David for being so transparent.
Jules
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