on August 25 | in BUSINESSWISE, CAREERWISE, Featured, LIFEWISE | by admin | with No Comments

Branding and marketing specialist Donna Rachelson bets on authenticity, and here is why you should too.

According to Webster’s English Dictionary, “authentic” is defined as “genuine; real; not of doubtful origin; trustworthy; of attested authority”. We all appreciate authenticity – we are drawn to what is genuine, and shy away from anything that seems fake. Yet often, when it comes to accelerating their careers and building their personal brands, people seem to ditch authenticity. They mistakenly believe that they need to pretend to be someone they are not to get ahead. They act out a role that matches their idea of success. That is the opposite of effective personal branding.

If you are pretending to be someone you are not, people will sense the gap between the brand you are trying to create, and your honest, true personality. This is why creating a personal brand that reflects your genuine strengths is so important; and why marketing your personal brand needs to be undertaken with integrity. Famous American actress and singer Judy Garland once gave the wise advice, “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of someone else”. Being yourself will not only ensure that you are seen as genuine and trustworthy, it will ensure that others can access your knowledge and skills because they are comfortable to engage with you.

Every person has unique strengths and talents that set them apart from others in their professional field. The key to a successful personal brand is to identify what differentiates you, to develop these skills or attributes, and to market them in a way that is authentic. Authenticity also means being vulnerable, which can seem scary. But I believe that being slightly vulnerable to people allows you to build deeper, longer-lasting, and more beneficial relationships.

Authenticity is relevant in a number of areas regarding personal branding.

Read the full story in the digital magazine, Issue 15, page 16.

Click here to view the full story

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