Blog324Igniting your brand means respecting yourself and having no excuses about what you need to do to find your definition of success.

Know the difference between a staged brand and a sealed brand.

staged brand is a person who baits people to ask questions about them and will often post information that makes them appear narcissistic and exhibit traits of Machiavelli syndrome. The sad news is that this person may be showcasing a lie about whom they really are and how they really feel. This staging is time consuming for the person posting this information and draining to them because they are looking for reaction and often want sympathy or attention.

The sealed brand is a strategic brand that is protected by the investment they made in knowing themself, standing by what they believe and discerning what discussions they will participate in and which they will walk away from based on their values, character, and traits. To become a sealed brand, it is clear to others you respect yourself and your privacy, and you can manage your emotions.

Success story (sealed brand):

Avery was an exceptional leader and so respectful of who she was and true to herself and her brand. Her confidence made her a leader in the company we worked for, even though her title was not in the top leadership structure. I learned from Avery that I needed to be true to what I believed in and to not conform to what others wanted me to be. Avery was an excellent communicator and she had strong persuasion skills.

As she was promoted at the company we worked at, she was asked to attend an image class; the goal of the class was external branding. After the class Avery was now wearing a little makeup and keeping up doing very manicured nails. It just was not Avery. She was a very natural woman and this new push to change her external was not fit. Sadly, personal branding often pushes people to fit the judgments of what people believe about you and what you should be. Avery broke the mold and left the company and is now a successful leader in another company. Avery is passionate about her mission and she helps people in her community and her company. Avery earns respect because she has her internal campaign in motion and she has a created a culture of success in her department.

Be true to whom you are by working on your strategic personal brand and avoid staged personal branding.

Katherine Miracle is the founder and CEO of Miracle Resources, a marketing, public relations, and training firm that helps clients increase revenue and awareness. She is a strategic personal branding expert and the author of “Your Strategic Personal Brand.” She can be reached at [email protected] or Twitter.