This post has lots of great ideas for gaining credibility and visibility using social media!! So, it is an excellent read and I highly recommend it!

However, I have a completely different take on “you are the product.”

Frankly, people who do business with you are not looking to buy “you.” They are looking for some desirable result that somehow makes their life better. It may, in fact be the case, that they need your skills and expertise to achieve that desired state – but that doses not make “you” the “product.”

Sure, you and your reputation are often what can convince them that you’re the best choice for delivering, or guiding them to, a desired result. And to the extent that you actually do that, as well as make their experience enjoyable, they are likely to do business with you again…and recommend you to others.

The second reason I have a different take is that I think the “product” metaphor is a bit limited. Today, even if you are selling “products,” you’re ultimately selling services. That means you’re often in situations where you need to build trusted relationships that allow you to be trusted to provide the best value.

And while our reputation certainly factors into gaining trust, it’s not about selling “you.” It’s ultimately about the client, and what the client is trying to achieve. As Harry Beckwith points out in “Selling the Invisible” the core of service marketing is the service itself.

Your four ideas are very rich, and very powerful. And I love the connection to not giving up on your brand. Still I think the single most important element of your four points is their grounding in “your why.”

Knowing why you do what you do is the ultimate differentiator. The clearer you see it for yourself, the better you communicate it to your community…and ultimately, the more attractive and successful you become.

I think Simon Sinek makes a powerful point in saying, “ the goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.” Ultimately, I think it’s important to realize that people are actually buying a desired end result that improves their life in some way.

What your “why” establishes is the reason to choose you.

Seeing that you share common beliefs sets the foundation for the know, like, and trust of doing business. It let’s people know you “get it” and predisposes them to choose to buy from you.

Getting to your “why” is always an exercise in gaining personal clarity; and getting to that is what I think distinguishes our Reach Personal Branding process.

Totally agree re the story – new book out there on this subject by Jim Signorelli – StoryBranding: Creating Stand-Out Brands Through The Power of Story. It has the product/service branding angle but also offers the personal brand perspective.

I love how you put personal branding “fundamentals” into context with Jeremy Lin’s story. I especially like your third point, “Be authentic, remember where you came from.”

I truly believe that it’s life events – both successes and failures – that shape who you are. To overlook them in favor of image creation is a mistake.

Think of your past as your brand story. Knowing it not only keeps your brand grounded in authenticity, but also differentiates you.

What are some ways you “get them to understand that”? I’m curious to learn as this often seems to be a challenge.

Yes, mobile is so important now since so many access via mobile as opposed to sitting at a PC or laptop.