Your Personal Brand

by | 03.31.2014

Neptun. Geraldina Sposa. Kolonat. Lincoln Center. Mon Cheri. AMC. Glina.

Which of these brands catches your attention?

When you see the logo for this brand on an advertisement, in a store, or online, what comes to your mind? Which conjures up positive thoughts in your mind such as enjoyment, fun, success, expertise, efficient, thrilling?

Each of these organizations has a marketing plan. They have a plan for how they add value to your life–as their customer–and how they’ll capture value from you in return. If the brand has added value to your life, you’re likely to have those positive thoughts when you see the logo or the brand name.

Personal Brands

Social media expert Gary Vaynerchuk asserts that we have entered the era of personal brands. That is, through face-to-face experiences in the classroom, a coffee with colleagues, and social media interaction, your name carries value.

Ratemyprofessors.com is one website that captured the idea of personal brand for educators in the US. Students rate their professors. New students read the ratings and take professors that are rated well. The results? Excellent part-time professors have full classes. Poorly rated part-time professors have classes canceled due to low-enrollment. 

Are we at that point yet in Albania? Maybe. Maybe not. But social networking has made it possible to rate professors and improve brand image in a way was not possible just a few years ago.

How do you Improve your Brand Ratings?

What do people think of when they hear your name? Does your name conjure up positive thoughts in the minds of your students? What about in the minds of your students’ friends? Or in their parents’ minds? People that have never been in your classroom but have heard about you.

  1. Work hard. Nothing valuable in life is easy. Put in the hours to be the best teacher.
  2. Surprise your students. Every good teacher does what their supposed to do. Set yourself apart but surprising your students. Your student will never forget the day when you take him aside to give personal feedback for a minute after

One Last Point

Sandy Dunbar. Eric Paulson. Mimoza Djepaxhi. These teachers have strong brand ratings. In the minds of their students, do you know what these names conjure up? Excellence. Expertise. Fun. Innovative. Inspiring.

Why do I mention these people? Remember those of you who thought, “C’mon Josh. My students don’t talk to their friends about me! And if they do, that doesn’t change my brand ratings.”  Look at this! Now you have three teachers you’ve never met and who you now think are excellent instructors.

Personal branding. It’s real.

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