Personal Branding Vs Business Branding: Overview, Advantages & More

What Is Personal Branding?

Personal branding is any action that attempts to establish and influence public perception of an individual. This can be done by positioning them as an authority in their industry, promoting their personal achievements, and building a reputation based on goals and values that differentiate them from the competition. 

One of my favorite examples of a personal brand is Gary Vaynerchuk. While he operates a very successful media company with its own business branding, Gary has established a wildly popular brand for himself as well. Entrepreneurs look to him for business advice when trying to build and grow their own companies. 

Advantages of Personal Branding

• People trust people more than they trust brands, so a personal brand can have a bigger impact on the behaviors and decisions of the audience
• The opportunity to share personal stories strengthens the business brand by making both sides feel more relatable
• Personal brands can take audiences with them if they pivot to another venture or business

Disadvantages of Personal Branding 

• Pivoting to another venture or business can confuse the audience
• Maintaining a personal brand demands additional time and energy, otherwise it loses the equity built over time
• Personal brands have a reflection on associated businesses, so communication needs to remain in sync with company-related messaging

What Is Business Branding?

Business branding is any action that attempts to establish and affect public perception of a business. This can be done by communicating the brand purpose and values, developing visuals and messaging associated with the brand, positioning it as an authority in the industry, and promoting its accomplishments.

Advantages of Business Branding

• Branding for a business can be done by more than one person, so the work can get done whether you’re there or not
• The audience may be more wide-reaching than that of a personal brand, depending on the history of the business
• Business branding is more high-level and doesn’t depend on the same level of transparency that makes a personal brand successful

Disadvantages of Business Branding

• People trust brands less than they trust people
• It can be more difficult for businesses to stand out than it is for individual people
• Since it’s less personal, the branding that’s done for businesses may be more susceptible to competition and customer churn

Examples of Personal and Business Brands Working Together

If you’re not sure which to choose — personal branding vs business branding — perhaps you can use both. Here are some examples of this exact approach:

Dr. Paul Ekman / Paul Ekman Group

Paul Ekman Group literally wouldn’t be what it is without Dr. Paul Ekman, the world’s expert on emotions and co-founder of micro expressions. While the Group promotes the research of Dr. Ekman, and the training programs based on that research, Dr. Ekman also leverages personal branding to reach another audience that’s incredibly engaged.

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Gary Vaynerchuk / VaynerX and Many, Many Other Businesses

Gary Vaynerchuk has a personal brand that’s quite possibly more recognizable than those of his multiple businesses, and that’s because his personal approach to entrepreneurship is what created successful organizations in the first place. Business starters and owners seek the advice of Mr. Vaynerchuk because of his accomplishments, yet his personal brand supports what has happened — and will continue to happen — with his companies. 

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Learn More About Branding

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