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Editor's Note: Vanessa Marzán Toro is an expert in strategic communication, a specialist in nonverbal language, consultant and lecturer.
(CNN Spanish) - The term "personal branding" or #marcapersonal is defined as the set of strategies used to manage the image of a person and / or executive as if it were a trademark, with the purpose of adding value in the labor and / or business market. The use and management of the personal brand has evolved over time; Even its relevance has been interpreted from various perspectives.
In the 1800s, personal branding was linked to trust and credibility. That is why if we visit historical archives we will discover that most of the small and large businesses of the time carried the name or surname of their owner. It was the way to communicate to customers that there was a transfer of values to the new product or service.
With the arrival of industrialization, we observed an interesting transition, since the value of a worker or executive in the market or his social status was rather linked to the company for which he worked and the classification in his position. This new way of understanding and living the personal brand is distinguished in the generation of baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964. In the 80s and 90s, brands understand that logos and traditional advertising are not enough to conquer consumers. That is why they incorporate as public ambassadors public figures, mostly sportsmen or famous artists, who are paid to use and talk about their product (influencers). This trend is exemplified by renowned NBA basketball player Michael Jordan with the Nike brand and singer Britney Spears with Pepsi.
The new millennium brought radical changes in personal brand strategies. Honesty and transparency become the preferred values of consumers. Many buyers want to have access to more information about brands and the people who lead them before purchasing the product. For example: is it a socially engaged brand? Do they have values focused on promoting equity and protecting the environment? On the websites of the companies we see photos and biographies of their leaders written in a simple style. Stories more focused on values and vision of executives, than on earnings, numbers and awards.
As a cyclical behavior, in 2020 the power of the personal brand rests with the individual and not with the company he works for. The values, passion, ideas and success that communicates through the various social and professional networks are the elements that generate value to a company or brand. Today, more than ever, tools such as Facebook Live, photo quality, content marketing, personal website, blog writing and podcasting are essential tools for entrepreneurs and executives who wish to tell their stories (storytelling) and enjoy of a solid personal brand that generates value in the labor and / or business market.