3 Ways to Treat Your Personal Brand Like a Luxury Brand

In a professional environment that’s becoming seemingly over-saturated with talented college graduates, it can be a daunting task to separate yourself from your classmates. The growth of digital media and social media platforms has brought about the concept of your own, personal brand.

Younger millenials, myself included, may remember being taught from a young age to be wary of what we post on the Internet because it lives forever. This remains to be true; but, in recent years many professionals have used this immortal online presence to their advantage through personal branding.

Now that personal branding has become such a key differentiator for individuals looking for jobs – many students and young professionals alike are looking for “best practices” when crafting their own image. One practice to be considered would be managing yourself with some similarities to a luxury brand by mirroring three aspects of successful luxury brand management. 

1. Stop focusing on the what. While crucial, belaboring the fact that you know Microsoft Excel or have the ability to edit an image on Photoshop creates a brand persona based solely on your utility. It’s great to show skill, but remember that other applicants have various skills as well. To set yourself apart, focus on creating implicit value with your personal branding techniques.

Many times, luxury fashion brands and automobile manufacturers shy away from utility, and focus on value and quality. For example, Louis Vuitton doesn’t focus on how much their bags can carry; rather, they focus on the unique and brand-specific style that they offer to the consumer. Applying this concept to your personal brand will help you stand out from the crowd.

2. Think of your personal brand placement. When we imagine luxury brands, we typically think of where they’re advertised and where we can find their stores. Placement says a lot about the brand. When crafting your personal brand, it is not just important to think about placement in terms of medium (social media platform, blog, website, etc.), but also to think about association. When fashion lines place advertisements in Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, it is a two-way placement association. 

On your social media accounts, take into consideration who/what you want to associate with, and you would like to associate with you. Think of this when you retweet, comment, share an article, or enter into a conversation. This will allow you to shape your brand identity and take full control over what is connected to your personal identity.

3. Don’t be afraid to be unconventional. Luxury brands always appear to be on the cutting edge of content and imagery. They are typically the most stylistic in their promotional mediums and content. While it’s important to remain professional, you should not be afraid to be creative.

With your website design especially, go for a look that suits you. Pursue a layout that speaks to the image you would like to present. Be anything but boring with your personal brand strategies. Pursue a creative, overarching theme for your Instagram, be witty with your Twitter bio, select a sleek, smooth design for your personal website with fonts and colors that demand attention – and surely you’ll get it.

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Of course not all aspects of luxury branding are applicable to your personal brand. You will never want to come off as unattainable or unapproachable. Rather, craft a winning digital presence with these select three, key attributes that major top-tier brands have mastered over the years. This is all because you, as your own luxury brand, have more to offer than just utility.