Measuring Personal and Organizational Success

Building, Assessing, and Measuring Effectiveness of Personal and Organizational Branding Techniques: A New Marketing Perspective in the Technology Sector

Scholars and practitioners contend that technology is an integral part of marketing and branding. As more technologies continue to enter different markets, there is a need to understand how specific and unique technologies are used to satisfy the needs of companies and consumers.

The pace, context, and scope of technology, continue to evolve. As such, marketing and business professionals must continue to keep up with the latest trends in technology to ensure companies are investing in the right solutions (in support of strategic branding initiatives) to remain competitive.

As it relates to personal branding, it is paramount that marketing professionals apply a set of technological tools and techniques that support personal and organizational branding. As such, it can be argued that there is a direct correlation between personal branding and a company’s overall branding strategies. Understanding this relationship allows marketing professionals to create campaigns that are unique and relevant.

Technology in the 21st Century

Technologies in the 21st century have changed the way organizations conduct business, generate context, and tell stories. As more technological solutions (including systems, applications, and mobile solutions) enter different markets, organizations have better opportunities to find solutions that meet their strategic needs.

While different technologies can be used to convey a specific message, the number of technologies available in the marketplace places a burden on researchers given the number of channels and information available to professional marketers and consumers.

Technology, Research, and Personal Branding

Given the number of technologies and information available in the market, marketing professionals are faced with the need to invest more time in conducting research to ensure their personal brand is built around the strategic goals and objectives of the organization and the needs and wants of consumers. Researching the current state of the market and understanding how to forecast future additions and/or changes is crucial for building a personal brand that is influential and impacting a personal and a company’s image.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology in the Context of Personal Branding

There are many advantages that technology brings to personal branding. These advantages include creating a brand identity for a person, letting a person be known by the target audience, building brand credibility, showcasing a person’s specialty, connecting with a target audience, and supporting an organization’s brand.

Technological advances can also become a constraint for personal branding as a person needs to understand how technology can be used to bolster their own personal brand. In other words, a person needs to understand technology and how to apply it in the right context. Because technology changes and adapts on a regular basis this can pose a risk when building a personal image.

The Value of Personal Branding

Effective personal branding can become a differentiator that helps a person to be competitive while building trust with organizations and consumers. Personal branding also helps a person to be known for their skills and contributions while also helping companies project their image.

A survey conducted by Career Builder (2018) showed that seventy percent of employers use social media as a hiring tool. Therefore, a strong personal brand can mean getting a job faster than other competitors. This study also found that forty-three percent of employers navigate through social media channels to monitor current employees. Career Builder found companies do better in conferences and events when their employees have a strong personal brand. To this end, a strong personal brand helps organizations attract and recruit the best talent available in the market.

Leveraging Technology Solutions to Establish and Maintain Personal Brands

Technology (if used efficiently) can help people share their personal brands with other organizations and consumers around the world. In a sense, technology bolsters a person’s unique perspective, style, and personal contributions. Technology can also be used to advertise a person’s unique skills and abilities as well as their association with other people and organizations (expanding a person’s professional footprint and influence).

Maximizing Opportunities, Bridging Gaps, and Minimizing Risk

Technology is proven to have a positive effect on finding opportunities, bridging gaps, and minimizing risks for organizations and people who wish to build a strong brand. In terms of opportunities, technology can be used to research the state of the environment (and the different markets) and to adopt solutions that are innovative and revolutionary. Technology can also be used to bridge gaps in current technology solutions and techniques in support of contemporary branding techniques. Finally, technology can be used to minimize the risk in the deployment of current and future projects supporting branding initiatives.

Measuring Personal and Organizational Branding Success

An organization’s brand is a direct reflection of the people in charge of creating brand campaigns and strategies. Therefore, a successful personal brand is known to have a positive effect on a company’s strategic brand initiatives. To this end, there is a plethora of technology solutions that can be used as part of efforts that ensure the success of personal branding initiatives that support personal and professional goals.

Personal Branding and Technologies in the Future

It is expected that technology will continue to grow and evolve at a rapid pace. To build and maintain a strong personal brand a person (professional) needs to employ agile techniques that support these changes. To remain competitive (and to continue supporting an organization's value), there needs to be constant research and adaptation to the latest technological advances.