People don't buy what you do, they buy who you are.

Our friend Bruce Turkel wrote that in a great email this week.  It’s true for the tourism example he cites, and for any consumer product marketing.  But the branding lesson he teaches is even more true for professional services, like accounting, legal services, or advertising.  Many factors (technical skills, years of experience, pricing) may differentiate our offerings from competitors, but the person a potential client meets and gets to know is really what they choose.

The idea of the personal brand, promoted nearly 15 years ago by Tom Peters, is true even more today.  As I teach our future leaders in Kaufman Rossin University’s Summer Leadership Program, I’m sharing tips for developing and communicating that personal brand.

Will you share yours?  Who are you, what do you have to offer, and what are the special qualities you bring to a relationship?