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Companies are more influential when their executives have a personal brand, and Americans say they are more likely to trust executives who have made an effort to create a personal brand.
Executives, especially in the biopharmaceutical industry, often have not established their personal brands or even agreed that they need one.
“An executive brand enhances and magnifies their unique personality, perspectives and commitments. It is (the act of) establishing yourself as an expert or thought leader in the public sphere,” Karen Tyber Leland, author of The Brand Mapping Strategy: Design, Build, and Accelerate Your Brandsaid Biospace.
“Their brand is represented by what they post on social media, their LinkedIn profile and the content they create, whether it’s podcasts, books, blogs, white papers or presentations.”
In essence, the executive brand should parallel the corporate brand, enhancing it and thus increasing the value of the business.
The benefits of a solid personal brand
The benefits of creating an executive brand accrue to both the company and the executive. Research over the years has shown that when CEOs maintain a personal brand, their organizations are better able to attract and retain employees and build trust with investors and existing and potential customers—even in the biopharmaceutical industry.
The ability to expand your influence is another advantage. As an example, Leland mentions Joshua Peck, founder of TrueCode Capital, a family wealth portfolio manager that developed a cryptocurrency index strategy.
“His LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and he creates notes and regular social media content.” When crypto valuations fell recently and crypto exchange FTX Trading’s troubles began, Peck was ready, she said.
“His branding was spot on. As a result, he was interviewed by Forbes, CBS News, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, The Guardian and Reuters.” These interviews further cemented his position as a thought leader in his industry, but were only possible because he had established a presence before the crisis hit.
There is always news in biopharma. “If executives want to talk about this news, they need to have a platform designed for their brand so they can be ready to be a source for the media,” Leland stressed.
She advised people to start developing their brands as soon as they leave school so that their content is accessible to future employers. Later, when they start companies, “One of the strongest things they can do is create a parallel brand early on,” she said.
Most people will work for multiple companies during their career.
That’s why, as Vicky O’Neill, executive creative director, LifeSci Communications, said Biospace“This means that executives must come to each of these companies with a core set of values, personality and perspective.” Those perspectives and values may grow and evolve over time, but “their core brand must remain consistent’.
Many biopharma executives come from research labs where they focused more on science than personal branding. However, “It’s never too late to start,” O’Neill said. “Start by identifying topics that really embody their brand as well as their company’s brand.”
Deciding what should be in that brand requires strategic thinking. “Understand your position on an area of expertise,” Leyland advised. For example, “Is your position on building a company in a certain entrepreneurial way? Are you trying to create leading edge science or technology?’
Other executive brands are about the concept behind a technology or breakthrough. Bill Gates is a good example. For others, like Elon Musk, personal branding is driven by personality.
No particular type of personal brand is better, Leland said, as long as your brand is authentic to who you are.
Once you’ve determined your executive brand strategy, find opportunities to speak at conferences, be interviewed in the media, write articles, and attend networking events. “Social media is a great tool for inspiring others and engaging a wide audience,” said O’Neill, “so plan a regular series of posts with a consistent tone of voice and message, and add a visual aesthetic to help build a personal brand equity.”
Emphasize your individuality
There is a place for personal touches in an executive brand when they can be linked to a business issue. For example, Leland said, “An executive loves sports and often posts about it, with an analogy connecting sports with business insights. It infuses his personality into his brand.”
Another is passionate about food, so his musings sometimes discuss a specific food or restaurant, delving into what he’s learned about that food or place and why it’s important, framed in the context of his executive brand.
“It wouldn’t hurt to add a more personal post around the holidays to remind your audience that you’re human,” O’Neill said, and that you have the same concerns as your audience.
Most importantly, personal and corporate brands reinforce each other. Thus, “The content should be relevant to the company’s goals and mission and highlight the company in some way,” O’Neill reiterated.
Leland advised to tread lightly on controversial topics unless they help your organization in some way and you are truly committed. “No matter what side of the argument you’re on, you’re going to alienate someone,” she warned, so injecting your personal, political and social opinions into your brand can have consequences.
Personally, she said she keeps controversy away from her own personal brand, “but there’s no one right answer to that.” The right balance, strategy and tactics will vary depending on your audience, goals and markets.
“On social media, you want a two-way, positive dialogue that really engages your followers,” O’Neill said. So if people comment, reply to them as if you were in person and stopped by to chat. Posting frequency depends on the topic and what you have to say. “You don’t want to overwhelm your viewers. I’d say one post a week is good.”
“However, the most important thing is to be consistent and authentic,” O’Neill said. “Don’t try to be someone else because your unique personality makes you stand out.”
The business environment has changed over the past few years, and people care more about what CEOs and senior executives think than ever before.
Nonetheless, “CEO brands tend to be undervalued, so CEOs and other executives tend to see it as optional,” Leland said. “The truth is, it’s not optional anymore. If you don’t build a personal executive or executive brand, you do so at your own peril—for your career and your company.”
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