I’ve decided to write a book about personal branding in a digital world. Am I a personal branding guru? Nope. So why am I writing a book about it? There are a few reasons. First, as we become increasingly dependent upon electronic communication, it becomes increasingly important to be able to effectively use the tools at our disposal. Also, I feel we should ensure that we use these tools to build stronger relationships with people rather than inhibit them. Secondly, we have more power to create and distribute content than ever before. We are no longer forced to wait on a publisher to control every piece of the process of disseminating written content. Although there are many benefits to having the opportunity to work with a professional publisher, the point is that we now have much greater ability to make positive impacts than ever before.
In this book, I hope to help people be successful in finding and building a reputation around their authentic self. With suffering employment rates, low levels of happiness, and uncertainty about the future of humanity and the environment, the time is ripe to empower each other to be true to ourselves and each other. I will explain what I feel personal branding is, and more importantly, what it isn’t. I’ll then discuss some of the tools available to use and some of the best ways I’ve seen people put them to work. During the process of writing this book, I will also seek professional advice from people who focus on employment, leadership, organization, and happiness to bring insights from those who are already make it their business to help make positive change happen around them.
With all of that being said (or written rather), I want this book to be something in which you find value. Please send me your questions about personal branding, social media, leadership, followership, and marketing by leaving your comments on this blog or asking me via Twitter (@michaelbmaine). As I work though this book, I will respond to your questions as blog posts.
I never want access to be a limiting factor to obtaining information. So, I’ll be taking an open source approach to the publication of my work. The finished book will be freely available to read, download, and share as a pdf from my website. Enhanced versions will be available at Amazon’s, Apple’s, and Barnes and Noble’s respective ebook stores at a yet-to-be determined price. Lastly, I hope to offer a printed version on sustainable synthetic paper as a collector’s item.
So, what are your thoughts? How can we make this something worth reading?