Contributed by Elisa-Marie Dumas, Vice President of Development at ION Member Organization Watermark.
The original blog post appeared at: http://www.wearewatermark.org/2011/10/differentiate-yourself-personal-branding-for-board-access/

“Personal Branding” has become an exceedingly popular term, and it seems to be on everyone’s lips these days. Frequently, personal branding is understood as nothing more than crafting a strong social media presence- translating your personality and thought leadership into active and robust accounts.

Although social media can be leveraged to heighten your brand, personal branding is more fundamental than posting on your Twitter account a couple of times a day. It reaches beyond your online presence and should be reflected in your communications, leadership style, and even in your decision-making process.

A good brand presents something marketable, a unique identity with something exceptional to offer. It has its own voice, its own identity, its own style and its own ideas. It operates differently than its competitors, and it’s instantly recognizable.

Just like a good brand- you also present something marketable and unique, with a special style, voice and identity. The question is: how do you develop your personal brand, and how do you leverage it when you have a specific career goal in mind- such as joining a public and private board?

The first step is to start seeing yourself as a product to be marketed. Get ready to take an objective look at your strengths and get ready to promote them! Part of building a personal brand is a willingness to market yourself. Reticence to self-promote is common specifically within women of the Boomer generation, which is the generation of professional women primed to fill board seats.

When seeking a board role, oftentimes candidates don’t present anything more than their resume: their professional milestones and career trajectory. While those details are certainly important, the fact is that they don’t tell the whole story. At the end of the day, you’re much more than the sum of your career successes, are you not?

The trick is to identify and present the quantifiable value that you bring to the table: What undervalued talents do you possess that set you apart from your peers? What makes you an incredible leader? What’s your “impact story”- the way your style and decision making has impacted your company’s bottom line?

It’s important to get very specific; many people try to be everything, a generalist, when going after a board seat. It’s far easier for boards or board recruiters to see a fit for you within their board matrix when you can really articulate how you’re different- and better – than your competition.

Convey these values to the people that matter most, and present them in a straightforward, confident, and assertive manner. It will set you apart from other one-note candidates, and you’ll be perceived as a multifaceted, dynamic and valuable asset, someone that the company can’t succeed without.