Branding generally tends to be a function of marketing, which is something I agree with for the overall company. As salespeople, we need to align ourselves with the company’s brand so that customers can get a consistent experience. However, our individuality will eventually bubble up and oftentimes can become more prominent than the company brand. I think it is fair to say that every salesperson has their own personal brand that is easily linked to their personality and style, but we are often so unaware of it that it mostly becomes unintentional. You would think that your brand as a salesperson would be straightforward, but it is interesting how differently each of us defines the role of a salesperson. Some salespeople consider themselves educators, others fashion themselves as sales consultants, and of course there are those who want to be thought of as the cool customer buddy. But it seems that the days when we prided ourselves on being sales professionals have gone by the wayside. Perhaps it is too old-fashioned or too vague, but it feels like we as salespeople are losing our professional edge when it comes to how we present ourselves to customers.
When you describe yourself or aspire to be a professional in any field, it gives you a sense of pride in who you are and what you do. Lately, it seems like we’ll do anything to avoid calling ourselves salespeople. We choose titles such as account executive, sales consultant, and customer relationship manager. Let’s be direct—you’re not fooling the customers, so don’t fool yourselves. We all know that we are salespeople, and frankly, we should be proud of that. When we adopt professionalism as our personal brand, we are creating an expectation with ourselves, our customers, and our co-workers about a standard of excellence that we intend to live up to. You will never find a customer who doesn’t want to work with a professional, so it is something we should embrace as our personal brand and challenge ourselves to improve upon constantly. Here is what it means to have professionalism as your personal sales brand.
- Present yourself with intention – Your appearance and demeanor consistently reflect a high standard. It’s the first thing customers notice, so make it count.
- Communicate with purpose – Every interaction is clear, respectful, and aligned with professionalism. This helps customers feel heard and understood.
- Shape the customer experience – You take responsibility for how customers perceive working with you. Be constantly aware of how your processes affect them.
- Pursue continuous improvement – You treat professionalism as a daily discipline, not a one-time effort. Always look for opportunities to learn and grow.
- Build trust through consistency – Your reliability becomes a defining characteristic of your personal brand. Become the kind of salesperson customers can always count on.
