"I also hear that writing as a script since it will likely be turned into an audio essay."
Smart. I'm learning the hard way. My most-read post had a bulleted list of stats in the middle. I was goofy enough to recite the data verbatim in the audio version. When I listened a few weeks later, it was unbearable. A lot of people don't like *reading* stats. But no one — no one! — wants to listen to them.
One thing that works for me is rewriting them in a less precise way. So instead of 53%, it's "more than half" in my script. It kills me—I love precision and there's something so powerful about the precision of stats. But at least I get the point across... (unless I don't really need the stat, then I just take it out!)
Thanks for clarifying, Tara. I spend a lot of time working with women who believe that self-promotion of any kind is bragging, so I'm always on high alert, ready to defend the idea of the value of any branding that's intentional and authentic. I'm really glad you wrote about it in such a thoughtful and, for me, provocative way.
Very very interesting and resonated a lot! I’ve worked for Mark Zuckerberg without pay for many many years and I’m so tired of it. My new business that I’m starting to build will be off social media, it’s both exciting and terrifying.
While I love and applaud the concept of "enshittification," I take issue with the idea that personal branding is nothing more than shameful self-promotion.No matter what platform, genre, or visual we show up, we are all our own best cheerleaders, and it's dangerous to think of this as crass commercialism. Yes, personal branding has gotten a bad rap (think Samantha on Sex and the City) and, to some degree, lost its meaning. But the core is solid. If we don't put ourselves forward and tell people how to think about us, they'll make it up --and that's never a good idea.
Hi, Lyn. I didn't make a connection between personal branding and "shameful" self-promotion. In fact, I didn't mention personal branding... (I've got a great episode coming out in a few weeks on the topic, actually!) Though, Jennings does share some of the history of personal branding in her Vox piece and I've written about it previously here: https://www.whatworks.fyi/p/personal-branding-and-the-crafting-of-self
The concept of the personal brand is rooted in a commercialized image of self. It invites us to turn ourselves into a product, complete with a unique selling proposition. It was very much conceived as a way of turning pro-business/anti-worker politics into something palatable for the masses. And that's only been further amplified in the last 10 years as the "entrepreneurial self" has emerged as an archetype for identity formation.
That said! Personal branding is a useful tool in an economic system stacked against us. I'm not anti-personal branding by any means, but I'm cautious about how we deploy it as a strategy. There's a lot of psychological, economic, and political harm that can be done when personal branding isn't practiced critically.
Thanks for all these great takeaways, Tara.
"I also hear that writing as a script since it will likely be turned into an audio essay."
Smart. I'm learning the hard way. My most-read post had a bulleted list of stats in the middle. I was goofy enough to recite the data verbatim in the audio version. When I listened a few weeks later, it was unbearable. A lot of people don't like *reading* stats. But no one — no one! — wants to listen to them.
STATS ARE THE WORST!!
One thing that works for me is rewriting them in a less precise way. So instead of 53%, it's "more than half" in my script. It kills me—I love precision and there's something so powerful about the precision of stats. But at least I get the point across... (unless I don't really need the stat, then I just take it out!)
Thanks for clarifying, Tara. I spend a lot of time working with women who believe that self-promotion of any kind is bragging, so I'm always on high alert, ready to defend the idea of the value of any branding that's intentional and authentic. I'm really glad you wrote about it in such a thoughtful and, for me, provocative way.
I think you'll really love the edition I have coming soon on brand strategy with Chloé Nwangwu!
Very very interesting and resonated a lot! I’ve worked for Mark Zuckerberg without pay for many many years and I’m so tired of it. My new business that I’m starting to build will be off social media, it’s both exciting and terrifying.
Ooh that chart feels like Truth with a capital T.
I love these ideas for resisting the downward spiral that happens on social media, and I'll be giving it a solid go, too.
I'll look forward to it, as I do with your newsletters.
Thanks for the heads-up.
While I love and applaud the concept of "enshittification," I take issue with the idea that personal branding is nothing more than shameful self-promotion.No matter what platform, genre, or visual we show up, we are all our own best cheerleaders, and it's dangerous to think of this as crass commercialism. Yes, personal branding has gotten a bad rap (think Samantha on Sex and the City) and, to some degree, lost its meaning. But the core is solid. If we don't put ourselves forward and tell people how to think about us, they'll make it up --and that's never a good idea.
Hi, Lyn. I didn't make a connection between personal branding and "shameful" self-promotion. In fact, I didn't mention personal branding... (I've got a great episode coming out in a few weeks on the topic, actually!) Though, Jennings does share some of the history of personal branding in her Vox piece and I've written about it previously here: https://www.whatworks.fyi/p/personal-branding-and-the-crafting-of-self
The concept of the personal brand is rooted in a commercialized image of self. It invites us to turn ourselves into a product, complete with a unique selling proposition. It was very much conceived as a way of turning pro-business/anti-worker politics into something palatable for the masses. And that's only been further amplified in the last 10 years as the "entrepreneurial self" has emerged as an archetype for identity formation.
That said! Personal branding is a useful tool in an economic system stacked against us. I'm not anti-personal branding by any means, but I'm cautious about how we deploy it as a strategy. There's a lot of psychological, economic, and political harm that can be done when personal branding isn't practiced critically.