An alumni dinner run by Strathclyde Business School UAE in association with the Dubai alumni group took place on October 28 with the theme of "Branding Yourself in the Social Media Age".
Speakers included Alexander McNabb, author, blogger and director of Spot On PR; Hisham Wyne, journalist, social commentator and presenter; and Marissa Woods, brand engagement consultant and Strathclyde graduate.
According to Marissa Woods, social media has become an essential component of every professional’s brand, although some are slower than others to accept it. "Whether or not they're aware of it, professionals of all ages and levels have an online reputation and are at some point evaluated by their social media presence or lack thereof," she advises. "Social media has become such an important tool, and ignoring or choosing not to proactively engage with it means forfeiting an opportunity to make sure your personal brand is reflected accurately and positively."
Alexander McNabb stressed the dangers of distastefully overt attempts at personal branding via fake self-promotion. "People who set out to create so-called "personal brands" by posturing on social media platforms tend to create something hollow and false, which can be quite obvious and irritating," he points out. "Rather than attempting to manipulate their reputations in this way, professionals would be better off to take an honest look in the mirror and try to change the actual aspects of themselves that they’re hesitant to portray online."
Hisham Wyne takes a pragmatic view that there is no single formula for professionals to follow when determining the extent and nature of their engagement with social media, but that one cannot simply choose to opt out of the medium. "Almost all online and offline behaviours contribute to one's personal brand in one way or another, but online identities have become necessary elements of that brand for today's professionals," he says. "Social media profiles are like licenses that are used to verify the legitimacy of a professional identity, and not having active ones results in a serious loss of agency."
Hisham Wyne and Marissa Woods, shared their views on-air regarding the issue when they featured on the Dubai Eye Business Breakfast to preview the event. You can also read Marissa Wood's SBS blog on social media branding here.