How much are people talking about your personal brand?

When it comes to your personal brand, how much of it's reputation is being communicated by word of mouth? Or how much is being 'put out there' using the many forms of social media?

Having a good online brand is important, but in the initial stages of consideration and comparison do not underestimate the power of word of mouth.  

One definition of 'brand' is "What other people say it is".

A recent McKinsey Report on the power of word of mouth seems to suggest that this is  important to consumers at the early stages and after all someone looking at your personal brand is a potential consumer of your skills and services.

In mature markets at the time of Initial Consideration and Active Evaluation almost 1 in 5 consumers will rely on word of mouth, whereas by the time it comes to the Moment of Purchase that drops to 1 in 10 and Internet is a whopping 6.5 out of 10.

For those in the developing world it's a whole different story, probably in part due to less availability of technology – the figures are around 1 in 4 in the early stages and 4.5 out of 10 by time of purchase.

So what are people saying about you? Remember to take the time to listen to your audience and ensure that they are saying good and the right things about you and your brand.