I received a catalog in the mail today, unsolicited. A normal occurrence for all of us, but this one had things in it that really caused me to sit up and pay attention.

The catalog is for Sunnyland Farms , and they sell nuts, fruits, and candy. I should state here that this is in no way an endorsement or an advertisement for their company--until this catalog arrived I had never heard of them, and no one is paying me to mention them here.

Even if you aren't in the market for fruit, nuts, or candy, I defy you to pick up their catalog and not want to place an order. Why? Because they understand things about building their brand that some larger organizations miss completely.

On each page, there are pictures of their (adorable) employees, with captions including their names, where they work, and how long they have been with the company. Most have been there for many years. There are also other personal touches including pictures of the business when they were brand new (in 1948), and anecdotal stories about how they got started.

In other words, they tell their story. They make a connection. On the pages of their catalog, they are beginning to build a relationship with me, their customer. This is branding at its best. Scott Smigler, an internet marketing and website design expert, touched on this in a post on the Seeds For Success Mentor Blog .

Here's why else this matters: YOU have a personal brand, and you market it every day whether you own the company or you're a cog in the wheel of a behemoth corporation. Your success depends heavily on your ability to connect with other people, first in conveying the competence and professionalism of Brand You, and then in building relationships that make others want to work with you and help you to succeed.

Tell us--what is essential to your brand? In other words, what do you want people to think of when they think of you?