Seventeen years ago, I launched Manning & Co. when my eldest daughter was a baby, and she just finished high school last year. The time has flown by.
In the marketing world, we’ve outlasted market shifts, team changes, and the rise of AI. Today, brand visibility isn’t about company logos anymore; people search for people. Buyers seek authentic voices and direct insights before they engage with your brand. Personal branding lets you own that narrative; it showcases who you are and what you stand for.
Leaders who hang back let others define their story. Personal branding is a strategy, so claim your voice before AI or competitors do. Shape B2B perceptions early with a powerful personal brand.
Trust now belongs to people, not logos
Trust used to live in established companies and institutions. A logo signalled stability; a domain ranked high meant credibility. Nowadays, both audiences and AI gravitate to individuals.
Why? High-stakes B2B buy-in demands judgement, context, and real-world stories.
The latest data from Forbes shows that 92% of professionals trust companies more when senior leaders are active on social media, as online engagement gives us a glimpse into the real person.
Clearly, buyers want the human behind the brand. Do you have a story about overcoming business challenges, navigating a market crash, or spotting an AI blind spot in your strategy? That’s gold.
Brands build foundations, but personal stories forge trust – and especially if they come from leaders.
The rise of digital trust signals
In our AI-powered world, trust signals are everywhere, and they’re highly personal. For example, tools like Perplexity, Claude, and Google’s AI Overviews don’t just scrape sites; they prioritise quoted experts, consistent commentators, and named leaders.
A 2025 SurferSEO AI Citation Report analysing 57,000+ URLs found AI Overviews blend institutional sources like Wikipedia with expert domains, prioritising citable voices over generic sites.
These trust signals show up in media quotes, LinkedIn threads, podcasts, and many other mediums. They also feed into AI answers, shaping what buyers see before your site loads. Echoing our take on the importance of media, your personal brand and visibility is key to making a meaningful impact for your audience.
Why authentic voice trumps ego – and where it shines
Authenticity doesn’t mean raw oversharing. An authentic voice is about providing clarity and sharing experiences with purpose, such as your unfiltered take on industry complexities, backed by your own experiences.
Corporate speak drowns in the noise: AI filters it, and humans scroll past. A generic “innovation is key” post will vanish; your ‘How we cut deployment time by 40% through our change program’ will stick. Authenticity differentiates because it’s rare, verifiable, and personal
‘But I don’t want to promote myself’ – we hear this daily in our sector. Consider flipping this way of thinking to: ‘staying silent lets my competitors and critics own the narrative.’
Personal branding is leadership, from owning ambiguity to guiding through uncertainty, to clarifying your edge. Visible leaders don’t overshadow their teams; they amplify them. They signal to their people: ‘This organisation thinks deeply, acts decisively.’ It’s your responsibility as a leader to set the tone.
Strong leaders emerge across various touchpoints, such as:
● Media interviews and op-eds in Forbes or IndustryWeek
● LinkedIn posts sparking 10K+ views on timely debates
● Podcast spots or conference keynotes
● AI summaries and citations
The cost of staying invisible, and how personal branding fixes it
Silent leaders pay the price of being overtaken by competitors. A rival gets quoted in AI overviews, your expertise stays trapped internally. PAN’s 2025 benchmark shows 44% of AI citations for executive queries from PR-influenced sources, and vocal leaders dominate.
Invisibility isn’t neutral; it’s a vote for others instead of your own business. Buyers move on, informed by someone else’s voice. That’s where personal branding anchors the broader credibility ecosystem, like the Golden Triangle we have outlined in previous articles:
● Thought leadership: your ideas and commentary on industry trends
● Media: validates your brand through third-party recognition
● GEO/AI visibility: structures GEO and AI citations for maximum brand discovery
What strategic personal branding looks like, and why you need guidance
Effective personal branding is deliberate, strategic, and insights-led. It’s important to share what you know, position yourself as a thought leader in your industry, and remain consistent with your voice across various platforms.
An authentic voice skips viral stunts, memes, and overall bland content. Most leaders understand that this is true, but wrestle with the articulation of their voice and how to position it.
At Manning & Co., we partner with you to showcase your real, authentic voice and shape narratives that resonate, landing you in outlets that buyers trust.
Our B2B tech and consulting clients see leaders cited 4x more post-engagement. We make visibility feel natural, not forced.
Rethinking your voice in today’s complex landscape? Get in touch with us and let’s shape your personal brand together.
