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The business world, these days, is divided into those who like the concept of branding and those who don’t. (Among the latter is Jonathan Salem Baskin, with his sardonic book, Branding Only Works on Cattle.) Personal branding, as a concept, was born unnoticed in 1937 in a book by Napoleon Hill and reborn in 1997 by Tom Peters, while experts on branding, such as Dan Schawbel and William Arruda, appeared thereafter.

Now, those who like the concept of personal branding will rush to get their hands (or eyes) on this book, since one of the authors is William Arruda—yes, that William Arruda. Anything from his pen (or keyboard) is bound to be valuable from the get-go. And his coauthor, Deb Dib, is equally famous in the branding world.

So, let me speak to the other people, the ones who don’t like the phrase “personal branding,” and, seeing that this is a book on “branding,” might at first sight decide not to buy or read it.

My basic concern is that you dig deeper and understand that personal branding is not merely some modern fad but an ancient concern, only dressed here in modern language. It is the concern of the snowflake and of your fingerprints. The theme is “uniqueness.” No two complex snowflakes have ever been found to be identical, nor have any two people’s fingerprints. From the creation of the Earth and of humankind, uniqueness has been the driver.

“Personal branding” is simply a matter of answering these questions: What makes you unique? How do you express your uniqueness? How do you gain a reputation so people will understand that your uniqueness makes you valuable to them?

Be clear about this: That uniqueness resides in the person, not in the product. The thing we produce, each of us, whether it be ideas, or services, or things, is only the outward expression of that internal uniqueness which resides in each of us. So, don’t be put off by the vocabulary. “Brand” is just another word for “what is unique about you.”

“The tools of branding” is just another phrase for “the playgrounds where we exhibit and act out our uniqueness.” The playgrounds are new, since 1996, and that is the value of this book: It enumerates them and discusses how to use them—Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, images, video, YouTube, blogs, thought leaders’ blogs, professional associations, etc.—in brief, two-page chapters, for fast reading and slow digestion.

What we end up with here is a book for both “branding people” and “non-branding people.” I hope you will read it and find it valuable. I hope you discover or rediscover your uniqueness. For that is what makes you so valuable as a human being.

In that process, I hope you become infinitely more aware of what makes others unique. For that is what makes you valuable in whatever community or communities you may happen to find yourself, from this time forth.

Dick Bolles, author

What Color Is Your Parachute? 2013 A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers 10 million copies sold; rewritten annually