When it comes to branding, what comes to most people’s minds are large corporations and influential entities. However, branding at a personal level can be just as powerful. Personal branding can help you get ahead, move your business in the right direction, and generally improve your social capital and network. For instance, Pop Machine Agency can help you in your journey toward building a stronger personal brand.
A Personal Brand and Its Importance
Your personal brand is who you are and how you express that particular identity to the world. It’s the little things like how you communicate, the beliefs you espouse, and what you stand for. It’s what people associate with your personality every time your name comes up in any context.
A personal brand tells a story about what people can expect when dealing with you. Much like a company’s brand, your personal brand is your calling card. It builds trust and communicates why you’re unique. Needless to say, your personal brand can make or break you as far as career and business go. Having a strong personal brand could help open doors for you and your business. That’s why focusing on one’s personal brand is a worthwhile investment.
How Do You Develop It?
An effective personal brand is one of those intangible things that can produce numerous tangible results. Nurturing it, therefore, shouldn’t be a luxury but a concerted effort at getting ahead.
Below are some tips for building your personal brand.
1)Know Yourself
A lot of things can go easier if you’re clear about who you are. When it comes to a personal brand, knowing who you are means half the job is done. This is because most of your efforts will be directed by your core identity.
Start by listing your personal strengths and weakness. For example:
i)Why are you in your line of work?
- ii) How well do you collaborate with others on projects?
iii) What kinds of projects get you fired up?
- iv) What kind of compliments do you regularly get from co-workers or business associates?
Getting clear answers to questions like these will help you know yourself better. This in turn will offer the platform upon which you can create and build a strong personal brand.
2) Define Your Audience
A crucial part of getting your story right—who you are as a brand—is defining your audience. After all, any message is only as effective as its receipt by the intended party. That’s why defining your audience is a crucial part of building your personal brand.
For instance, if you’re a professional looking to break into the job market of a particular industry, a crucial part of building your personal brand will involve getting noticed by recruiting managers and human resources (HR) personnel. For such an audience, a platform like LinkedIn will better serve your needs, putting you in front of the right audience.
If your target audience includes potential clients, you may want to consider a website that showcases your skills and knowledge.
3) Research Your Target Industry
Remember, the idea behind building your personal brand is to ensure that you stand out. That means going the extra mile when it comes to putting in the work to build your reputation.
It’s always a good idea to focus on the industry you’d like to break into. Do some research to find out about the top players in that field. Seek out top personalities, studying their methods and their journey. If possible, reach out to them for mentorship. Doing the necessary research helps you to know the benchmark that’s already been set. This helps to focus your branding-building efforts.
4) Grow Your Online Presence
In this day and age, you’ll have great difficulty building and promoting your personal brand without having a strong online presence. Ensure that your online presence is very appealing to hiring managers, co-workers, and potential clients.
With various social media tools and platforms available, you’ll have to choose one that serves your purposes best. Of course, you can promote your personal brand on several platforms simultaneously. The key is to ensure that your message across all of them is unequivocal. For instance, if you’re trying to build a client base, your profile should include a summary of some major accomplishments while focusing on key industry skills.
5) Prioritize Networking
Just like having an effective online presence, your efforts toward cultivating a strong personal brand won’t have much traction if you don’t network regularly and effectively. Attend corporate events, formal or otherwise, and connect with industry thought leaders. Such events offer a lot of potential for getting to know the right people that can help you advance your career and grow your business, all the while enhancing your personal brand.
In the end, building your personal brand will mean streamlining all your efforts toward projecting a particular image.
