Why Personal Branding is Important
Every day, we encounter various brands that sell us products and services, from the hotels we stay in on vacation to the restaurants we frequent. However, we often forget that we also have our own brand, regardless of whether we are students, stay-at-home parents, executives, or entrepreneurs.
What is a Personal Brand?
Your personal brand is the unique combination of your skills, experience, and personality that defines and sets you apart. It’s your reputation and the impression you make.
Personal branding is the actions you take when developing your brand. It involves intentionally defining who you are and your unique value and communicating that to your target audience.
Remember, if you don’t own and manage your brand, others will do it for you - and you don’t want that. Think of it as if you are your own public relations agent, allowing you to shape the impression you want to make and highlight your experience and skills.
Why Your Personal Brand is Important
Personal branding is critical for controlling your brand's narrative. This is important for career advancement, building credibility and trust, and creating new opportunities. We all want to do business with people we relate to.
Remember you have less than 7 seconds to make a good impression, so you must be intentional about how you present yourself. That’s why managing your personal branding is so important.
How to Build Your Personal Brand
Personal Branding isn’t difficult, but with so much information online, it can become overwhelming and confusing. To help my clients get clarity, I use a 7-step framework listed below.
This is a great way to learn how to build your brand and understand that you must take the time to be intentional and strategic. Once you realize this and follow a formula, it becomes much less confusing, and you will be on your way to building a solid personal brand.
7 STEPS TO BUILD YOUR PERSONAL BRAND
1. KNOW YOUR PURPOSE. Why do you do what you do? Knowing your why and being passionate about it is what makes you unique.
2. KNOW YOUR VOICE. Are you serious, educational, or more light-hearted? What is your unique way of expressing yourself and communicating with potential clients?
3. KNOW YOUR IDEAL CLIENT. Who are they? Where do they live? How old are they? What keeps them up at night? Knowing this helps you create content that appeals to and attracts them.
4. KNOW YOUR IDEAL CLIENT PROBLEM & HOW TO SOLVE IT. Identifying your ideal client's problem and how to solve it helps you communicate your service appealingly. You understand them and can guide them to the answer that will improve their lives.
5. CREATE A VISUAL IDENTITY. Communicate your brand and your message with images that evoke feelings. Think about how you want your clients to feel when they see your images. Create images that incorporate your brand colors, show your services, and peek into your personal life to show more of who you are.
6. SHARE MORE OF YOUR STORY. Clients who see more of you also want to learn more about you. Share your story so potential clients can relate to you more easily. This helps to create a connection.
7. STAY CONSISTENT. Be consistent with how you appear online—visually, vocally, and how often you post. Your clients will get to know you, trust you, and want to work with you when you are consistent.
Remember, building a strong personal brand can also lead to opportunities for speaking engagements, higher pay, and a loyal community of followers.
If you need help creating your brand or have any questions, I love meeting new people and being helpful in any way possible. Just click the reply button to send me a message. Good luck!
