Having a strong, authentic and valued brand is a fundamental goal of every business. Endless hours are spent brainstorming and strategising to establish a powerful brand identity. But what about your own personal brand? Is this something you should invest time in creating? The answer is, assuming you are online and on Social Media, it already exists. Whether you’re a Uni student, a CEO or a Florist – the chances are you have a personal brand developing in cyber space – so you’d be crazy not to manage it!
Here are four simple ways to work on building an awesome personal brand:
- Be Unique
Take some time and figure out what it is that makes you, you. Jot down some things that make you different from the rest of the pack. Saying you work in PR or Marketing is not enough. Filter down further – is it your creative flare, personal style, superior customer service or maybe you are an exceptional team leader? Once you establish your niche, focus on showcasing this at every opportunity. This is your brand mantra – time to start living it!
- Network
The benefits of networking are endless, but when promoting your personal brand it is absolutely essential! Figure out who your target audience is, where they are and share your brand mantra whenever you can. Look into industry events, workshops, online discussion forums and, if possible, put yourself forward for some speaking engagements. Don’t forget to have your elevator pitch down pat and get yourself mingling!
- Audit
Your Social Media
Take a look through all of your Social Media channels and ensure that, at a minimum you have profiles on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Post daily and strategically on topics that are relevant to your brand. Review your posts to date and ensure that they line up with your brand values. If you want to be known as an expert in a certain field, you should also consider guest blogging on relevant sites or even starting up a blog of your own. And remember before every post, tweet like or share, always ask yourself – Does this reflect positively on my brand?
- Be Consistent
Now you know how to talk the talk, you absolutely have to walk the walk! Your personal brand is worthless if you cannot deliver and deliver consistently. Word of mouth can make or break any brand, including your own. Make sure that every single day you are living and breathing your brand mantra.
The CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, once said “your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room” so…what would you like them to say about you?
