We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.” –Tom Peters
Personal Branding is about identifying your story and then communicating what makes you unique, relevant and different. A strong, authentic personal brand helps you become known for what you’re good at, sets you apart from the competition, and can position you as a niche expert. Developing a personal brand is similar to product branding and the process includes; defining your brand, personal brand goals and then managing all aspects of your personal brand.
Here are some steps to managing and enhancing your personal brand:
Defining your Brand
Start by trying to define your overall aspirations: Be specific and clearly define your goals and objectives through a mission and value statement. Here are some questions that may help you define this:
- What do you aspire to be in the next 3-5 years?
- What adjectives do you want people to associate with you and why?
Personal branding is a proactive way of controlling your career development and how you are perceived in the market place. Be sure to ask friends and mentors to help you with this by giving you honest feedback on how you represent yourself. Some questions that may help you in this process include:
- How large is the gap between the current you and the person you want others to perceive you to be?
- What needs to change and why?
If people remember or associate you with something that you are no longer focused on, it is up to you to change the conversation to reflect your goals and aspirations.
Tip:
Learn from people you admire, whether they are international influencers or personal mentors.
Communicating your Brand
Focus on ways in which you can leverage opportunities to showcase your knowledge and its value within your market. For example, volunteering your time and skills to a cause that you care about is a great way to express and communicate your skills, personality and values.
Your game plan also needs to include the specific social media platforms you will use to communicate your personal brand. Each platform offers unique communication opportunities, so make sure to do your research on which platform works best for what you are trying to achieve.
Tip:
Aim to become active on at least one social media site, and manage that account well.
Managing your Brand
A very valuable skill is learning how to reflect your brand in everything you do, including your personal network, social media, your appearance and your volunteer activities.
Social Media is a powerful brand management tool, when utilized correctly. Every post, photo and opinion that you share is a reflection of your brand. Ask yourself this:
– Are your social media posts aligned with your personal branding goals?
Tip:
Look yourself up online to see what is out there, using websites such as www.brandy- ourself.com.
Personal branding is not a defined end point – you should always look for ways to improve yourself & update your brand to reflect your positioning.
