Personal Branding: Creating the Brand Called YOU
A Personal Brand is the perception & emotion that others have that describes the total experience of having a relationship with you. The value in creating your Personal Brand is that it can be taken with you, wherever you go, and it lets people know what you stand for. It allows an individual to differentiate themselves by consistently communicating their unique value proposition. Guy Kawasaki stated “Brands are built on what people are saying about you, not what you are saying about yourself.” Not only does a personal brand help you, it helps employers create visibility, publicity, credibility, and expands the influence of the company.
A personal brand is created by taking a personal inventory of your goals, values, passions, and what makes you unique. Then, you create an identity, based on the characteristics distilled from the personal inventory. From there, you develop a brand plan, and identify the tools & channels to be utilized to communicate your Personal Brand. Social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) are great avenues for communicating your Personal Brand. You build credibility and identity as you contribute and help others with your areas of expertise & thought leadership.
As you develop your Personal Brand, ask yourself “What is it that I love to do?” “What is my Unique Value Proposition?”. “What can I be considered the founder of?” “What is my area of expertise?” If you can position yourself as a thought leader, or expert, it will significantly enhance your Personal Brand. Most importantly, your Personal Brand must be authentic and magnetic.
If you’re interested in learning more about Personal Branding, we’d be glad to lend a hand.