Do you dress in a certain way only you prefers? Do you do things differently? Do you speak in a certain way? The answer to all of those questions is yes! This is how your personal brand is advanced every day. How do you define Personal branding? It is the ongoing procedure of establishing a mark, an impression or an image about your persona or your career in the mind of others.
Personal branding MUST be based on authenticity. This means that you have to be original and most importantly, know who you are and what you want. As a professional, with a personal brand, you can project your innate ideas and opinions which will in turn differentiate you from other professionals, entrepreneurs or business people. Branding requires you to articulate what you are all about across different platforms.
When creating a personal brand, you should come up with a branding statement that will act as your selling statement to the clients. You have to be keen on what you say in your statement. Most importantly, remember that you have to stand out, out of hundreds of thousands. It is your choice of words that will define whether your brand is going to be one of a kind or the exact opposite.
To make sure that you have the perfect branding statement, note that:
As obvious as it may sound, the very first thing to do is to include your name in the statement. You can then go ahead and explain what excites you businesswise and try to convince the audience that you are worth their time of day. Fundamentally, your brand is the first impression that you give to the world. First impressions are crucial seeing as in the business world, you only have a limited amount of time with people. Their decision to work with you is pegged on your ability to project a workable brand.
At a given time, clients will want to know more about you. Therefore, when creating a personal brand tailor your branding statement (message) in a way that talks to your audience. The message should answer the ‘who are you and what are you’ basic probable questions that your audience will have for you (they may be mental or verbal).
Take a practical example. If you were to execute your brand in packaging items like custom binders, folders or custom boxes, how would you make it unique, stylish yet professional enough to attract a good client base? As a professional, you should always think big, think out of the box and do not be too obvious. A little mystery is always good.
Listed below are key elements and advantages of personal branding that will help understand the logic behind the idea as well as its value to your overall success.
Advantages of creating a personal brand
- Having an impeccable personal brand lands you big and better clients for your company/business.
- With better clients, your company becomes more efficient which means an increase in your earnings. This will in turn reward you with return business
- With a personal brand, you will be able to grow your networks; identify yourself with people on the same line of business as you. A viable brand will always attract other viable brands.
- You can establish a remarkable reputation through your personal brand. Reputation is key in the professional world. A stand out brand will go a long way in advancing your stellar reputation
Elements of Personal Branding
To break down personal branding better, here are some basic elements;
- Name – this is the first important thing that you need to tell your clientele. Be sure to use your official name. Nick names do not project seriousness and are often a deterrent to serious professionals.
- Passion – The way you sell yourself will be a telling factor about your zeal. Talk about your title, your expectations, your ideas and your promise to the client, like you believe in what you say.
- Uniqueness – this is what will differentiate you from your competitors. What is it that will make you stand out? The answer to this question is your stronghold. From your dressing to your speech patterns, make it a priority to be appealingly different.
- Thrill – what is so fascinating about you that people should pay attention to whatever you have to offer. Be compelling and persuasive enough to attract clients your way.
- Professionalism- Always make sure you carry yourself in a professional manner that will protect your commitment to deliver. This will also improve your rapport with clients
Ambitious individuals always have a benchmark they work towards. Identify a role model and make it your life’s work to eclipse their achievements. Personal branding is fundamentally based on personal idiosyncrasies. How we project our personality determines what brand we attribute to ourselves.
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