Your Personal brand is about managing your reputation, even if you don’t own a business or have a career. It is what differentiates you from others
You won’t be director or manager at X company forever and you probably won’t be running a business forever but you will always be YOU for the rest of your life.
Each of us have a unique Personal Brand that exists in the hearts and minds of our target market(s).
“A critical point to keep in mind is that strong brands are managed outcomes—they are never happy accidents. The good news is – you control to a very great extent that quality of your brand in the minds of your target market(s).” – Susan Hodgkinson
It’s never been easier to build a brand because the barrier to entry has never been lower. The internet has allowed us all to be on equal footing. The online business space offers complete and total justice.
Building the brand of YOU
As entrepreneurs we do pretty well with the technical aspects of our business. Writing blog posts, creating lead magnets, and building an email list are pretty straightforward once you know the mechanics. Unfortunately, on their own, these marketing activities do little to differentiate our business from competitors or to attract premium clients.
There is another crucial component that many entrepreneurs or professionals are missing or avoiding. And that piece is YOU.
Let’s take a look at people who have millions of social media followers like Richard Branson or Oprah Winfrey. Know why they are so popular?
It’s because they infuse their company brand with themselves.
Your personal brand is the differentiating factor that can set your company apart in your industry.
This is crucial because if you aren’t doing something to differentiate your business, you quickly become a commodity.Here you are stuck with competitors who all look same to your clients
And whether you are a solopreneur or billion dollar company, this is not a place to be.
Your personality differentiates your business
Anchoring your business around your personal brand will draw ideal clients to you, make your business more memorable, and completely differentiate you from your competitors. Your personal brand is what will showcase your unique and authentic personality.
And when you leverage the brand of YOU, there can be no competition.
So how exactly do you do your build a personal brand?
The first thing is to get really clear on your core purpose. This is the soul of your brand or your Why. It is the very reason that you do what you do. Your vision always reminds you of where you are going, what you are doing, and why you are doing it.
‘People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.’ Simon Sinek
Secondly, write more personal posts on your blog, create videos, give interviews, record podcasts, etc. Tell your audience about your successes and your failures. Tell people about your vision and your purpose. The purpose of all of this is not to share your life with the world but to give enough information that can create a connection and build trust with you prospects.
This will draw people in to you. It will also keep them loyal to your company.
‘Owning our story can be hard but not as nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy, the experiences that makes us the most vulnerably.’Brene brown
By being YOU, you develop a brand that is absolutely unique.
People will get really excited about what you are doing because all of a sudden, you aren’t a faceless company. You are a real person with whom they can forge a relationship. They start to see similarities, discovering that you share similar values and interests.
Once people feel like they know, like, and trust you, they will spread the word to their friends. They will more readily sign up for your services, and they’ll take the time to comment on your blog.
And best of all – you are having more fun than ever before because you are in absolute alignment with your Why. You are clear on what drives you and you are attracting clients that share that same belief.
It takes courage to share more about YOU
Fear is the number one thing that holds entrepreneurs back from showing more of themselves in their marketing.
I understand that you don’t want to get on video or do a livestream because you think you’re too whatever your latest story/excuse/fear is yelling inside your head right now.
But here’s what you don’t understand about building the brand called YOU.
You are the only YOU in this world of over 7 billion people.
Your knowledge, experiences, skillset, reading lists and network, are yours and yours alone. And that makes YOU amazingly unique.
Your audience want to build a relationship with a ‘person’. They want to learn about you.
Show your beautiful, brilliant, awesome, unique self with all of your amazing, fabulous, uniquely perfect quirks,weird habits and imperfections.
When you do this, your audience will fall in love with you, you will get noticed by the
and you’ll sell more of your products and services.
Get yourself out there in spite of your fear
Being an entrepreneur is about constantly stepping into the fear. It’s about being comfortable with discomfort.
Technology has made the world a global village It has created so many ways to get your personal brand and story out in front of people. This allows them to get a sense of who you are, what you offer, how you add value, and whether they like you.
YOU makes your brand unique and special.
You are in charge of building your brand.
Ready to start your Personal branding Journey?
Book a free strategy session with me
let’s talk about how I can help you create your personal brand, raise your visibility and differentiate your business,!