Personal Branding - Personal WHat?
Have you ever looked at someone’s Instagram profile and instantly identified what it is they do? When you think of getting advice for a particular thing (beauty, business, career, design) do you already have someone in mind you can talk to about it?
That is Personal Branding.
Very early on in my Career, I identified that this is an area that I really need to pay attention to, focus on and build a strong personal brand. I was out there competing with many, hundreds even, for positions and career progression - if I opted out of spending time on this, it would have been detrimental to my career and winning roles. Understanding how I want to be viewed, the areas I was interested in and passionate about (my career direction) and my strengths was vital and is all part of the Personal Brand package.
Me, understanding what my Personal Brand is and understanding how to present myself as an expert has seen me get headhunted for positions, asked to speak at events and write articles on the topic.
Now, more than ever, we need to understand our personal brand and how we are represented. Why? Because, we are now in an age where we seek trust, authenticity and recommendations before we buy. Whether this be a product or service OR an expert or a professional.
Personal Branding is the act in which we identify others or ourselves.
I’ll let you in on a little secret…
Everyone has a personal brand - whether you realize it or not.
The good news is, that most people don’t release is - you can steer it in the direction you want.
Let’s bring it back to Career related and how a Personal Brand can REALLY benefit you.
A strong personal brand enables you to make the most of what you have to offer. In the professional world, people generally don’t get to know you in your true form, on a deep personal level. They know you on your achievements, work ethic, performance and personality – these encompass all parts of your personal brand.
A Personal brand is also about positioning yourself as an expert in your field and building a reputation in your desired occupation.
Typically, artists, athletes and celebrities do this well – and if they have stepped out of their personal brand strategy the media has a field day and we will know about it. And I am sure we can all think of one person that has destroyed their personal brand!
For you, in this day and age and with the competition on the rise – good grades alone will not land you a job or even an interview. You need to stand out, on paper, in person and online. This all relates to your personal brand and how you represent yourself.
Don’t let this scare you and pull you away from your true-self. This is what it is all about – presenting your best-self.
I feel that everyone who will position themselves in the workplace/as a professional/ expert/ social media and the like, should have an understanding of how they are perceived and how their brand is represented. It takes 5 seconds to give an impression, that being said, I believe personal branding to be key to making a lasting impression.
The beauty of YOUR personal brand, is that you have total control over it.
Here are some quick tips to get you thinking about your personal brand…
Find your niche – you don’t have to be everything to everyone. What do you want to be known for and how do you want to be represented?
Social Media clean up – are you represented correctly in all social media platforms? Are you sharing information that boosts your personal brand?
Your 3 second grab – what you do say to people when you first meet them? Does this reflect what you want to be known for? Have you got an idea in your head about what you are going to say before you say it?
Do your personal SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and get to know yourself, your strengths and areas you can build on.
What do others see you as? Ask around, what do people view you as currently, what are currently known for? Get a good, clear understanding of how you are currently perceived. Can you build on this or do you want to change your direction?
The beauty of a personal brand is it is something that you can continue to build on, grow and develop as you do in your professional career. It is not something that needs to be set in stone but you will benefit from having a clear understanding and personal branding plan.