It’s never easy to create a personal brand. Personal branding is hard. It is more difficult when you get lost trying to get started. Looking through the history of people who had personal brands, they went through several style iterations before finding their voice. Think of personal brands such as Oprah Winfrey, Mark Zuckerberg, etc. They all went through several redefining their brand.
Today, it is important to stand out as a brand whether you are starting a company or a job. When you attend an interview, the company is looking for the applicant that stands out. That is exactly what personal branding does. Personal branding is almost for everyone. Nevertheless, for a new business, it is hard to get started. Here are 9 principles to create a unique and engaging personal brand.
Have a Focus
Nowadays, we are encompassed with many things, and it is easy to lose focus and coverage. You can’t be everything. Therefore, you must focus on your key message about your brand and stick to it. For instance, what comes to your mind when you think of Nike? Brands such as Amazon, Yahoo, Pepsi, Honda, Nike, Disney, IBM, etc., all have a particular thing that distinguishes them from others.
When building a personal brand, you must keep your message focused. Therefore, everything you do should be towards that message. You never see Nike going selling Television. They are focused on selling shoes, which is their message to their audience.
Keep your content and message consistent to a particular time that will be memorable to your target community. You can read about these 9 content marketing strategy. Therefore, when they think of you, that message speaks to them. The narrower and focused your brand is, the easier it is for people to remember your brand. Everything is focused on amplifying that particular message, including when you hire a new team.
Be Genuine
You can always build an original brand that is authentic and personal. Interestingly, people can notice and see when you are committing a deceitful act. The more your brand acts like a copycat; the more your audience runs away from you.
No matter what your brand stands for, ensure you remain genuine. It will make it easier to manage your brand daily. Be a master of what you do before you decide to build your personal brand. Your skill in a particular area can help build your reputation and brand. Originality should be at the forefront of your objective.
Tell a story
We all love stories. Most people have memories of stories their grandparents or parent told them. If you don’t use your personal brand to tell a story, you have already lost half of your audience. Ensure you create your personal branding action plan to streamline the process for your personal branding.
One effective strategy for your personal branding is building an authentic narrative of your brand. We live in the era of social media, where people falsify many things. However, your personal story distinguishes your brand even if it is boring.
There are several ways to tell your story; it could be through video or written content. Each format comes with its advantage and depends on the audience. However, video is the most personal way to connect and communicate with your target audience. It creates a personal connection with clients and those in your field.
Be Consistent
Consistency is essential when it comes to building a personal brand. It is much easier when your brand focuses on one topic as their voice and content. Therefore, your brand must remain consistent both online and offline. Don’t undervalue the little things you do, as they can derail your personal brand. The consistency should be either personality or visual wise. Therefore, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing; keep your message consistent with your brand. Consistency is key to improving your personal brand.
Accept Failure
Everyone wants to avoid failure because it is challenging. It’s part of human nature. Nevertheless, you should be ready to rise above the setback in building your personal brand. Walt Disney is a perfect example of a brand that failed and never gave up. Walt Disney failed at the initial attempt when creating its first animation brand.
Facing some setback at your growing or early stage is good as you learn through it. Failure makes you aware of what happens at your initial stage. You can’t achieve the best personal branding until you taste failure a couple of times as you push yourself off your comfort zone. The best brands always learn trial and error from their failure and mistakes.
Build a positive impression
After building and developing your brand for a period, you don’t want to remain stagnant. You can use two methods to continue the building process. Firstly, you can hop over others and burn bridges. Secondly, you can steadily grow a community around your brand. Build a positive impression as it would help others grow, which indirectly builds your brand over time. No matter what you do, remember what your brand stands for.
Live your brand
One crucial personal branding strategy is living your personal brand. It is hard to build a personal brand different from your personal life. Don’t try to separate your personal life from your brand because it is connected to you. Everywhere you go, your personal brand should go with it. It requires a physical or authentic manifestation of your personality and amplifying your beliefs. Therefore, when you want to build your personal brand, reflect on several things, including finance, marketing, leadership, and mentorship.
Allow customers to tell your story
Word of mouth is the best PR you can ever depend on in the business. Building a personal brand without people talking about your brand isn’t good for your growth. Personal branding represents stories that people or customers talk about when you are not in their community.
Leave a legacy
Every successful personal brand has a community and reputation behind it. If you have already built that brand, your next focus is on leaving a legacy. What do you want your brands to be known for? A personal brand is beyond building a business but leaving something for the future.
Personal branding is a future project that evolves constantly. Even experts who build big brands know no rules in creating a personal brand. These principles in this article can help you start your personal branding strategy. However, if you are contemplating on rebranding your business, it is also applicable to you.
FAQ on Personal Branding
What is an example of a personal brand?
You need a solid personal branding statement that is short, descriptive, strong, and catchy. An illustration of a personal brand statement is “I help businesses improve their sales and revenue.” Another example is “I develop sustainable business modes with digital marketing strategies to drive your business growth and performance.”
How do I define my personal brand?
There is a simple way to define your personal brand in defending it. Firstly, you can find out what you are passionate about it. It should align with your interest, likes, and what you reflect on. Secondly, you need to grow your social network. For instance, you can create an account for social media platforms.
Thirdly, make a plan for yourself. What marketing strategy will you employ in your business? How often will you interact with people reaching out to you? Lastly, tell a story about your personal brand. Stories help to connect with the inner emotions of people.
What are the 5 A’s of personal branding?
The five Ps include personal, pointed, purposeful, prioritized, and profitable in personal branding.
What makes a good personal brand?
What distinguishes you from other brands include expertise, mission, and unique positioning via a compelling brand story. These are the elements of a good personal brand.
