A personal brand is very important for your career. A personal brand is a generally recognised and uniform perception or impression of a person based on their experience, skills, abilities, activities, and/or successes in a community, industry, or the marketplace at large.
Developing a personal brand can seem like an impossible endeavour. And not knowing where to begin is one of the most common ways to get lost in the process. Even Oprah Winfrey experimented with many styles on a tiny local show before defining her voice as one of the world’s most influential personal brands.
When looking for a job or beginning your own business, it’s both useful and vital to stand out in the changing employment market. Everyone needs a personal brand.
Have a Focal Point
“Branding is what people say about you when you are not in the room” says Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon. His personal brand has become manifested in his business. It will be much easier to both develop material around your personal brand and have others define you if you keep your message focused on your target audience.
It is important to create and carve a niche. The most effective personal brands are quite specific. If you have this worked out then you can take steps to make this a reality.
Be Authentic
Being real and authentic is a simple method to create your own personal brand. People can see right through a facade. The more evident a brand’s copycat status is, the more the audience will disengage. Your personal brand should be a simple everyday filter through which you create content and communicate with your target audience.
To create and sustain a personal brand requires time, patience and consistency. It will not be something that is quick or easy to create. The first check which is important to do is to sense how you currently show up online and offline. How do you present yourself in meetings? Does your LinkedIn profile show an updated version of the virtual you?
Create a Positive Impact
There are basically two ways to continue to expand your personal brand after you’ve created it over time: jump over others and burn bridges, or steadily grow a community around your brand.
Many people believe that if you do your best at work, someone will notice. Unfortunately, in many circumstances, this is insufficient. Changes in technology and the economy have caused an increasing number of people to realise that, whether they are employed or self-employed, you must market yourself if you want to advance.
Define Your Values
Part of creating a personal brand is knowing what your values are, or what you consider to be significant. These are the foundations. They are hidden beneath the surface but they are responsible for the building’s shape. When you know what your values are, you can find the perfect organisations to work for, where people think like you do.
Conclusion
Always be positive, curious and receptive. The best personal brands are those created with time and patience. Every new interaction with a new person will teach you something you didn’t know. Don’t try to come across as someone you are not just to have a voice or jump on a trend. Stay true to your cause and you will attract the right types of people who resonate with your authentic self.