Frisbee – we all know what it is, we love playing with it. But it’s not even a real word! It’s actually an unofficial name for a flying disc, which sounds like a magical object straight out of Aladdin. In fact, Frisbee is just a trademark of Wham-O. Don’t trust it, try googling it. But wait – Google wasn’t really an official word either up until 2006. It’s just people used it so frequently that it replaced the actual term!
That’s the power of branding. It’s not something only companies can do, everything can be a part of it, including us – regular people. You can build a personal brand even if you’re not a public figure. As long as you market yourself the right way, you can become an authority in whatever you do. People act like building a personal brand is a top state secret. But don’t worry, we’ll let the cat out of the bag in this blog. Here are some tips on how you can make personal branding work:
Tips For Building A Personal Brand To Pave Your Way To Success
Find Out Why You’re Different From Others
The point of self-branding is to make yourself the go-to person for anything that you excel in. Let’s say you’re a social media marketer. Think about what makes you the best in your field. Why should you be the first choice of someone who wants help with their social media marketing strategy?
In short, identify your unique selling points (USPs). Pinpoint your weaknesses as well. Identify the areas where you lack and plan a strategy for overcoming them. This little exercise will clear your mind and set you off in the right direction.
Create Relevant And Effective Content
Your clients, bosses, and potential employers will always look you up on the internet at some point or another. Now it’s on you what you want them to see – your professional portfolio or photos from last night’s party.
This certainly doesn’t mean your social media accounts should be restricted to your professional life only. There’s no fun in that. You can still be your casual self on social media, but keep those things for your private accounts.
Publicly, you should maintain a stellar reputation. Consider starting a relevant blog and hiring a LinkedIn profile writer to make your account impactful. Just make sure whenever someone googles your name, all they find is your work portfolio, impressive articles, and insightful questions or advice.
And when you think you’re all done, switch to incognito and look yourself up. This should give you an overview of the things a third person will come across when they search about you. If you find anything damaging, remove it immediately!
Create A Strong And Strategic Network
Networking sounds scary, especially if you’re an introvert. But, like it or not, it’s an essential component of personal branding. You can’t get people to know you unless you put yourself out there. So, expand your circle, go to meetups, connect with new people, and make yourself accessible.
Thanks to the digital age, a physical presence is not compulsory for expanding your network. You can do so online – and LinkedIn is your best bet. Connect with relevant people and keep interacting with them. Offer your insights, share your experiences, and do everything possible to make yourself look like Mr. Know It All!
However, make sure you don’t come off as arrogant or overconfident. Your comments should sound helpful. They shouldn’t look like you’re boasting about your skills and expertise!
Be Consistent
You can’t build a personal brand overnight. It takes effort, but even more than that, it requires consistency! If you leave your accounts to collect cobwebs, you may never see yourself achieving your goals. Building and maintaining are two things that go hand in hand when it comes to self-branding.
So, even if the process is excruciatingly slow, don’t give up. Keep posting regularly, interact with your followers, and always respond to comments and relevant messages. If you want people to trust your name, you can’t be a ghost figure.
Maintain Your Appearance In Real Life Too
It doesn’t matter if you’re marketing yourself solely online, you should have a real-life appearance that aligns with the story you’re telling on the internet. A good way to assess this is by asking your friends or coworkers how they would describe you when recommending you to a stranger. See if the traits they mention are the ones you want to highlight.
For example, many candidates hire a CV writing service to boast about their confidence and excellent communication skills in their resume. But when they arrive at the interview, they can’t even introduce themselves properly. You don’t want to be like that, so make sure you’re preaching what you practice.
However, we are not asking you to pretend like someone you’re not – people will sense that. Instead, you should be authentic in the real and virtual world!
Have A Unique View Point
Your personal brand is all about what you say and the way you say it. You won’t influence anyone if what you say and do doesn’t stand out. Besides, no one’s going to remember it, either. So, it’s vital to establish a unique voice that is exclusively yours. Don’t be afraid to share your opinion about something, even if it differs from the rest.
If you’re struggling with creating a unique voice, here are some things that could help:
- Write a one-liner describing yourself
- Do you resonate more with a formal or casual tone?
- Which specific words do you prefer or avoid?
Stay Updated On The Latest Trends
You may be the most expert individual in your field currently. You’ll soon be old school if you don’t keep yourself updated. If you want your personal brand to maintain its reputation in the long run as well, the rest is not for you. Keep digging for more information, stay up-to-date and relevant, and know all the trends and upgrade your professional network. That’s the only way to make it work in the bigger picture!
Key Takeaway
When you initially set out to build a personal brand for yourself, the road ahead can look daunting. But the rewards are well worth it, so let that be your motivation! The best part about self-branding is that there’s no standard rulebook for it. It’s entirely up to you how you choose to go about it. So, take advice from this blog and start your own journey. We send you best wishes for success!