I posted this video a while back on YouTube and wanted to share it on the blog too. In this video, I talk about working out your personal brand in 2 simple steps.
A personal brand is important for anyone – a fresher, an entrepreneur or an employee of an organisation. It is a mix of the tangible and intangible things you want to project about yourself. The goal of effective branding is to get the jobs you desire, the clients you want to work with and the professional standing that you’d like to be known for.
WHY IS A PERSONAL BRAND IMPORTANT?
Branding – for an individual or an organisation – is key to build trust in others. You can get the assignments or clients you want based on that trust. And the trust can be built by displaying your best qualities that show you in the right light.
So how does one one create a powerful and effective personal brand?
I have 2 questions for you, which can help you narrow down what your brand should be and how to take those ideas and build one.
STEP 1: WHAT ARE THE 3 THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR?
Think of qualities, attributes, skills that you are great at and would want people to know you for. These could be personal and professional attributes – since we are not just good at what we do but are also people. So the brand has to have a human touch to it.
For instance, I want to be known for my expertise, my professionalism and the passion I have for my work. My expertise shows that I have acquired knowledge about my field. My professionalism and passion make evident the kind of person I am. These 3 qualities, for me – sum up the kind of personal brand I want people to associate me with.
STEP 2: HOW DO YOU CREATE A BRAND AROUND THESE ATTRIBUTES?
Think of achievements, activities, experiences, stories and certifications that support the above attributes. Your actions online and offline need to align with the qualities you want to show. If you want people to know you for your authenticity, you need to come up with original content. The experiences you share and the stories you tell further bolster who you are and what you stand for.
Some of things I do are:
To display my expertise, I share tips and techniques about building skills on my blog and social media. There are client testimonials and recommendations that support my professionalism. I have been in this profession for about 17 years and that definitely shows passion.
If want to figure out your brand – sit down with a paper and pen and jot down a few qualities that define you. It could be a list of 8-10 from which you can cull out the top 2 or 3. And then look back on projects, life experiences etc that you can help you project the kind of image you want to.
I highly recommend that you read the post below. It’s about Peggy Klaus’ book on personal branding. No matter what your personal or professional status, there is a chapter in the book for everyone.
3 tips on personal branding fromt he book, Brag!
If you found this post useful, do drop a line in the comments. If you have nay questions about personal branding, feel free to ask me here or email me on sumankher@sumankher.com.
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