Personal Branding
Don't Forget About Your Personal Brand - Your Reputation
When you think about it, people have personal brands, too. We each have a name, a face, a style, a way of communicating, and with these traits, we make different impressions on different people.
“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
~Jeff Bezos, Amazon
Branding isn’t just for companies and corporations. Professionals are managing their personal brands to achieve career success. Social media has forever changed the way we interact and conduct business. That’s why branding is no longer just a tool for businesses to market themselves.
No matter how you feel about your online presence, you already have a personal brand. Even if you haven’t optimized your LinkedIn profile to provide much information, you’re branding yourself in a way that tells the world: “I’m investing in my personal brand. If you’re off social media entirely, you could be at a disadvantage to the thousands of online professionals engaging intentionally with their communities.
The Benefits of Personal Branding
1. Authenticity
Personal branding shows future employers that you are genuine about your ethics and efforts. You can showcase your strengths and achievements while also opening up about the risks you’ve taken and the mistakes you’ve made along the way. People tend to value vulnerability in their influencers.
2. Trust
Building your personal brand helps viewers feel like they can get to know you. For example, you might tell an interviewer that you value forming bonds with colleagues, but what does your online network have to say? Your personal brand establishes you as an industry leader, a thought-provoker, or an influencer. It shows that you are a trustworthy source of knowledge and experience.
3. Credibility
A personal brand typically will showcase a professional’s credibility in their expertise. This can be in the form of recommendations on your LinkedIn profile, references in a job search, or testimonials on a website. Your personal brand tells audiences that you know what you’re doing and can do it better than your competitors.
4. Oversight
Social media only offers you so much control. And you can’t always control other people’s opinions. But by steadfastly managing your personal brand, you can still maintain your own image and messaging. Ideas and thoughts can change, and your personal brand is a way to navigate shifting tides.
5. Opportunities
The most crucial benefit of personal branding is the opportunities it offers. Your personal brand can help elevate your career by making industry connections, networking with like-minded professionals, and building a community you can influence. Personal branding shows audiences that you’re authentic, trustworthy, and credible. And it also shows that you’re inspiring others to follow in your footsteps.
Creating Your Personal Brand
1. Identifying Your Unique Value Proposition
Your unique value proposition (UVP) answers the question, "What makes you stand out?"
To define your UVP:
Example UVP Summary:
"I specialize in helping small businesses grow their social media presence through data-driven strategies and engaging content. With a passion for storytelling and a knack for trend analysis, I bring creative solutions tailored to each client’s needs."
2. Crafting Your Brand Narrative
Your brand narrative tells your story and positions you as a professional in the social media marketing industry.
It should answer: Who are you?, What do you stand for?, How can you add value to others?
Tips for Writing a Brand Narrative:
Example Brand Narrative:
"As a data-driven marketer with a creative spark, I’ve spent the last five years transforming social media strategies for small businesses in the health and wellness industry. My passion for storytelling began in college, where I managed social media for a campus organization and grew its following by 300% in one year. Since then, I’ve created campaigns that boosted engagement by 40% and led to measurable increases in sales for my clients. Looking ahead, I’m eager to expand my expertise in influencer marketing and build a personal blog to share actionable insights with other marketers."
3. Setting SMART Goals
Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve?
Measurable: How will you track progress?
Achievable: Is this goal realistic with your current resources?
Relevant: Does this align with your personal brand and career goals?
Time-bound: When will you achieve this goal?
4. Creating an Action Plan
An action plan breaks down each SMART goal into actionable steps. For each goal, include:
When you think about it, people have personal brands, too. We each have a name, a face, a style, a way of communicating, and with these traits, we make different impressions on different people.
“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
~Jeff Bezos, Amazon
Branding isn’t just for companies and corporations. Professionals are managing their personal brands to achieve career success. Social media has forever changed the way we interact and conduct business. That’s why branding is no longer just a tool for businesses to market themselves.
No matter how you feel about your online presence, you already have a personal brand. Even if you haven’t optimized your LinkedIn profile to provide much information, you’re branding yourself in a way that tells the world: “I’m investing in my personal brand. If you’re off social media entirely, you could be at a disadvantage to the thousands of online professionals engaging intentionally with their communities.
The Benefits of Personal Branding
1. Authenticity
Personal branding shows future employers that you are genuine about your ethics and efforts. You can showcase your strengths and achievements while also opening up about the risks you’ve taken and the mistakes you’ve made along the way. People tend to value vulnerability in their influencers.
2. Trust
Building your personal brand helps viewers feel like they can get to know you. For example, you might tell an interviewer that you value forming bonds with colleagues, but what does your online network have to say? Your personal brand establishes you as an industry leader, a thought-provoker, or an influencer. It shows that you are a trustworthy source of knowledge and experience.
3. Credibility
A personal brand typically will showcase a professional’s credibility in their expertise. This can be in the form of recommendations on your LinkedIn profile, references in a job search, or testimonials on a website. Your personal brand tells audiences that you know what you’re doing and can do it better than your competitors.
4. Oversight
Social media only offers you so much control. And you can’t always control other people’s opinions. But by steadfastly managing your personal brand, you can still maintain your own image and messaging. Ideas and thoughts can change, and your personal brand is a way to navigate shifting tides.
5. Opportunities
The most crucial benefit of personal branding is the opportunities it offers. Your personal brand can help elevate your career by making industry connections, networking with like-minded professionals, and building a community you can influence. Personal branding shows audiences that you’re authentic, trustworthy, and credible. And it also shows that you’re inspiring others to follow in your footsteps.
Creating Your Personal Brand
1. Identifying Your Unique Value Proposition
Your unique value proposition (UVP) answers the question, "What makes you stand out?"
To define your UVP:
- Reflect on Your Strengths:
- Consider Your Passions:
- Evaluate Your Experiences:
- Identify Your Target Niche:
Example UVP Summary:
"I specialize in helping small businesses grow their social media presence through data-driven strategies and engaging content. With a passion for storytelling and a knack for trend analysis, I bring creative solutions tailored to each client’s needs."
2. Crafting Your Brand Narrative
Your brand narrative tells your story and positions you as a professional in the social media marketing industry.
It should answer: Who are you?, What do you stand for?, How can you add value to others?
Tips for Writing a Brand Narrative:
- Start with a Hook:
- Highlight Your Journey:
- Showcase Achievements:
- End with Aspirations:
Example Brand Narrative:
"As a data-driven marketer with a creative spark, I’ve spent the last five years transforming social media strategies for small businesses in the health and wellness industry. My passion for storytelling began in college, where I managed social media for a campus organization and grew its following by 300% in one year. Since then, I’ve created campaigns that boosted engagement by 40% and led to measurable increases in sales for my clients. Looking ahead, I’m eager to expand my expertise in influencer marketing and build a personal blog to share actionable insights with other marketers."
3. Setting SMART Goals
Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve?
Measurable: How will you track progress?
Achievable: Is this goal realistic with your current resources?
Relevant: Does this align with your personal brand and career goals?
Time-bound: When will you achieve this goal?
4. Creating an Action Plan
An action plan breaks down each SMART goal into actionable steps. For each goal, include:
- Steps to Achieve It: Outline the tasks you need to complete.
- Tools and Resources: Identify platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, Canva, Google Analytics) or training you may need.
- Timeline: Assign deadlines to each step to track your progress.