There are many things that a company and a person have in common, and one of those is the ability to make and maintain a complementary brand. For businesses, this often takes the form of a logo that thousands of employees could identify with and work under but for an individual, the central theme of your personal brand should, naturally, be you. When you have a personal brand and associate it with good work, that brand grows. As more people have the opportunity to see either your work or your brand, your reputation will grow. Soon, people will be recognizing you as part of your brand and the quality of work you provide, but you’ve got to start at the beginning.
Get Yourself Out There
The first important step to any personal branding effort is to hit the net with as much posting and sharing as you can. You should share not only your brand, but your actual presence with the internet at large so that those who live on social media can find you. Another reason to branch out is so that potential employers or clients will have the opportunity to discover and then hire you. Finally, an often overlooked benefit is your reputation among your peers. Whether you’re an artist or an electrician, when others in your industry encounter your personal brand and the work you post, it will contribute to your industry reputation. The best way to build that reputation is the “show, don’t tell” method.
Show Off Your Skills
What’s the thing you do best in your field? This needs to be a central premise of your personal branding campaign. It’s always a great deal of fun to do what you love, and by broadcasting your favorite activities in connection to your personal identity, you can do it to the tune of several thousand viewers. There are dozens of ways to show off your skills and the most popular are inbound marketing articles and how-to videos which feature you explaining something then showing how to do it.
You might be surprised how many members of your own industry might read your articles or watch your videos as a just-in-time learning method for their own careers. That said, when you become the go-to sources for information within your field, even just within your own company at first, this is sure to come with a positive reputation for you and your brand among other professionals in your industry. Of course, you had to start somewhere and your audience will eventually wonder where all your awesome skills came from.
Share Your Story
One of the most unique things about you is your personal background. When there is a genuine and personal story available to anyone who seeks out your brand, people can feel as if they already know you. Your story doesn’t even need to go in-depth into experiences or ideas that don’t relate to the industry. Instead, really explore why and how you got into your field and what you care about most. By reminiscing on what it took to move from an entry-level position to your current exalted status, other professionals in your field can relate to that experience because of they, too, started on the ground floor.
Become Unforgettable
Whether you’re after referrals, tips, or anything related to your permanent business reputation, it’s important to make sure you are memorable in the eyes of industry professionals who haven’t met you yet. A good way to do this is by designing your personal brand in a way that really sticks out. You can frame each aspect of your brand to create a bold and unique effect, allowing those who discover and love your work to quickly refer your services to friends who need them. This will ensure that anyone who does encounter your brand will be nearly incapable of forgetting. In minds you become “ the person who…” and when professionals in your industry need to make a referral, you will be at the top of their list.
With the right branding steps, you can build a positive reputation with your business contemporaries and online communities as a whole. By showing off your skills and building a strong personal brand, your memorability, referrals, and reputation among other industry professionals will inevitably begin to rise. For more information about building an unforgettable personal brand, please contact us today!
Originally posted at www.handshakin.com.
