Ever wondered how you, as an individual, can stand out in a crowd? Did you make any lasting impressions? What is the first thought that comes up when someone mentions your name? These are interesting questions to keep in mind when thinking about what your personal brand is.
However, what is Personal Branding?
With the internet opening many doors for posting content, getting a sneak peek into other’s lives, and online businesses with similar products, it is harder to stand out and make a great impression. If you are someone starting a business online selling something that is common in the market, what makes you different?
This is where personal branding comes in. With a clear personal brand, you can foster greater trust among your customers. It helps you get noticed by different networks and establishes a good reputation online giving you more online presence.
Personal branding is the reputation or impression you have on people, groups and or organizations. This concept is how you would want to be perceived by others. Do you want to be known as the smart one? How about being the one with the bubbly personality? Personal branding is the idea that people associate you with.
Personal branding as well, is essential in any field or business. Knowing how you brand yourself can help you when dealing with clients, closing deals or bringing your company into new markets. Establishing your brand from the start helps those availing of your products and services differentiate you from your competitors in the market.
Though personal branding starts with the basic components of who you are, what you do, and what your interests are, it can evolve beyond that. Here are some of the steps that you should take to develop your brand and possibly turn it into a successful business.
Tone is important when establishing a brand. How would you want to address your audience? Though there are traditional tones and moods that you could use depending on your market you may want to mix things up a little. A common theme nowadays for different brands is to be more personal and authentic with their audience.
For example, companies such as Angkas have gotten attention for it’s casual tone towards its customers, making them more relatable to their market. It pays to be creative and to allow a fresh take to stand out in your chosen industry. Are you fun and quirky? Or are you serious and no-nonsense? Are you creative and unpredictable? Or specific and sufficient?
Gone are the days when people used to train for just one specialized skill. This is helpful not only when applying for jobs, but also when trying to stand out in your industry. Developing and honing your skills can help you not only work more efficiently when running your business, but also you have more to offer your customers and potential clients! Differentiation is key in personal branding. Having something that your competitors don’t solidifies how others see you in the industry.
When your personal brand is your business, it is important to position yourself in the market. Are you seen as someone’s advisor? A friend people can listen to? How about a mentor that gives great advice? These are great questions to ask when figuring out how you want to present yourself to your audience. Another good tip is to ask for insights from your audience on how they perceive your personal brand and if it is in-line with how you present yourself as well.
Once you already established your brand, what are the ways you can capture your audience’s attention?
One way is to create compelling visuals that are true to your personal brand and that would surely captivate your audience. Visuals that will surely capture your brand as a whole is a great logo.
Think about what represents you the most, from main colors, font styles, pictures and more to come up with creative collaterals and engaging content that will speak for your brand.
Once you’re done setting up the necessities to establish your own brand, from the development of your logo, online portfolio, and the like, you’re now ready to put yourself out there.
There are multiple avenues to market your brand. One of the most common methods is by connecting with an agency, such as Chimes Consulting that can connect you with your specific industry and help you handle your brand.