Personal branding is when a person and their career is the brand. Usually, outside of a business, the person is known for specific things - style, talent, achievements, opinions, business acumen - it might be anything.
We see personal branding a lot with influencers, authors, business coaches and entertainers. They are the brand, and that is where personal branding comes into play.
In the last few years, there has been a shift in how people perceive branding, where once it was reserved for the business world, almost anyone could have a personal brand.
Usually having clearly defined attributes and some skills that can be used to build the branding framework, and sometimes already with a small established audience.
Personal branding solidifies the ideas you want people to have about you, your skills, what you do, and your value and expertise.
We know that a brand consists of ethics, colours, logos, visions, teams and more. Brand is a considerable term, but it is usually what sets one business apart from the next.
When it comes to personal branding - it is the same. It is all about the things that uniquely make up what you do, how you do it and why.
Often, thanks to the internet, people tend to check into the background of companies more. They want to know the people behind the products and services—another area where personal branding can be significant.
Consider branding a little like flavour. In a pile of cookies, you want your cookie to be the tastiest. It has the most personality, it garners UGC and WOM without effort, and what is more, people come back and order that cookie time and again.
In the world of personal branding, you aim to be the best-flavoured cookie.
Personal branding is a proactive approach to taking control of how your career looks, the people who are likely to want to work with you, your value in the market, the skills you have and even a lot about your personality.
Your personal branding shows people what they can expect from you and why you are the best.
Personal branding can make your services or products immediately more enticing since everything is curated, it is cohesive, and the audience can directly relate to it. But it is more than just that.
Good personal branding builds trust because, with personal branding, you offer an authentic voice. The ‘about me’ page has a story about who you are and what you do. This personalised approach is something that big brands can’t typically offer.
Your value becomes clear since your audience has access to you in a unique way; they can relate to you on an emotional and intellectual level. Your brand and you become one, which creates a level of accessibility that brands don’t often achieve.
Through that authenticity and value, you can establish your expertise and authority within your niche.
Personal branding is one of the keys when it comes to standing out and attracting opportunities. When your brand is honest and accessible, your audience comes to you. That makes you an exciting prospect for organisations, employers and more.
Personal branding is what sets you apart from the rest and will ultimately be the key to your success.
