You may have heard the term ‘personal branding’ floating around, but you might not know what it means or why it matters. Let me start by talking about what personal branding is and how it is one of the most effective ways to grow your influence online.
Why?
As an individual, you have a unique set of skills, knowledge, and experiences that make you different from everyone else. When you create a personal brand, you’re essentially putting all these things together and showcasing them to the world. This can help you stand out from the competition and attract new opportunities.
Of course, there are several other things we could talk about when it comes to personal branding. Building a consistent online presence, creating quality content, and connecting with the right people are just some of the tactics that can help you successfully establish your brand.
That’s exactly what Madalyn Sklar, George Silver, and I discussed on the #TwitterSmarter show, Personal Branding: Going From Invisible to Invincible. In the conversation, we discussed why is personal branding important and what it takes, such as creating a strong brand message, networking with others in your industry, and so much more.
If you want personal branding tips to yours to the next level, then keep reading! I have broken down the key topics below so you can get started on your journey from invisible to becoming invincible.
Why should you create a personal brand?
“I think creating a personal brand really creates something that you can leverage as an asset, and it becomes something bigger than you are.”
– Kendra Losee
Many people underestimate the importance of personal branding. They often think that a personal brand is only necessary if you are a CEO, celebrity, high-profile figure, or are looking for a job. The truth is that everyone can benefit from having a strong personal brand.
For one, it gives you an edge over the competition and shows potential employers and/or clients that your brand can make an impact even if you’re only running a small business.
“For me, personal branding means making that bigger impact even when you’re not in the room.“
– Kendra Losee
With so many competitors out there, your brand can help you stand out from the crowd – especially nowadays when so many people on social don’t know the value of having a personal brand.
Having a personal brand gives you the opportunity to showcase your unique skills and experiences so that potential employers or clients will recognize you as an expert in your field. In other words, a personal brand can be an asset that you can leverage to get ahead.
“I don’t think having a personal brand is a luxury or something that you just get because you’re trying to hustle for followers or clients, but it’s really how you’re showing up and how you can help set yourself apart from the sea of sameness and from what everyone else is doing.“
– Kendra Losee
How does a personal brand help improve your business?
Personal branding can be powerful. Not only does it help you stand out, but it can also help you stand out and make you an authority in your industry.
“Having a personal branding strategy provides a way so that people can find you, and gives you that chance to stand out and position yourself as the go-to authority that people can relate to.“
– Kendra Losee
Creating a personal brand will help you build credibility and trust with potential clients and employers, and it can also be an easy way to reach more people in your area of expertise. Additionally, having a strong personal brand can open up opportunities for collaborations and partnerships that can further propel your business forward.
“It’s so easy to forget that what people connect with are those little moments when you’re actually being yourself.”
– Kendra Losee
Finally, personal branding helps to humanize your brand and make it relatable. You can use social media or other tools to share stories about yourself, behind the scenes of your business, or anything else that makes your brand unique. This could help you engage with potential customers in a more meaningful way and establish an emotional connection with them.
“No one wants to hear a business talk like a business. You want to hear something that you can connect with, and that you care about. In order to do that, you have to understand the people behind it.”
– Kendra Losee
What are the things you need to consider when creating a personal brand?
Before you start creating a personal brand, it’s essential to take the time to think about who you are and what story you want to tell. Consider your values, skills, and experiences. What makes you unique? How do you want to be seen by others? What is your brand going to represent?
“One of the most important things is understanding who you are, how you’re showing up, and what you want that personal brand to be.”
– Kendra Losee
Once you have a better idea of where you would like to take your brand, it’s now time to think about the things that you’re going to share with your audiences. It’s important to think about the type of content you’re going to create and how it aligns with your goals.
“What is it that you have sustainable interest in that you want to talk about? What is it that you want to talk about that’s going to align with your career, business, and target audience?”
– Kendra Losee
One last thing that’s often overlooked but very important when crafting and building a personal brand is consistency with your values. You want to make sure that your personal brand is authentic and reflective of your values.
“The other thing that I think gets overlooked often and I learned a lot about in the last couple of years is really just paying attention to people’s values. Knowing what your personal values are, and understanding what you want to do are both going to help you.”
– Kendra Losee
What makes a successful personal brand?
“Knowing what your customer values are and what you want to become known for, and understanding where that overlaps and where you can make a difference.”
– Kendra Losee
When creating your personal brand, it’s important to align with your customer’s values so you can make a real difference for them. Once you build a strong personal brand that resonates with people and makes them feel connected to you, success will follow.
How do you make a distinction between branding and positioning?
The difference between branding and positioning is that branding is about creating a memorable identity, while positioning focuses on how you communicate your brand to the audience. Branding involves creating an image or perception of yourself in the minds of your customers, while positioning is more focused on the messaging around your brand and how it’s presented to potential customers.
“Branding is larger than just the positioning. Basically, positioning is like, where you’re positioned in the marketplace. Are you a luxury brand or a brand for the masses? Or are you a niche brand?”
– Kendra Losee
How do you grow your audience as a personal brand?
Growing your audience as a personal brand involves creating content that speaks to their needs, values, and interests. You also want to ensure you are showing up on social media or where your audience is, engaging with others in conversations related to your industry, and participating in relevant events or communities. It’s also important to network with influencers who align with your brand objectives.
“It depends on you, on your audience, and where they are. Do what you love to do and show up where your audiences are. You want to keep in mind where your target audience is, and what do they value?”
– Kendra Losee
What are some ways to grow your personal brand when you’re just starting out?
When you’re just starting with your personal brand, the first thing to do is to make sure there’s a way for people to find you.
Creating an online presence starts with setting up a profile with your area of interest well-defined. You may also do some social listening and researching to see what people are saying so that you are able to jump into conversations if you need to.
“And start responding to people to make those connections. Don’t be afraid to share your journey and your findings with your audience, because that’s how you’ll start to build your audience and your opinion.”
– Kendra Losee
George Silver, Madalyn’s co-host, shared another tip that I find very useful, which is to learn and build in public. Because, after all, personal branding is all about showing people who you are and what you can do.
Madalyn also shared an important insight, which is “just be you, and the right audience will be attracted to it.” And I totally agree, because, at the end of the day, it’s all about staying true to who you are and what values you stand for.
Conclusion
Creating and growing a personal brand that resonates with people is a rewarding journey. With clarity of purpose, discipline, and consistency, you can truly make your brand shine and go from invisible to invincible!
Thanks for joining us on #TwitterSmarter to discuss Personal Branding: Going From Invisible to Invincible.
I hope you found some of the insights helpful in your own personal branding journey.
If you want to chat about what it takes to grow your own personal brand, schedule a call today!