06 May 2010 by Emma
Let me ask you this: when people ask you what you do, do you
have a response that is clear, compelling and engaging? How you
answer this question is a key part of your personal brand. It
should help you to be memorable and stand out, so that people know
who you are and what you stand for. After all, we all know
that the best form of marketing is word-of-mouth, and what better
way than to inspire others to share your story. When you do
this right, it won't be too long before you hear the words "Oh yes!
I've heard of you".
Your personal brand is a combination of many things: how you
present yourself and engage with others, your past results and
achievements, your values and strengths, your goals and ambitions
and what you're known for. Developing and refining your brand takes
time and effort, as it is crucial for your brand to be authentic
and YOU. Anything else will be sniffed out. But overarching
all this is the need for consistency. All strong brands can
be relied to deliver upon their promises, consistently. And
this is something that you need to think about.
Having a clear personal brand will not only improve your
confidence in yourself. You will be able to attract investment more
easily. As your profile improves, potential investors will
hear about you and know whether or not you're the sort of person
they want to invest in. You are also more likely to attract the
right staff for your business. Your personal brand and your
business brand will be very closely linked, and your actions should
be driven by your core values. As such, when you communicate
your values through what you do, those people with similar values
will be attracted to you. Of course, the same goes for attracting
customers!
Social media is a great way of enhancing your personal
brand. In this digital age, it is most likely that people
will first come across you online. If not, they will
certainly Google you after meeting you. So how your present
yourself in the digital space needs to be consistent with your
brand. Personal websites, blogging and active social
network participation can all contribute to a strong online
presence. But, don't forget to show people the real you.
After all, people do business with people. Twitter is a great
way for showing your human side as well as engaging and forming new
connections. It can be too easy to be "professional" and this
can sometimes come across as cold and distant, not to mention
boring.
So, what are you going to do today to enhance your personal
brand?
- Alexia Leachman is a personal brand coach who runs branding
firm Blossoming
Brands. Follow her on Twitter here.