What is personal branding and why do I need it?

 

Defining Personal Branding

• Personal branding (Wikipedia) “is the conscious and intentional effort to create and influence public perception of an individual by positioning them as an authority in their industry, elevating their credibility, and differentiating themselves from the competition, to ultimately advance their career, increase their circle of influence, and have a larger impact. The process of personal branding involves finding your uniqueness, building a reputation on the things you want to be known for, and then allowing yourself to be known for them. Ultimately, the goal is to create something that conveys a message and that can be monetised.”

Ok, you can see why that might be valuable! Especially if you’ve been furloughed/made redundant and need to restart your career. Or if the universe has given you the opportunity or desire to start a new business in 2021. But how does one go about this?

How do I apply this to my own branding image?

Firstly, you have to understand what your brand is. What values you wish to communicate, what aspects of your personality you wish to promote, your points of difference from others. That’s all inward-looking and it’s crucial that you get this right. Only after that can you think about who you wish to speak to and how you connect with them.

Key points to consider:

• Be focused. You can’t be all things to all people. It’s tempting when you’re starting out but will just diffuse your offering. Choose one message, hone it and stick with it.
• Don’t be afraid to be niche. Small businesses do best when they do one thing and do it well.
• Define your target audience and do your research. Ask what your audience needs and consider how you can provide it.
• Make sure your brand identity is homogenised across your social media platforms and website. Not doing this will create confusion and dilute your brand
• Be authentic. Only by engaging on a meaningful and honest level will you connect with your target audience. And this means living your brand. The line between work and personal life is blurred these days and you should embody your brand at all times.
• Tell your story. Don’t wait for people to dig you up. You need to create relevant content via blogs, video and pictures and get them out there across all platforms.
• Don’t be afraid to network!

And how do I get started?

If you are daunted by this journey, have no idea how to get started or are stuck somewhere along the way and need some clarity, we can help. I work with several inspiring professionals who guide you and support you through every step of the way to uncovering your personal brand and manifesting the person you wish to be.

Once you have established this, you need some great headshots or personal branding portraits. Headshot photography is fine.  It gives a little glimpse of you and your brand. At a minimum, they show what you look like. Done well, they can give a glimpse of personality and  But headshots are a bit simplistic and while cost effective, only go so far to saying who you are and what you are about. Which is why ideally you would have a personal branding photoshoot. So we can capture portraits of you in different settings, with props as needed, with colleagues/partners as desired. To give a fuller and more rounded view of you and your brand. To tell your story.

Together we can crack your personal brand. Help you find your authentic voice and create stunning personal brand portraits.