Your story is your personal brand. Just like a corporate brand, your personal brand tells us who you are, what you stand for, your values, and how you express your values and beliefs. Your personal brand is how you communicate your unique identity and value to your potential customers or employers.
Most professionals overlook the concept of personal branding because they are real people, not companies. But that’s not true.
When you have a strong brand, you can stand out from your competition. Take my example – I spent years as an employee and now I am a Success Coach. I run my own business, and my customers can connect with me because of my past corporate experience. I use that to help them get better at their jobs. So my personal brand is the key to my success.
I am continuously and consistently working on my personal brand, day in and day out. And by doing so, I have been able to amplify my career as a success coach in the process.
Here are 4 tips for building a personal brand to boost your career:
Know Who You Are
Create a list of your strong and weak points. Ask your friends and family to express their opinions too. Be clear about who you are.
Then find out how you want to known as. Especially when it relates to your niche.
It’s also helpful to have a vision board in place to visualise your dreams and goals. This will also make you understand who you want to be and want to be known as in the next 5 or 10 years down the line.
Your personal brand is your reflection, so be clear about it.
Know Your Audience
Who are you trying to reach? Who is your ideal customer or employer? Do you have a dream job?
For most professionals, creating (or updating) your LinkedIn profile is the first step in understanding your audience. Make yourself visible to recruiters and hiring managers, and you should be set.
Prepare Your Elevator Pitch
Yes, you are NOT a start-up. We know that. But an elevator pitch is essential to your personal brand. Prepare a 30- to 60-second story of who you are, what you do, and what you would like to do – that’s your elevator pitch.
This needs to be a lively and brief monologue that tells your story. And you will need to practice it quite often to make it sound not so mugged up. Make it sound spontaneous.
Start Networking
You will want to use your elevator pitch when you start networking online and offline. The more connections you make and the more value you can provide in your interactions, the better are your successful prospecting.
Your personal brand will become more recognised and potentially boost your career too.
Now, over to you..
Often overlooked, personal branding is no longer optional nowadays. It’s become a necessity for all, whether corporates or individuals. So follow these 4 tips for building a personal brand to boost your career.
If you need help, we are just a click away!
