Why you need a personal brand now!

What is a personal brand?

‘A personal brand is the unique combination of skills and experiences that make you who you are. It is how you present yourself to the world’ (Forbes 2019).

Creating a personal brand puts you in charge of the narrative and allows you to present yourself in the best possible light to potential clients and employers. Your personal brand can elevate your credibility, as well as help you to build trust with others in order to reach your personal and professional goals.(Anderson 2021)

3 Reasons you need a personal brand!

Values - Creating your personal brand enables you to present your values and align those values with your company or prospective clients.

Authority -. A personal brand defines your authority in your niche, and authority differentiates you from the rest. Having authority gives you more power, not only in bringing in more revenue, but by allowing you the ability to demand premium pricing. (Hunter, 2022)

Trust - A personal brand clearly defines your intentions and therefore builds trust with prospective clients and employers (LinkedIn 2022) Personal branding helps a person build a connection with you. It also allows you to become very specific to people in your field.

How to use social media for personal branding

Social media is the most important place to build and demonstrate your personal brand. In 2018 CareerBuilder found that 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates. Not only does Social Media allow you to present your values, authority in a consistent manner. It also allows you to network with others in your field and assess your competition.

1) Identify your why.

What is your purpose or mission? What are your values? Social media is firstly about people. Tell your story but take care that you present it in a way that demonstrates why you are the best at what you do. Your story and values should be the reason people choose you above someone else. (Miller 2022)

2) Create your identity

Choose a brand voice that demonstrates your personality. Decide on the tone of your brand e.g humorous or informative. Create your brand image. Use colours and images that reflect your values, personality and tone. Ensure you consistently use these across your digital profiles.

3) Identify your target market.

Who do you want to work with? What are their problems? What Social Media platforms do they use? It is better for you to be present and engaging on a few social media sites that are relevant to your target audience.

4) Network

Reach out to people you want to connect with. Join relevant groups and engage with them. Highlight your interests and demonstrate how your skills may help solve problems. (Harvard Business Review, 2022). Reach out to people who inspire you.

5) Share what you offer

What are your unique skills and talents? Plan your content to ensure it is relevant and relatable to your target audience. Ensure your brand offers value to consumers by solving their problems. People do business with people. Being relevant means that people see how you could fit into their life and business to achieve their goals. (Entrepreneur, 2022)

Bear Grylls is a great example!

Bear Grylls O.B. is one of the most recognised faces in the world of outdoor adventure and survival. He has mastered the ability to share impactful, informative content in a personal and engaging way. His posts, most of which show him speaking directly to the camera, highlight his Christian values which inform his decisions in everything he does. With a following in over 100 countries and his role as ‘Chief Scout’, Bear challenges his followers to learn about the natural world, keep fit both physically and mentally, and experience adventure. His social media presence reflects that of a personal branding expert, highlighting his authenticity, abilities and passion for the outdoors and survival.

References

Anderson Ase (2021), ‘5 Reasons why you need a personal brand.’ https://thebritishschoolofexcellence.com/life-skills/5-reasons-why-you-need-a-personal-brand/ [Accessed 17.09.2022]

Castrillon Caroline for FORBES ( 2019) ‘Why personal branding is more important than ever before.’ https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecastrillon/2019/02/12/why-personal-branding-is-more-important-than-ever/?sh=6d5bf76d2408 [Accessed 17.09.2022]

Colsett Adam for LINKED IN (2019) ‘Why personal branding is important’ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-reasons-why-personal-branding-important-david-coslett/ [Accessed 17.09.2022]

Heitzman Adam for SEJ Journal (2022) ‘What is personal branding?’ https://www.searchenginejournal.com/what-is-personal-branding-why-important/327367/#close [Accessed 17.09.2022]

Hunter Jeff for ENTREPENEUR (2022) ‘7 reasons why you need a personal brand’ https://www.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/7-reasons-why-you-need-a-personal-brand/423892 [Accessed 17.09.2022]

Miller Don (2022). ‘#75 How to tell your story without playing the Hero’ . [https://businessmadesimple.com/podcast/]. Published 06.06.2022

Monarth Harrison for HAVARD BUSINESS REVIEW (2022) ‘What’s the point of a personal brand?’ https://hbr.org/2022/02/whats-the-point-of-a-personal-brand [Accessed 17.09.2022]

Bibliography

Anderson Ase (2021), ‘5 Reasons why you need a personal brand.’ https://thebritishschoolofexcellence.com/life-skills/5-reasons-why-you-need-a-personal-brand/ [Accessed 17.09.2022]

Grylls Bear (2022) https://www.beargrylls.com/pages/about-bear-grylls [Accessed 17.09.2022]

Castrillon Caroline for FORBES ( 2019) ‘Why personal branding is more important than ever before.’ https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecastrillon/2019/02/12/why-personal-branding-is-more-important-than-ever/?sh=6d5bf76d2408 [Accessed 17.09.2022]

Colsett Adam for LINKED IN (2019) ‘Why personal branding is important’ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-reasons-why-personal-branding-important-david-coslett/ [Accessed 17.09.2022]

Heitzman Adam for SEJ Journal (2022) ‘What is personal branding?’ https://www.searchenginejournal.com/what-is-personal-branding-why-important/327367/#close [Accessed 17.09.2022]

Hunter Jeff for ENTREPENEUR (2022) ‘7 reasons why you need a personal brand’ https://www.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/7-reasons-why-you-need-a-personal-brand/423892 [Accessed 17.09.2022]

Miller Don (2022). ‘#75 How to tell your story without playing the Hero’ . [https://businessmadesimple.com/podcast/]. Published 06.06.2022

Monarth Harrison for HAVARD BUSINESS REVIEW (2022) ‘What’s the point of a personal brand?’ https://hbr.org/2022/02/whats-the-point-of-a-personal-brand [Accessed 17.09.2022]