What is a personal brand?
Daniel Murray, Podcast Host of The Marketing Millennials, mentions that personal branding essentially defines who you are, what you bring to the table, and how your experiences shaped you.
It can come in all shapes and sizes. Maybe it’s your online presence, how you communicate, or what you stand for.
Whatever it is, it’s unique to you and YOU are in control of it.
Why personal branding is important
The pandemic has affected the world in so many ways. One of the biggest challenges is business. We’ve seen changes in how businesses operate, work-life switching to fully remote, and the unfortunate loss of millions of jobs.
That’s why, now more than ever, building a personal brand is key.
Here are 7 reasons why:
#1 Businesses don’t buy your services – PEOPLE do
Amelia Sordell, Founder of Klowt, talks about how business people want to be every bit as inspired as consumers do. At the end of the day, they too are people and want to build connections and have someone be in tune with their feelings.
Having a strong online presence fulfills this and helps drive connections to build trust. As you build authority authentically, people get to learn more about you, your value, and how you can help them.
#2 It’s yours to keep
Andreas Jonsson, CEO of SHIELD, claims your personal brand is your future. Unlike a job, it’s completely yours. During unprecedented times, like COVID-19, you always have your personal brand to fall back on.
This is key because all the hard work you put into building your personal brand will never go away. You constantly build it up and your connections only get stronger, you become more knowledgeable, and you can offer more experiences.
#3 The human element
People like seeing a face behind a brand. It adds in a human element that makes them more likely to listen to what you have to say. While we’re socially distancing, having a personal brand is also a great way to build a human connection (behind a screen, of course).
#4 Personal branding builds credibility
Trust is key! People like to see social proof to be able to trust that they know what you’re talking about. This takes time. As you become a trustworthy personal brand, you build that authority.
Adrian Ma, the Content Contributor to HiddenPalmTree, shared a story on how his first major feature became his most successful piece of content. Adrian connected with someone on social media who launched a car storage facility business venture. Since they were starting out and were seeking ways to get their name out there, Adrian offered to do a full feature on the business.
This included journalistic photographs of their entire setup, how the business aimed to stand out from the rest, and what the team wanted to achieve long-term. That feature had such a positive impact. It established its personal brand as a trustworthy business, attracted a sizable number of interested clients, and led to increased brand exposure.
#5 Resumes are dead
Justin Welsh, Founder of JW Strategic Advisory, discusses how your online presence is your new resume. You can learn a lot more about a person by their personal brand than you can’t from a resume. Personal brands allow people to explore the way you express yourself, your ideals, and all that jazz.
#6 Personal branding is networking at scale
Finn Thormeier, Founder of Project 33, says “an audience is one of the most powerful assets you can build in today’s world.” A big piece of that is networking. A personal brand that speaks to a specific audience equates to a circle of trust, which is invaluable.
Right now, networking can no longer be done in person. We have to rely heavily on building an online presence and using digital platforms to reach others. The beauty of building your personal brand online is that you can reach exponentially more people than you could ever in person.
#7 It makes you relatable and unlocks new opportunities
Lauren Edvalson, CEO of Edvalson Marketing, runs a small digital marketing agency that builds personal brands for entrepreneurs.
Because of COVID-19, the importance of building a personal brand is ever more so and she’s been seeing an influx of business professionals seeking help to create their own personal brands to establish connections.
As a mom and business owner, she faces many daily challenges. Leveraging this, she’s been able to connect with more people on a personal level by sharing more about her struggles.
Lately, she’s been moderating rooms on Clubhouse and providing tips and tricks on branding and marketing. Lauren mentions, “By being more transparent with who we are as people, I believe that allows entrepreneurs to attract potential clients who are aligned with their own personal values.”
How do I develop my personal brand?
Creating a personal brand can be a daunting idea. Where do you begin?
A great way we suggest starting right away is to build an All-Star LinkedIn profile, post consistently, and connect with others. You can also check out the 10 Golden Rules of Personal Branding, written by Goldie Chan from Forbes, to help you craft yours.
If you want hands-on guided help and personalized strategy, our Personal Brand Program may be right for you. Learn more about it here.
This blog article was written by Jenn Hanft, a personality-driven copywriter for multi-passionate entrepreneurs using high-conversion storytelling to amplify your voice with words that deeply connect.
