Building your personal brand is not a quick process, nor is it something you should do by yourself.
Identifying what makes you unique, why you are in business and how to communicate this to your target audience takes time!!
Understanding the value this brings to your business will ultimately help you market yourself more effectively to your audience and build a personal identity, voice and story that your customer can identify with, relate and be inspired by.
Your personal brand strategy needs to be reflected in every single way you communicate with your audience on and off line.
Find the right experts to help you.
As entrepreneurs we wear many hats. Be realistic about your strengths, weaknesses and the aspects of running your business you enjoy the most. Build up a dream team of experts who can help you with the areas that you aren’t so good at. Being clear about what makes you who you are will make these decisions so much easier.
Understanding your personal brand and using it to your advantage is a more strategic way of managing conversations that are already happening around you. We live in an online world and we all have a digital footprint.
What makes you, as a person, attractive to potential customers or clients? What is it that makes you special? Why should someone work with you? Once you have this established, make sure your audience knows what it is.
When you are clear about who you are, why you are in business and what your consumer is truly looking for in your brand every aspect of your business will work in harmony to create a brand that truly makes your heart sing.
You can’t hide in your office behind your computer and expect to build a personal brand. You need to get out and make yourself visible and accessible to your customers and the world.
Attend industry conferences, even if it’s just to network and socialize. Be seen!!
Hold live video Q&A sessions on social media and interact with your followers/customer/friends/family.
The more visible and accessible you make yourself, the stronger your personal brand with become.
Show the “Real You” on social media. Don’t use social media as a 100% marketing channel. It’s fine to throw an offer out there or promote your company occasionally, but focus on showing the real you.
Consumers like you, what your interests are, where you are flying to next, that amazing chocolate cake recipe or that fun DIY project you did with your kids etc…. makes you appear more human, which attracts more people to you, more relatable.
Have a personal facebook page and a separate business facebook page. Have a Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram, Snap Chat Page…stay active on them. Join a few discussion groups and start a few of your own. But, keep all your social media accounts properly maintained.
Start to blog. This is one of the best ways to brand yourself! Write about topics relevant in your field about topics revelent in your field on a regular bais. You can post your blog link on various forums or websites. Having and maintaining a blog is one of the best ways to brand yourself as an expert in your field.
Understand your industry inside and out. Your business is only as good as the people running it, yourself included.
It’s important that you understand your industry inside and out — know your products, staying up to date on latest trends, breaking news and your competition.
You know your personal brand is strong when you become a source of information.
Strive to be the person media outlets and journalists contact when they need expert advice or information on a popular topic or breaking news.
Giving back can help you build your personal brand. Whether it’s donating money to a charity or volunteering your time to a cause that’s important to you, this type of deed can benefit your personal brand. Being a good person is free and always beneficial!!
Research and find the right expert that can help you build your personal brand…
Love Vanessa 💜
being Vanessa 