12 Apr 15 steps to Personal Branding
1. Find the right voice for your brand
Spend some time making sure your voice matches your brand. While many of us can get attached to a name, logo, design or idea behind a brand, it doesn’t always prove to be the best choice. Test your choice among friends, family, or even hire a brand consultant to give you some pointers. Look towards competitors to see what has worked and what hasn’t!
2. Identify your strengths
What are you really good at doing? What set you apart from the rest? Bring your best qualities to the table, cultivate them, and share them with your audience. Don’t be shy to show some examples to back up your claim!
3. Identify your weaknesses
What are you not so good at? Is there room for improvement or to hire someone for that role? Account for your weaknesses by being prepared, outsourcing, or learning new skills.
4. Line up your mission, passion and goal
Figure out what drives you and the reasons behind you ambitions. Make a connection by drawing upon passions many people have, and how yours came to be!
5. Find your niche
What do you want to say? How does what you have to offer differ from other similar products or services? Tell me why I should come to you!
6. Practice being bold
Find five things to shamelessly self-promote about. Just five, and we’re not talking about showing off or being arrogant hear. But we want to know what five things you are most proud of!
7. Highlight on social media
Social media can be a double edged sword, as it a useful tool to communicate, marketing, and promote, but we can often get caught up in comparing and contrasting the overflow of information we get on daily basis. Imagine your social media was a movie trailer. What parts would you highlight most, and which would you leave for the film. Showcase your BEST on social media and that is what will be seen.
8. Write your personal brand bio
People want to know your brand is authentic. The best way to do this is to show them the brand’s story, how it came to be, and where it is going, with you as its pilot.
9. Write your professional bio
Is your professional self different from your personal self? This is a good place to list some of your accomplishments and aspirations.
10. Share your story with other
All this work is meaningless without sharing the story and seeing how it affects people. Whether you touch them emotionally, or rile them up to take action, this is where you will see how effective your story is!
11. How does your story weave into mine?
Relate your story to your clients. Show how you will help, add value, and measure results. Describe your process with regard to workflow, theme, and timelines.
12. Build relationships
Business is a two way street and clients are more likely to work with you when they see you as a partner rather than a one-off service. Make your first priority to establish long term rapport with a client, and let the sale be a result of that.
13. Surround yourself with success
In order to grow, reach out and connect with community leaders, mentors, and established players in your industry. The best way to learn is to challenge yourself and be around those who inspire you!
14. Take steps forward
Take personal and professional inventory, assess where you are, and decide where you want to be. Set some goals and start moving!
15. Even baby steps are steps
Momentum is key, and your focus should be to build it. Trying to write that novel, but got writer’s block? Don’t try and bang out 200 pages overnight and hate yourself when you can’t. Instead aim to write 10 minutes on the first day, 20 on the second, and so forth.