While businesses try to act like people, developing values, personalities and a purpose to believe, you have the advantage - you are a person! You already have a tone of voice, stories and messages to share with the world and with social media only ever a few clicks away, you have never been closer to becoming a brand. All you have to do is figure out how to make your 'human brand' and your audience come together to create the impact you're looking for in your life or in your career. If you're thinking about building a meaningful personal brand, don't think about numbers.
The number of followers, LinkedIn post Likes or blog subscribers. They certainly have their place, but you won't find meaning in the metrics! Think about how you can deliver so much value in a niche that people will begin to associate your name with that industry, cause or subject matter.
Shaping a personal brand is not generating an identity for yourself, and it's not looking for what makes you different from others. You are already the proud owner of both of these things. A personal brand showcases who you are and what matters to you. Sharing your story, the real-life one, not a constructed one, and communicating with the right audience alone will differentiate you from others. When you look at everything you are - your name, your job, your story - you can only go so far, but when you push through any limitations that those things may have created and look at all you can be, that's where transformation happens.
Here are six steps you can take to move closer to an intentional, and effective, personal brand:
1. Own your craft
Building a brand takes time. You need to make a commitment to being as good at your 'thing' as you can be and start owning your craft. What do we mean by that?
- Identify your area of expertise: Whether you work in marketing, finance, or any other field, once you know what sets you apart, you can tailor your personal brand strategy accordingly.
- Create quality content: Establish yourself as an authority in your field by creating quality content on relevant topics that showcase your knowledge and skills. Sallee Poinsette-Nash recently wrote an article on How to stay one step head of the LinkedIn algorithm so if this is your social media platform of choice, we'd recommend having a read. Whatever format of content you prefer (blogs, podcast, or social media posts), sharing content that has value to your professional network will help position you as a thought leader in your industry.
- Stay on-brand: To own your craft in personal brand strategy, staying on-brand is essential. Stay true to your values, remain authentic, and be persistent in your efforts. Personal brand strategy is a continuous process that requires focus, and effort.
- Leverage social media: Social media is a powerful tool to get your message out there, and to expand your network. Identify the platform where your audience is most active then share that valuable content we mentioned above, and engage with others in your industry
- Build a robust network: Talking of your professional network, networking is essential in personal brand strategy. No-one needs to do this work thing alone! Connecting with other professionals in your industry can help expand your reach, establish collaborations, and build relationships that could help you grow your personal brand.
2. Deliver Value
Personal branding is not about you! Ironic, but true. Your personal brand is a tool for providing value to others and everyone has the potential to offer immense value. Once you define the value you have to offer, you'll need to know who your audience is so you can provide value to them (in the public domain) because everything stems from there. Here are a few ways your personal brand can make a positive impact and provide value to those around you:
- Share: Just because it seems obvious to you, it doesn't mean that it is to them. By sharing your experiences, expertise, and knowledge with others (for example: through informative blog posts, speaking engagements or mentoring opportunities) you can help others to learn and grow.
- Motivate: Your personal brand can serve as a source of inspiration and motivation for others. When you share aspects of your own story, challenges, and wins, you can show others that they too can overcome whatever is in their way and reach their own future-versions.
- Guide: Whether it's through one-on-ones, workshops, or online resources, your lived-experience can help others to make informed decisions, and achieve their desired outcomes.
- Connect: When you actively engage with your audience, attend industry events, and foster a sense of community, you can facilitate connections to others with similar interests and goals, which in turn may lead to collaborations, mentorships, and valuable relationships.
3. Find your people
Find one social platform. The one that the majority of your audience uses and show up - authentically, consistently and with the most valuable content you create. Let's take LinkedIn as an example. Finding and connecting with the right people on LinkedIn can be a daunting task when you're starting out on the platform so here are a few tips to help you find the right people to connect with:
- Target audience: Before you start sending a multitude of connection requests to random professionals, clearly define your goals and the type of people you want to connect with. Consider your industry, job role, or specific interests, not just for where you are today but also thinking about where you'd like to be professionally in say three years from now - and if you are there in three years, what sort of people will you need in your network? Having a clear idea of your target audience will help you streamline your search.
- Join relevant LinkedIn groups: LinkedIn groups never quite reached the popularity that Facebook groups did but they are still a great way to connect with like-minded professionals in your industry or with similar interests. Engaging in group discussions and contributing valuable insights can help you establish relationships and connect with the right people.
- Utilise LinkedIn's search filters: LinkedIn offers advanced search filters that allow you to narrow down your search based on specific criteria such as location, industry, job title, company size, and more. Use these filters to find professionals who align with your target audience.We recently shared an article on Boolean Search: What On Earth Is Boolean Search And How Can I Use It To Build My Personal Brand? which if you're going to be searching will be useful to know!
- Leverage keyword searches: Use relevant keywords to search for professionals who share common interests or work within your industry. LinkedIn's search bar allows you to search for people, companies, or content, and applying specific keywords can help you find individuals who align with your goals.
- Explore your existing connections: Take a look at your existing connections on LinkedIn and explore their networks. And while you're there have a Marie Kondo inspired clean up! Remove anyone who shouldn't be there (if people don't make you feel good, remove them too!) and familiarise yourself with who is in your connections, and what they are doing now. People in your network can introduce you to professionals who could be a good fit for your goals, they can provide valuable recommendations or in some cases, become your mentor.
- Engage with content: Engaging with relevant content on LinkedIn, such as articles, posts, or discussions, can increase your visibility among professionals with similar interests. By commenting, sharing, and adding value to the conversation, you can start building connections with individuals who resonate with your views and expertise.
- Attend industry events and conferences: Use LinkedIn to find people who are attending industry-specific events or conferences. By connecting with individuals before, during, or after the event you will increase the likelihood of establishing more meaningful connections offline, while expanding your network online.
4. Collaborate
The more you show up, the more aligned opportunities will find you. Find other people who are on the same wavelength, people who also share quality content and collaborate. Competition will never reign over collective effort. When it comes to approaching someone about collaborating, it's important to be authentic and genuine while highlighting why you admire their work, how your areas of expertise align, and the potential mutual benefits of collaborating. Keep it concise, polite, and focused on the value you bring to the table. Not everyone will be available or interested in collaboration, so be prepared for different responses and tay positive and professional throughout the process, whether they accept or decline your offer.
Here's a suggested email template that you can adapt and use the next time you're approaching someone for a collaboration:
Subject: Exploring Mutually Beneficial Collaboration Opportunities
Dear [Recipient's Name],
I hope this email finds you well. My name is [Your Name], and I have been impressed with your work in [specific field or industry]. I feel that our areas of expertise align and compliment each other, and that there may be opportunities for collaboration that would benefit both of us.
I have been following your contributions on [platform or specific project] and have admired your innovative approach and thought leadership. I would love the opportunity to explore potential collaboration opportunities, either now or in the future, in the form of [specific idea or project].
I believe that together, we can create something valuable and impactful for our respective audiences, so whether it's a joint webinar, co-authoring an article, or developing a panel, talk or workshop, I hope our combined expertise can yield exceptional value for people.
I am open to your suggestions and would appreciate your insights on potential collaboration ideas. Please let me know if you would be happy to have a brief call or meeting. I can be available on [three date and time suggestions in bullet point format] and if these don't work for you, I'd be grateful if you can suggest some alternatives.
Thank you for considering this collaboration opportunity and I look forward to the possibility of working together to creating something meaningful.
Best wishes,
[Your Name, Contact Information and Links to social media]
5. Build a home online
Once you have grown a social media following, build your website or a blog. Start with a simple drag and drop site (like Squarespace, Strikingly or Wix) and either use it as a 21st Century CV/Resume, or as the ultimate value add to your audience. A website may not always be appropriate or relevant but it does provide you with a professional and versatile platform to showcase your skills, build credibility, and engage with your audience. Along with the opportunity to truly own your personal brand narrative and create a lasting impression.
6. Launch your own products
Credibility is your motivation here. View products as marketing tools over monetary goals. Write a book, design an online course, launch a podcast - these are all products that speak on your behalf and add that all important sprinkling of credibility.
When diversifying your personal brand with new products, it's essential to align them with your overall brand identity, values, and target audience. Conduct market research, listen to your audience's needs, and consider the scalability and feasibility of each new product idea. Here are some ideas on how you can diversify to introduce new products and services:
- Online Courses or Workshops
- Physical Products
- Digital Products
- Coaching or Mentoring Services
- Consulting Services
- Collaborations or Partnerships
- Subscription-Based Services
- Limited Edition or Special Releases
Don't just follow these steps once. Take them over and over again. You will continually evolve as a person and so will your personal brand. Keep checking in, refreshing and adapting as you go. Remember that you're human, imperfection is perfect and when it comes to most things in life, 7/10 is good enough!