How To Build a Personal Brand
The development of your personal brand is a strategic process capable of directing your professional life wherever you want. Through the personal brand, you discover how to add more value to your work and the market you serve. The brand is your reputation and your legacy.
It is how others remember you through your actions, your knowledge and relationships. People will use this image to remember you at work and, for example, to decide whether or not they want to work with you in the future or not.
Developing your brand allows you to differentiate yourself from other professionals and be someone of unique value. Below are steps on how to build a personal brand.
1. TAKE CARE OF YOUR PERSONAL IMAGE.
Regardless of whether you like it or not, your image says a lot about you. Therefore, it is necessary to make a complete analysis of your personal appearance, communication and behavior. Take care of the most striking aspects first, then proceed accordingly until you get to the details.
See which outfit best reflects who you are today and who you want to be in the future. Change what is necessary (even if you need to make an investment).
Keep your appearance well cared for, and pay attention to accessories and perfume. Police yourself daily to avoid problems in your communication and in your attitudes.
2. IMPROVE THE APPEARANCE OF YOUR MATERIALS.
Often, customers, suppliers or partners can get in touch with some material from us rather than ourselves. It may be that your website, business card, e-mail or any work you have done is the customer’s first contact with you. At this point, a strong first impression is generated.
Therefore, ensure that your promotional materials and the work you do have a consistent, professional and pleasant image so that you can make the right impression, even without being present in the environment.
3. HAVE A CONSISTENT CAREER PATH.
The professional path you’ve taken leaves a trail of clues about who you are today. These clues are identified and analyzed by others to determine your credibility. This can be a problem for you, especially if you have never bothered to build a coherent career.
Jumping from job to job or from company to company in search of just better wages will leave clues in your path. Working only in small companies or staying for years in the same position will leave other clues. Now think about whether these clues are aligned with the professional image you want to convey.
4. DEVELOP A NETWORK OF CONTACTS.
Tell me who you are with, and I will tell you who you are. This phrase seems to be beaten, but it reflects an unconscious analysis of all people’s personal image. If you are dealing with dishonest, sloppy or complaining professionals, you too will be perceived in this way.
Besides, building relationships with influential, important and ethical people can greatly enhance your chances of a professional replacement and change for a better professional opportunity.
5. MAINTAIN HIGH PERFORMANCE IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT.
People will remember you for the things you did. Being a top performer is one of the most intense ways to create a strong and relevant personal image in the workplace, especially if you are consistent over time. Having a meteoric rise and not sustaining yourself is a path to oblivion.
Sometimes it is better to maintain constant performance over the years than to have fluctuations. If you are committed and the type who loves challenges, move on. Be a professional “out of the curve” and establish your personal image!
6. CHOOSE YOUR COMMUNICATION CHANNELS WELL.
This tip applies to both your online and offline actions. Consider your profile and which channels are the most used by the audience to define those that will be part of your strategy.
In the real world, your presentations, conversations and business cards may be enough to be present with the target, but in the virtual world, there are countless possibilities.
It may be a good idea to have your own website or blog, where you can make your portfolio available, references, history and your professional mission.
Your virtual address is important, as it allows you to convey official information and does not follow the rules imposed, for example, on social networks.
However, it is also valid to create a profile in one or more networks, according to your audience’s habits and market particularities.
LinkedIn is usually a good choice for those who prefer to be recognized for their intellectual production, while Instagram and Facebook ask for greater exposure to the image.
7. KNOW YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE.
Building your brand involves sharing your point of view and solutions for a target audience. That is the audience interested in them. And, to communicate effectively, it is essential to know well who is speaking or writing.
8. DRAW A DIGITAL STRATEGY.
Regardless of your area of operation, the strategy of personal branding should be directed to the possibilities of the online environment.
This is because the markets are increasingly digitalized, and the internet is the largest source in the search for information of all kinds.
Even if you are an experienced professional, ignoring digital tools and channels is a mistake, as they can enhance your message.
The failure is even greater if you are still building your personal brand, which should be available when someone wants to know more about it (online or offline).
Within your strategy, include the creation of relevant content, which arouses identification and interactions with your target.
The type and format of these materials will depend on your expertise and what makes sense to the audience.
Copywriters and executives, for example, can feel free to write larger posts and texts, while photographers and designers tend to benefit from publishing images.
IN CONCLUSION,
Advertising is the lifeblood of the business, and every entrepreneur already knows this. But does everyone looking for an opportunity have this vision of building their personal brand in the market? The above tips will help you greatly in building your personal brand.