Be your BRAND
Personal branding is a process by which we market ourselves to others. I know that some of you may be thinking ‘personal branding’ is not for me, I’m not a brand, I’m a person, why would I be branding myself? Well, let me tell you this. Like it or not, you already have a personal brand. The question is not whether you should have a personal brand or not, the question is are you willing to manage it or not.
In this digital world that we are living in, a personal brand is no longer a nice-to-have — it’s a must.
No matter if you are job seeker, entrepreneur or leader, you need personal branding. And by the way, all these categories are on the same mission, to be known as ‘experts’ in their industry. What is different, is the audience. For jobseekers- employers, for entrepreneurs- the marketplace to potential clients or costumers, for leaders- followers.
You can build and take care of your personal brand online and in-person.
1. Online
Start by doing a quick google search of yourself.
- What appears?
- Which platforms?
- Are you happy with that?
2. In-person
Start by asking for feedback from people you know.
- What am I known for?
- How would you describe me?
Paint yourself
Take a deep breath. Imagine yourself. Think about what you want to become. Follow up daily activities that will get you there. Stop believing in magic, believe in consistency.
There is one very famous exercise for personal branding:
Think about 10 years from now. What do you want to be known for? Imagine 10 years from now you are at a dinner party and you don’t know anyone but that one friend that invited you. Your friend is introducing you. How do you want to be introduced?
This is _____. He/She is known for _____. He/She has accomplished _______. If you wanna talk about _____, you want to talk with him/her.
If we don’t believe in ourselves, then nobody else will. So don’t be afraid to speak up. Understand that people will have certain stereotypes of you, and it’s not reflective of who you are as a person. Go ahead and break barriers. — Forbes
Stay curious
Personal branding is about being really intentional about where is the direction that you want to go. Encourage yourself to be bold, curious, proactive, think outside the box and take ownership of the tasks beyond the area of your responsibilities.
Rebel Talent
Recently, I read the book ‘’Rebel Talent’’- why it pays to break the rules at work and in life. I was fascinated by all marvellous weave of stories and studies that unpacks why, when, and how to break the rules in order to do more successful, challenging, and original work.
‘’In music often you need to break the rules to make masterpiece.’’
So just like in music, you often need to break the rules to build a strong personal brand.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” — Howard Thurman
Stop comparing to others
We all know that:
‘’The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s about what you’re made of, not the circumstance.’’ — Unknown
So please be careful and patient, and do not expect to react in the same way as any other person around you. You are unique. You are you. You have your own circumstance.
