Whether you’re a business owner, a self-employed marketer, or a professional wanting to grow your career, creating a strong presence is important to gain opportunities. You can do this through personal branding.
What is it?
Personal branding is portraying yourself how you want others to view you. Just like when you see businesses with a logo, website, brand colours, and tone of voice, your personal brand is how you present yourself to the world. It goes beyond your professional achievements and career; it reflects who you are as an individual.
The concept has existed for decades, before social media was even around.
However, back then, it consisted of networking and face-to-face interactions to spread an individual’s reputation through word of mouth. Then came the blogging era. This allowed individuals to create websites and blogs to share their expertise or experiences on a wider scale. This was the start of digital personal branding.
Fast forward to the current day, social media provides an easy platform for individuals to share their lives, views, and achievements to reach a large audience.
Personal branding vs business branding
Business branding
A business brand doesn’t reflect just one person, it represents the collective identity of the company, encompassing its mission, values, and the employees who contribute to its success.
An effective business brand builds trust and encourages potential customers to choose your products and services over competitors.
Personal Branding
Personal branding, on the other hand, focuses on an individual rather than an entire company.
Personal brands offer more room for personal growth and opportunities for individual expression. Thanks to the myriad of online tools available, personal brands are easier than ever to develop. However, a lot of time and effort is required to build it effectively.
Why is it important?
We’re in an era where attention spans are getting shorter, making it crucial to leave a lasting impression. The best way to achieve this? Create an impactful and memorable personal brand.
Personal branding is important because it communicates an individual's unique value proposition to the world and distinguishes them from others in their field. It shapes perception, solidifies credibility, and builds trust making individuals more recognisable and memorable.
Many business owners overlook personal branding, thinking it requires a lot of effort for a minimal reward. However, the truth is, whether you’re a business leader, an entrepreneur, or an employee, you represent your business. Making a strong first impression on potential customers can ultimately bring more business your way and enhance your reputation.
Your online presence
The easiest way to create your personal brand is online. There are so many tools and platforms to utilise to shape how you’re perceived. From engaging on social media to creating share-worthy content, your online presence can impact your personal brand.
Sharing content online allows you to create an online persona that reflects your values, skills, and more importantly, your personality – which is even more important with the spread of AI content. Putting your views and personality across is way more valuable to your audience than the cookie-cutter content that artificial intelligence puts together. Therefore, if you want to look more desirable to potential customers or employers, get working on those insightful posts.
Benefits of personal branding
Establishing a strong online presence offers a range of benefits that can boost your career trajectory. After all, your personal brand is your public reputation, and can make or break your career.
Helps you stand out from the crowd
Your personal brand can shape how you want to be perceived. You can showcase your skills, your views, and what makes you unique. A well-developed personal brand clearly communicates who you are and makes it easier for potential customers or employers to see why you’re the best fit for what they need.
Increases your recognition
Personal branding can position you as the go-to expert in your industry – if done right. Consistently sharing insights, contributing valuable content within your niche, and interacting with peers can establish you in your field of expertise.
Boosts your credibility
Through increased recognition, you’re subconsciously earning the trust of your audience. You’re reinforcing yourself as a knowledgeable and reliable professional just by keeping your audience up to date with the latest news or insights. The more credibility you can build through personal branding, the more opportunities you’ll attract.
Builds a community
Other than helping you in your career, it’s also a great way to create a community that helps each other, has meaningful discussions, and shares industry secrets. Establishing your personal brand gets you or your business in front of the relevant audience which can unlock new opportunities.
Create your personal brand
Establishing your personal brand can be a long, time-consuming process. However, we’re here to help.
We have extensive experience in getting our clients recognition for their work and enhancing their reputation online. If you’re a business leader, entrepreneur, or industry expert looking to begin your personal brand, get in touch with us now.
