Having a personal brand is so much more than having a simple social media account. From countless hours sharing information about your services, to showing up authentically to your audience, being the face of a personal brand can be both exciting and fruitful.
On this episode of The Brand Burrow, Brittini, Mahala & Dana sit down with Jessica Derksen of Habitual Professional Development and Heather Bowie of Flare Mortgage Group to discuss the robust world of personal branding.
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What is Personal Branding?
As the minds behind Sprout Social put it:
“Personal branding is the process of defining and promoting what you stand for as an individual. Your personal brand is a culmination of the experiences, skills and values that differentiate you.”
From a broader perspective, everyone has their own personal brand. We often confuse our reputation with our personal brand. But do not be fooled… The two are not the same! Everyone has a reputation. The first impressions you make, the relationships you form with your clients and others in your industry, and how you communicate are all things that have an impact on how others see you. For example, if you ask your clients to describe you, they might say you’re a warm person who’s easy to connect with. Some might say that you occasionally run late to meetings but are great at staying on top of their needs. Your reputation is made up of the opinions and beliefs people form about you based on your collective actions and behaviours. Your personal brand, on the other hand, is much more intentional. This is how you want people to see you. To put it simply, your reputation is about your credibility, your personal brand is about your visibility and the values that you outwardly represent. For folks who work as freelancers, influencers or other service providers like Jessica and Heather, building an effective and impactful personal brand is part of “selling” yourself to your existing and potential clients. After all, with your personal brand, you’re communicating your identity to the masses. When it comes to “selling” your services by being present online, a well-thought-out personal brand not only improves other's confidence in you and strengthens reputation, but also opens the door to new opportunities and new clients through simply being present.
Why Create a Personal Brand?
In short…Because it’s smart! But to clarify for our fellow entrepreneurs out there, creating a personal brand has never been more important than it is now.
After all, a personal brand is a marketing strategy to promote yourself and your business. When creating your personal brand, you can consider your unique talents, skills and goals that distinguish you from competitors in your niche. Understanding how to create a personal brand can help you manage your professional image and market your skills and experiences to attract potential clients and to build strong credibility with the audience in your social space.
You have the power to define your brand by aligning your intentions with actions. That is, changing your decisions and behaviours to influence how others see you and to help them connect both emotionally and intellectually to the image you hope to portray. If that image aligns with the opportunities you want, then you are more likely to secure them.
3 Tips to Help Your Personal Brand Succeed on Social Media.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was a bumpin’ social media following. However, with these tips and a little bit of patience, you can begin building your personal brand brick-by-brick until it becomes an empire!
Understand what your assets are — Think about what makes you and your services unique and different from the rest, and offer a solution that is a no-brainer for people seeking your services. Maybe you offer an add-on service that other people in your industry don’t. Remember to flex your education behind your services and use this to gain an edge against the competition.
Develop a strong brand message — Your brand message will help to clarify and define your brand and what you’re all about in the professional space. Your brand message should consist of a few sentences that describe what you do, why you do it and how it can help.
Craft a personality — This is the fun part! A brand personality incorporates the key characteristics and traits of who you are as a professional and assists with how you show up for your audience. Don’t get us wrong… It’s not about presenting a fake identity or creating a character for yourself. Successful personal branding is about curating certain parts of your personality to present yourself to your network with your best foot forward. Creating a fluid personality to follow with your brand can help you decide on the general tone you want for your brand, and can even have a strong influence on your target market online.
Assisting Brands with Social Media Services in Alberta Since 2016.
At Fox & Forth, we know that staying ahead of the competition is critical no matter the industry.
Whether you’re helping fellow businesses achieve and surpass their goals, or assisting someone with the purchase of their dream home, our comprehensive social media packages entail everything needed to help your brand stand out from the crowd.
For more information on how we can set your brand and business apart, get in touch with our social media experts today. www.foxandforth.com