We are all comfortable with the thought that companies and products have brands. In contrast, when it comes to developing our personal brand, we consider it as something unnatural. Actually, without being aware of it, we as business woman are already involved in personal branding as this is the way your present yourself to everyone you meet in the professional world. To get better results it is now time that you start doing it consciously with the aim to create your own strong and consistent brand. These 5 tips help you to lay the foundations for branding yourself.
Know who you really are and what you stands for
Although many of us think that personal branding should rests on a complicated strategy, it actually all comes from the basic principle of knowing yourself and what you stand for as a person. The trick is to make this visible in the industry you wish to target by incorporating your core values, passions and skills in everything you communicate and do.
Understand your audience
To get your message across and to make an impact in the targeted industry or niche you also need to truly understand your audience. What are their needs and wants? What are the problems they are trying to find a solution for? Together with your package of strengths and core values, you try to meet them where they are at and share your input with them in bringing them further. This way, you give the impression of being a credible expert in your own field.
Establish an online presence
The first encounter of your target audience with your brand takes place online most of the time. So ensure that your social media channels, such as LinkedIn and Instagram, are aligned and representing the same “you”. Having your social profiles organised is not enough to create a digital footprint. Try to proactively engage with your audience, for example, by sharing your story through content and evoking interaction. Start your own blog and become a contributor for online professional magazines in which you share your experience with your audience. This can be in the form of a business case or a roadmap on how to tackle a particular industry-specific challenge. This helps you both position yourself as thought leader in your industry and create engagement within your target audience.
Involve in SEO activities
Another benefit of keeping your own blog is that you can optimise your website for search engines to boost your online visibility even more. Determine the keywords for which you want to be found in the search engine results pages and create content around it. These keywords should be in direct relation with the things that you want to be known for in your field and what you aim to be branded as. Read here about the five best tips on how to make your website more visible.
Develop your own best practices
By keeping your self-presentation towards others consistent throughout all forms of communication and expression, you create an authentic brand which is a true reflection of you. Begin with small practices and make them consistent across time so that they get recognised as unique strengths belonging to you. This can for example be your approach towards challenges and your way of writing proposals. Eventually you will have developed a set of your own best practices that facilitate you to create trustworthiness and credibility. This helps you to establish a solid personal reputation and a solid brand.
Good luck with building your own brand. Do you have tips in personal branding that you want to share with me? I’d love to hear from you.
Until next time!
Love always,
Mee-Ling
