When you run a business under your name rather than a business name or sell services specific to your skills, you may feel like branding is irrelevant. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Building a personal brand is essential whether you’re an entrepreneur or an ambitious employee.
Your personal brand is how you convey yourself to the world, the same as it is for notable businesses like Nike and Coca-Cola.
There are a number of reasons why building a personal brand is paramount– here are a few reasons to drive the idea home.
Asserts Your Authority
Having a strong personal brand will position you as a natural leader and speaks to your authority on your chosen subject matter.
Whether you run a business or work for someone else, your personal brand shows that you put thought and consideration into the decisions you make that impact your success.
It shows that you have the confidence in your knowledge and abilities to put yourself out there. Knowing that you have this foundation on which to build will also enhance your confidence and make your authority even more apparent.
Drives Traffic
Having a strong personal brand drives traffic to your various online channels, increasing awareness about who you are and what you can do.
As an entrepreneur, you can use social media, website SEO, and published content to build your notoriety.
You may also want to consider using your email lists to power custom audiences through your sales funnel, depending on which of your offerings suits their needs.
Again, this aspect of building a personal brand isn’t just important for entrepreneurs.
As you build your career, treating your personal brand as a separate business can help attract recruiters and land you the job of your dreams.
Show and Tell
The greatest writers and storytellers in the world know the importance of showing someone rather than telling.
A well-written novel doesn’t tell someone what’s happening; it’s crafted to show them with powerful language that creates mental imagery.
The same mentality applies to your personal brand.
When you write a resume, you are telling someone what you can do. When you have a strong personal brand, it gives you a platform on which to show them.
Show a potential client what value you can bring them.
Let a recruiter know why they should be poaching you for their important client. Show the world what you’re capable of, with relevant examples rather than flat words on paper.
Find Your Direction
Branding in business acts as a roadmap for success. It speaks to the core values of the business and helps drive an organization toward its goals using a framework laid out by the brand image and voice.
The same is also true of your personal brand.
Having a personal brand helps you make decisions to direct your goals. You’ll be able to identify what opportunities are aligned with your personal brand and which are not.
It will give you a benchmark to be able to compare against when assessing if your career is moving in the direction you desire.
Your personal brand is a powerful resource that should continuously be developed.
By putting effort into how you convey yourself to the world, you show potential clients and employers that you’ve got what it takes to be great!
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