By Jennifer Spencer, Entrepreneur
A personal brand allows you to build more trust between your business and colleagues and clients alike. It also boosts your reputation and motivates others to want to do business with you. Now more than ever, there is a strong need for entrepreneurs to build a personal brand.
A strong company brand is vital to your success for several reasons. We’re living in a time of unpredictability, and there’s a lot of noise and competition to cut through online. Technology and online search engines make it easier than ever for customers to research companies before making a purchase. They’re becoming more discerning in their choices and selecting companies that are seen as trustworthy and authentic.
Personal branding in detail
An effective personal brand can help you excel and reach your goals, but it also needs to manifest a positive impact on others, as well as drive business results. “Personal branding is a major part of marketing that most business owners are missing out on," says Luke Lintz, CEO of HighKey Agency. "Your personal brand is the easiest way for you to connect to your potential customer and is the easiest way to showcase your product or brand without coming across as heavy promotion."
You can’t achieve personal branding by publishing a flashy website or selling trendy and popular products without any sense of direction. It’s about creating and selling an experience and being able to offer quality and unique insights with a sense of authority. When you can consciously and intentionally influence public perception and consumers, you can elevate your credibility.
Benefits of building a personal brand
There are a variety of benefits that will come from you putting in the time and effort to build a personal brand. For example, you’re more visible online, which is where consumers are spending the majority of their time. It’s in your best interest to become more accessible and to engage with your online audience.
Also, the more visible you are, the greater the spotlight shines on you and your brand. Take advantage of this reality as an opportunity to transform as you learn and to flex to the ever-changing world around you. Be adaptable to how your target market is evolving and what they’re up to so that you can achieve long-lasting success. Go slow and be secure about your personal brand and what you have to offer.
Nick Brogden, the founder of Earned Media, recently shared in an email, "If used correctly, a well-sculpted personal brand can make your advice more authoritative. For instance, if you can back up advice provided to a client (or potential client) by saying, 'I wrote an article on this for [respected publication]; I’ll share it with you,' your words are likely to carry a lot more weight."
Another benefit is that you’re going to be able to stand apart from the crowd when you can build a reliable personal brand. Your business vision and mission should be driven by your personalized story, including your language and tone. It should be unmatchable and allow you to stake your claim in your industry. Your messaging and actions need to be consistent with what you stand for if you’re going to create more trust with your customers. You need to be able to relate to your clients on a human level and show that you’re more than just a brand.
Building a personal brand will also help to position yourself as a thought leader. You become the gatekeeper of information that your customers want to know and learn more about. You’re on the right path when your target audience finds value in the knowledge you have to share.
Reasons why personal branding is more important than ever
It’s good for business when you encourage your employees to build a strong personal brand. Your employees are representing your brand in their professional and personal lives, plus it’s a chance for your company to gain more exposure. You need everyone at your workplace to be working together to elevate your personal brand by building trust with clients and having customers view each of you as a thought leader. It’s also imperative that you’re proactive about managing your online reputation, whether you’re an employee or a company. You risk losing business and tarnishing your character if you aren’t managing it effectively.
Be patient
It’s vital to be patient and remember that building a personal brand takes time. You are unlikely to experience overnight or immediate results due to your efforts. Figure out what you want to be known for and then put measures in place to help you to achieve this goal. It’s in your best interest to be consistent and not flip-flop so that you can more quickly establish a strong personal brand. Honesty, transparency and authenticity are the key factors you need to set yourself apart and ensure that others have a desire to want to work with you now and in the future.
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