What is personal brand and why should I care?
Entrepreneurs face a ton of challenges in building successful business ventures. Representing yourself as a business owner or the face of your brand is often one that many overlook. Your personal brand is the unique essence that sets you apart as an entrepreneur. It is your reputation, image, and values you project to the world, and it is a game-changer in your entrepreneurial journey. Why should you care about your personal brand?
Build Trust & Credibility: When you invest time and energy into your personal brand, you give yourself the gift of building trust and credibility with those around you. Ever heard of fake it til you make it? It’s easy to feel that way as an entrepreneur, but when you actually invest the time in yourself, you’ll start to feel more confident in your abilities and the value you bring - thus becoming more credible and trustworthy!
Distinguish Yourself: The amount of professionals that actually take time to work on their personal brand is very low. So if you are one of the few that invest energy here you will undoubtedly set yourself apart from others and reap the benefits!
Attract Good: When you have increased confidence, assurance, expertise, and you are exuding that, you will attract opportunities to you. People want to work with people who are enjoyable to work with and present themselves well. Put good out in the world and good will come to you!
Become More Authentic: When you find a way to mesh your personal and professional lives into one cohesive thing, you become more authentic and better connected to those you interact with. Entrepreneurs who work on their personal brand, become a human representation of their brand and that huminzation goes a long way. People like to work with REAL people, not compaines. Developing your personal brand helps you cultivate an emotional connection with your customers!
Now that we understand all the good that comes when we invest in our personal brand, how are we going to do that? Here are my top five ways entrepreneurs can enhance their personal brand!
Social Media Audit: Take a look at your social media profiles. All of them… Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, MySpace (lol). All of these are public profiles that represent you. It doesn’t matter if they are for your “personal use”. Clients, vendors, and others you network with can see them so make sure they represent you holistically. Pro tip - do NOT make separate social profiles for your personal and professional life. It’s too much to manage, it confuses people, and you are ONE person, not two.
Put Yourself Out There: Networking isn’t a necessary step in building a personal brand, it is THE step. Whether it’s connecting with people virtually or in person, find ways to step out of your normal daily circle to meet new people and show them what you’ve got. Some ideas: join a networking group, attend community events, get involved on boards, volunteer your time, try out speaking opportunities, or just introduce yourself to someone new once a week! You will be amazed at how far this effort goes.
Dedicate Time to Personal Development: Part of having a good personal brand, is knowing that you are always going to be a work in progress. Spending time working on you helps build your confidence, expand your mind, and grow your talent. Take a class, read a book, listen to a podcast, subscribe to a newsletter, or learn a new skill. Set aside at least a couple of hours a week to invest in YOU!
Create Content: As an entrepreneur you are always going to be proving yourself whether its to your clients, employees, investors, mentors, or yourself. One of the best ways to validate your expertise is to share original content that you create. For me I love blogging, but others like sharing videos, pictures, stories, products, or whatever you can imagine. Make something once a week and share it everywhere!
Be Professional: It’s 2023 and you would think people are aware that if its on the internet, everyone can see it. But unfortunately people still have unprofessional pictures, videos, and comments all over the place. Someone that is focused on their personal brand should be very selective about what they put out there. A good rule of thumb, if you wouldn’t put it out in a mass text to every contact in your phone - don’t post it anywhere. Invest in that professional headshot, spend time working on your professional image, and make sure that you are proud of the image that you have digitally just as much as you are physically!
As an entrepreneur, your personal brand is an invaluable asset that can catapult your business to new heights. It's not about self-promotion but about showcasing your expertise, values, and uniqueness. When done right, personal branding can be a magnet for success and open doors to countless opportunities. So, invest the time and effort in cultivating your personal brand—it's a strategic move that can make all the difference in your entrepreneurial journey. Remember, your personal brand is not just a reflection of who you are; it's a projection of who you can become.
If you or your team would like help improving your personal brand, be sure to reach out and see how Clever Hawk can help you!
