38 Quick, Stupidly Simple Tips That Will Have A Huge Impact On Your Personal Brand & Get You Standing Out As Someone Worth Listening To

It's my birthday today, and being a reflective sort of person, I was thinking of what I've learnt so far.

Here is my rather unconventional list of personal branding 'rules'.

If you want to Grow your business, or triumph in your career... read these.

38 rules, for my 38 years.

1) Decide what you want to be known for. Choose two to three words. Have conversations and take action towards them every day.?

2) Your personality is complex so “just be yourself” is a cr*p bit of advice, as being the You at your mum’s or the You at your doctors probably won’t help you get clients or promotions. Think about your strengths, and your preferences and lean all in.

?

3) Do you care about something? SHARE IT. Talk about it, do something about it. This connects you to people. It makes you stand out - and that is what they mean by being authentic.

Save a copy of my

?

4) Forget being an extrovert or introvert - just be clear, be compelling and think about what’s helpful for your audience instead of yourself. (Those people get promotions)?

5) Tell stories. Your stories. Your business stories. Speak for the data or your people and learn to use your natural-born storytelling tools: Your voice, your brain your words and your body language.?

6) Unpopular opinion…. Having a vision is really useful as a leader - BUT, maybe you’re still finding yours and that's ok - focus on what you see now, and what is helpful to your audience.?

7) Don't post on LinkedIn. If you hate it. Don’t speak on stage if you hate it. There are many mediums, and if it was THAT important to you, you’d find a way to do it.?

8) If you do post on social media - be helpful, be human and remember just tell people what you know, and be willing to learn more. Balance authority and humility.?

9) Don't talk at people. Talk with them.?

10) You have ideas, insights and opinions that are useful for people - so share them! Think about how many times you've heard someone talk, and it’s been cathartic or inspiring.?

Listen to Vineta Bajaj On the My brand of Impact Podcast about her mission to develop her career without playing games, and how she inspires others to do the same

11) Start conversations with people that share your values and interests in your industry - it’s a small world and yes it's cliche… but network = networth. No man is an island. We are designed to need each other to survive, emotionally, financially, and physically. And relationships is how you do that.?

12) If you want to have gravitas, be comfortable with silence.?

13) Remember - you already have influence, it's just about what type.

14) Not sure how to join the conversation? Start it. Create your own podcast/videos/events/community - start the conversation and put yourself in the centre.

15) People do judge, and that's not a bad thing necessarily… but worth bearing in mind how you show up in their mind with how you behave, act, dress and speak. That said - don't morph yourself into something unrecognisable.?

16) Speaking is powerful - do more of it. There is a reason why presentations form a huge part of business. It's all about experiencing you.?

17) Appearing in media, industry events and on podcasts is some sort of magic, because being on a stage of any kind gives you a platform where people listen to you. So make sure you have something worth hearing.?

18) You can never ever stop learning about yourself. Have fun with the process, as your personal brand will grow with you the more you discover.?

19) Video is simply a short, quick easy digestible way to speed up relationship building.

20) Understand what your brand actually is; your values, your style, your take on things. Own it.?

(Download my Values exercise here:)

21) If you are soft-spoken - own it. If you are loud - own it. Don't forget your personal brand paves the way for those following you.?

22) Continuously seek feedback ad notice how people respond to you.? Consider it a gift, but return anything not constructive.

23) Stop being worried about sharing your achievements: Share success stories, accolades, and milestones. It's part of your journey and helps people see who you are. It also helps your team, your business and your industry.

24) Create and share valuable resources based on your insights - share what worked for you, or what you wish you had. Be valuable.

25) Demonstrate thought leadership: It's your thoughts that will stand out of the noise, as we move into a creator/consumer economy.?

26) Collaborate and partner with like-minded organisations or industry bodies. Align yourself with gold standards.?

27) The best personal brands have other people talk about them. Make sure you build brand ambassadors who recommend you, and know exactly what you’re about.?

28) Make it easy for people to remember you - be consistent and you’ll win half the battle.??

29) Whatever you do - be congruent with your personal brand. Do what you say you’ll do.?It's not always easy.

30) Personal branding isn't about being the loudest, though it can seem that way. it's about showing up and taking control of how people experience you.

31) Stay active in professional associations: Engage with industry groups and actively participate in relevant discussions.

32) Continuously monitor your reputation: Regularly search for your name and see how people respond to you.?

33) Develop a personal brand manifesto: Have noted down your purpose, your personality, your values, your vision, and the impact you want to make in your field.

34) Write a book: Authoring a book enhances your credibility tenfold, and positions you as a subject matter expert.

35) Be generous with your expertise and time it builds relationship equity..

36) Be a great listener. The best possible skill you can have. Notice people. See them. Give them space. It's one of the most empowering tools you have.?

37) Make people feel good - that’s it really. Think about what they need; reassurance, inspiration, empathy… and give them that.?

38) Fight for people without a voice. If you have the privilege of having one - use it.

Thats it!

I'd love to know which was most useful for you?

Tell me in the comments below which stood out for you the most.

________________________________________________________________

PS I run coaching programmes and content creation for leaders and their teams.

If you want: Personal brands, that are all about real personalities, to grow your business, send me a DM for a chat.