6 steps to creating a killer personal brand??

I feel my previous posts about growing engagement and boosting personal brand have been a little pre-emptive (sorry!). What I learnt this week is that before we look to boost our brand, first we need to define what that means to us!

I was lucky enough to be part of a LinkedIn initiative this week called #ElevateU focusing on building a personal brand internally & externally.

So I am hoping to share my key takeaways with you all by following these quick 6 steps:

Step 1: What is a personal brand? ??

You may think it is some new fad and you're already sick of hearing about it (??).

But, believe it or not, personal branding is here to stay and will only become more relevant with time.

Essentially, it is how you project your brand and its values to the world and ensure that your target audience knows who you are, what you stand for, and why it’s worth choosing you over your competitors.

In an era where people’s attention spans are getting shorter by the minute, the need to make an impression is more important than ever. And the best way to do this is by creating a solid and memorable brand.

When we think about this in the context of sales for example, new research* suggests that the best salespeople don't shy away from sharing who they are, their expertise and perspective they have i.e. their brand!

& this is holds relevance across all roles & sectors.

*Data reference: Research referenced in 'The JOLT Effect' by M.Dixon and T.McKenna

Step 2: What are my values? ??

Write (or type) 10 values that align with you, use the list below for inspiration but feel free to add in your own:

Step 3: Choose 3 that resonate the most! ??

Now this is the hard bit - whittle that list of 10 down to 3. Be guided by gut feeling and try not to over-think it (I know that's easier said than done ??).

For context - mine are;

Reliability

Risk-Taking

Fun

Fun was one I kept being drawn despite the external pressure of it not being 'corporate' enough, but it's me, so I kept it ??.

Step 4: Define the Brand Statement Ingredients ??

Break down what you stand for into these key areas to ensure you're aligned to your vision.

Step 5: Craft your brand statement ??

Now you're ready to make it into a statement that pulls everything together! ????

Example below;

Again, try not to over-think it - some are long/short, punchy, creative - whatever aligns to you.

Step 6: Share the brand! ??

And now let's share that with your audience.

Suggested way;

• Embody it - i.e. how you show up to work everyday, whether that's online or in the office
• Post it on your LinkedIn Bio
• Think about how you can reach your clients with it - webinars, in-person events
• Update your touch points - think about your email signature, your voice mail etc.

Thanks for reading & see you next week ??!

L