Building a Personal Brand

Why a Personal Brand

Brands are important to set products and services apart and get them noticed, and the same philosophy applies at a personal level. Our brand is an easy way to tell our audience who we are, what we stand for, and most importantly, what we offer. The personal brand is an often-underappreciated concept, but now it is more important than ever as the market becomes increasingly saturated.

Today’s Relevance

With the current COVID-19 crisis, the personal brand is of critical importance. More and more job seekers are looking for fewer and fewer jobs, so companies are putting in more effort to scan the market before they make a hiring decision. The same goes for businesses or individuals seeking the assistance of consultants or other service providers. It’s a buyers’ market – and boy oh boy, are the buyers spoilt for choice.

The process of rebuilding your personal brand will also help you if you are struggling to find work in industry sectors that have virtually collapsed, or if you need to employ skills that are not as relevant as they once were. You can emerge stronger and more confident if you follow the basic steps to set the foundation for brand building. Keep this mantra in mind: know the audience, know their needs, know your strengths, and offer solutions.

Keep this mantra in mind: know the audience, know their needs, know your strengths, and offer solutions.

Where do I Begin…

Most professionals believe that their work should speak for them and therefore remain passive consumers of content. But this is the time to strengthen your profile by leveraging the multiple content platforms – both professional and community. Start sharing your points of view, begin and foster conversations, and ask questions instead of waiting for others to raise their hand. Follow those who have interests in similar or related topics and engage them in a dialogue. Be consistent in the subject matter you address, and in your tone and manner – each piece of content is like a ripple that will help you reach the right eyes and ears. And remember to get more exposure by using the right #hashtags – using the wrong ones could get you labelled as spam.

If you want to build your brand, the required process and level of engagement can seem intimidating. But to start off, take baby steps and be regular. Remember, you don’t need to carry the burden of having something ‘new’ to say...you could just find a different nuance or perspective, or deliver an argument through a new frame or even an experience. Schedule a short ‘break’ while at work and focus on building your profile. Make it a daily habit like your morning walk or yoga...no excuses.