Personal Branding: 6 Key Steps for Employee Success

Your personal brand is your unique identifier – it’s your way of differentiating yourself from the competition. And it is essential in today’s workplace! Statistics show that companies that employ people with strong personal brands are more likely to get their message into the world. Get ready for this, Leads developed through employee social marketing convert 7x more frequently than other leads.

Companies know this and they’ll pay top dollar to recruit – or retain – someone with a strong personal brand.?

In a nutshell … we trust people more than we trust big business.?

And thanks to social media, an employee with a strong personal brand can become the best brand ambassador or influencer for their company. Your personal brand is an extension of who you are and a true asset to the company you work for, so develop it wisely.?

Here are six key steps to building a personal brand – as an employee.?

1. ? ? Build your personal brand foundation.?

The foundation of your personal brand is all about who you are, what you do, how you do it, your values, your unique skills, and your experience.? Here you will develop your voice and key message.?

Your personal brand foundation is your digital footprint that shows the world – and your employer – why you’re different and how you can make a difference.?

Now, depending on your specific situation it may be beneficial to create a personal brand identity. Think about the visuals behind your brand message.

Some employees have to stick with the logo, colors, and graphics of the company they work for whereas other employees may have more freedom.?

If you have the freedom and flexibility to establish your own brand identity, this is an exciting opportunity to establish more of the visual design within your personal brand.?

Your brand identity design spotlights your personality, your message, and establishes trust by making an eye-catching first impression.

There are many elements within your brand identity, and my goal is to make this process as easy, fun, and quick as possible.?Check out my Grab & Go Element-inspired brands here - each of these brands includes everything you need to create an elevated and cohesive brand identity!??In 3 simple steps, you can create your unique brand identity...(definitely worth checking out)

2. ? ? Identify your target audience.

This may seem like a strange thing to do as an employee, but it’s an integral part of developing your brand and your network. You cannot be everything to everyone. Think about your field of expertise. What type of company/client needs the skills you offer? Be specific. For example, if you’re a programmer, a lot of different companies may need your services, but what is your niche? What strengths did you uncover as part of your personal brand foundation? Identify who is in need of your skillset and whom you serve best– that’s your target audience.?

Once you know your target audience, do some detective work to find out where they are online, what their values are, and their pain points. Knowing these details gives you the ability to speak directly to your target client as though you’re talking to a friend.

3. ? ? Develop your brand story.?

Your brand story establishes your credibility. It lets you share who you are, what you do, and how your experiences make you the best person to get the job done. But it’s a story! Not a bullet list.?

We are hardwired to relate to people through their stories. Stories have sticking power. Storytelling draws a picture using words and includes a beginning, middle, and end. Paul Smith, author of Lead with a Story uses the acronym CAR: Context, Action, Result. The context sets the stage for the reader, it defines the character – that you! The action is the juicy part. Remember, you’re establishing credibility. Think about the things you’ve accomplished and bring those to life. Your story should not read: I developed an integrative approach to online problem solving between team members working in multiple time zones. Boring…. Instead, describe the journey that got you to the result!

Results, in this example, are not the integrative approach to online problem-solving for teams. It’s your ability to find solutions to problems that face teams working remotely in different time zones. Focus on your unique solution and add to your story – ultimately people want to know how you can solve their problems.

4. ? ? Create internal equity.?

You want to position yourself as an indispensable asset. You do this by creating internal equity through personal and professional growth.?

Professionally, are you up to date in your field? Are there new or emerging skills you can gain? How do you show up in team meetings??

Be sure to engage with your colleagues and team members. Ask questions and share insights. Show that you’re approachable, eager, and happy to work with others. Being approachable, empathetic, and up-to-date on skills training(s) just might be your ticket to the corner office.

If you’re eager to uplevel your skill set and want to give your personal brand a boost, LinkedIn Learning is the perfect resource. You can find courses on just about anything created by credible thought leaders in their industry. Once you complete a course, you will receive a certificate of completion that you can then add to your resume and LinkedIn profile. This will further establish credibility with your employer and client/customers.?

I think you will get tons of value from my TOP RATED LinkedIn Learning course, “Learning Personal Branding”

5. ? ? Establish thought leadership.

Thought leadership shows that you have expertise in your area. It establishes credibility and encourages forward thinking. Becoming a thought leader takes dedication but here are four steps to get you there faster:?

1. ? ? Publish keyword articles on your blog and cross-post to LinkedIn. Write guest blogs for prominent outlets and news sites in your field. Ask for backlinks. A backlink is a link from someone else’s website to yours.?

2. ? ? Host topical Livestream discussions and/or webinars. Livestreams and webinars are great formats to showcase your expertise, drive traffic, and build trust and credibility. Long-form content like live streams and webinars can also be repurposed into bite-size content or micro-content that can then be shared across your social media channels. The more quality content - the better!

3. ? ? Engage as a live and virtual speaker. The mere act of being an invited speaker – whether you’re paid or not – establishes credibility. Reach out to local organizations, networking groups, or industry events and explore what speaking opportunities you can submit yourself for. Remember, at first it is not about getting paid to speak, it’s about gaining credibility, networking, and generating more awareness about what you have to offer. Once you are seen speaking it’s easier to get booked the next time!

4. ? ? Collaborate with industry experts and influencers. This gives you an opportunity to share value and meet new people in your industry. Before jumping in, ensure it’s a collaboration where it’s a win-win for both parties.

6. ? ? Engage with social media and your community.

This is the home stretch! You’ve done a lot of work to get here, now you need to let people know you exist and the value you bring. Use social media and engage with your community. Get to know like-minded people and nurture relationships. Here are some quick tips:?

• Be consistent with your branding and message on all social channels.
• Post and engage daily, or at least 3-4 times a week.
• Use hashtags wisely to attract the right audience.?
• Provide value in your content; don’t just sell.?
• Track your progress using analytic tools or goals.
• Be sure to engage on your company channel: comment on posts and reshare content to your personal page.?

Remember, you don’t need to be present on every social channel – only the channels that make sense for your industry, expertise, and target demographic.?

Consistency is key. Not only should you post on a regular basis, but also carve out time to comment and engage on other people’s pages and content. That’s part of establishing an engaged network.?

A final word on tracking progress…set realistic goals. Don’t get too focused on the number of likes you get on a piece of content, it’s more influential to generate comments and conversation! Always think of quality over quantity and build relationships along the way.?