Personal Branding: What Do You Want to Be Known For?

Margaret Thatcher, Steve Jobs, Coco Chanel, and Tupac – know what they had in common?

They were all master image-makers – all known for something that was specific and distinct and compelling.

So, here’s my question: what do YOU want to be known for?

Answering that question for yourself is the first step towards building a powerful personal brand for yourself.

And today, the entrepreneur, the business owner, the executive who has a credible and captivating personal brand will go far in life – enjoying personal success as well as career triumphs.

Personal branding has always been a thing – Cleopatra and Socrates had very memorable personal brands, for instance – but now, with the rise of social media technology, just about anyone can build a personal brand that’s incredibly influential. (Hence the creation phrases like “YouTube star.”)

However, social media is a bit of a double-edged sword here: because it makes personal branding more accessible to more people, it can also make it harder to stand out. With social media, personal branding possibilities are multiplied many times over – but so is the level of competition.

Creating a durable, enduring personal brand thus requires having a strategy in place that maximizes your odds of success. On a fundamental level, smart personal branding comes down to this: (1) defining and crafting your image (preferably based on your strengths), and (2) putting that image out there – in the news media and in social networks, for example.

Defining your image – which includes your style and your values – is an essential first step, and its importance cannot be overstated. Without a well-defined image, you don’t have anything to brand in the first place.

The image that’s crafted should be unique, credible, and authentic. A unique brand image will get people noticing you. A credible image will earn you greater influence. And an authentic image – one that’s true to yourself – will make you happy.

Then there’s the second part to successful personal branding: putting your image out there.

“Out there,” in this case, refers to any medium where people can hear about you, or engage with you, or learn more about you. For example, you could do this through Facebook or Twitter or – my favourite – Instagram. Or you could get your name in popular publications and brands you want to associate with, and have your email inbox explode with journalists and business people all vying for your time and attention. There are many more media options, too, and all of them can potentially be useful for achieving your personal branding goals.

Now, remember a few minutes ago I asked what you want to be known for – because it’s extremely rewarding to be known for something you’re good at. And since the Femme Fatale Media team is known for its personal branding prowess, we’ve launched a dedicated personal branding division within the agency. We’re taking clients now, so if you’re interested in making waves through your personal brand, you can contact [email protected].