Unlocking Your Potential: Crafting a Standout Personal Brand in Construction

Do you dread anything that feels like sales? Are you the type of person who wants nothing to do with being a salesperson? The truth is, everything in life is sales, even if you're not in a selling role. Whether you're in HR, IT, logistics, operations, or admin, you still have to sell ideas, implementations, or yourself to an employer or a customer.

Why Personal Branding Matters

Personal branding is crucial in the construction industry. It's about showcasing your value and building a reputation. When you start building your personal brand, you're marketing what sets you apart and highlighting why someone should choose you over the competition. This is vital if you offer a service where you are the product, but it’s also essential if you offer a product. Competing on something other than price, especially with commodity products, can set you apart in the market.

Effective Self-Promotion: A Strategic Approach

Selling yourself isn’t about boasting. It requires a subtle, strategic approach that balances confidence with humility. Here are five essential tips to help you when you are the product:

1. Be Yourself: Stay True to Your Values

Being yourself is important. People can spot insincerity from a mile away. When you’re true to who you are, people will trust you more. Show your real strengths in everything you do. Don’t try to be a copycat; focus on building a brand that is uniquely yours—your unicorn brand. And if you're not into unicorns, you can be whatever animal represents you best.

2. Add Value: Show How You Can Help

Focus on how you can help others. What problems can you solve? How can you make their lives better? By showing that you can add value, you prove why you are the best choice. Share your skills and experiences that solve their problems.

3. Be Consistent: Keep Your Message the Same

Keep your message the same across all platforms. Whether it’s your social media, resume, or conversations, make sure your core values and strengths are clear. This helps people remember you better. Note: As you grow and change, your message can evolve, but it should make sense. Don’t talk about being an expert in one thing one day and something completely different the next. Make sure you are showcasing who you really are, not trying to be what you think will be popular or go viral.

4. Network: Engage with People

Connecting with others is crucial. People do business with those they know and trust. Don’t just post and ghost, especially on platforms like LinkedIn. LinkedIn is about building community and relationships. Comment and engage with others’ posts to build rapport. At networking events, ask open-ended questions like, “Tell me about your experience with…” to learn what makes people tick and what they care about. Talk about yourself, but don’t dominate the conversation. Make sure to get contact information and follow up. One of the biggest mistakes is meeting amazing people at networking events and then doing nothing with the information. It’s a complete waste of time if you don’t follow up.

5. Keep Learning: Stay Up-to-Date

Always learn about new trends in your industry. This shows you’re committed to growth and thinking ahead. Take courses, attend webinars, and read industry news. Consider getting a coach to help you improve your skills.

Personal Insights

Selling Ideas Internally

When I was in my corporate job, I traveled around setting up door shops and sales teams in 10 different locations. I was often faced with working with different teams who had been doing things multiple ways for years in a very decentralized model. I had to listen and come up with best practices and figure out a way to sell the idea of implementing a different strategy that we had tested and found to be advantageous in other locations. Even though this wasn't selling something to a customer, I was still selling it to the organization and had to do it in a tactical way where we got buy-in from all parties involved, from leadership to the people running the day-to-day business.

Overcoming Challenges

One challenge that I see with people in the construction industry is the idea that they don't want to be considered or seen as an influencer or someone who is trying to show off. One way around this is by showing not just the good but also sharing your journey and your struggles. I also think that it's important to share things that could help the younger generation or people who maybe don't understand what you do. I definitely see this as a big challenge, and something stopping people from building their personal brands is worrying about the judgment of others, especially their competition or their boss.

Impact of Personal Branding

I believe personal branding can be an absolute game-changer. When done right, you can showcase who you are, what you do, and how you do it in a way that shows people those things basically for free on social media. Personal branding is the digitization of someone's brand, and it shows people every single day what you want them to see about you. You can curate that so you can showcase parts of your job or your company that you want to highlight as expertise or opportunities.

Learning from Thought Leaders

There are several thought leaders in the construction space who are absolutely crushing it, from talking about technology to next-gen recruitment to showcasing techniques on the job site, including building science. A few of my favorites are Matt Risinger from the Build Show, Erin Stetzer, a home builder in Houston, Texas, and Andrew Brown, who advocates for young people getting into the trades on LinkedIn.

The Power of Networking

Networking has absolutely changed my career. Most opportunities that have been given have come directly from or somehow been connected to someone I have known or met throughout my career. Many times, it is not someone who has been a direct customer or vendor of mine but someone I have met at a conference, while speaking on social media, or through a customer referral. The art of networking and showcasing who you are with a strong personal brand can help you show up at events and have people already know and be interested in speaking with you.

Skills for Non-Sales Roles

Oftentimes, people in non-sales roles do not think they need sales or negotiation skills. However, they couldn't be more wrong. If you are in IT and want a team of people you're working with to implement and adopt a new software like a quoting tool or ERP system, you absolutely must sell why it's valuable for them and how to best implement it where it helps them and not hurts them. If you are an HR professional and want people to start using a policy or implementing a new process, you will need to sell them on it. As an operations person trying to get your leadership team to buy you a new door machine or new trucks to improve logistics and service customers better, you will have to sell them on why you need it and how it will help the business.

Advice for Young Professionals

The best advice that I can give young professionals is don't be scared to post and showcase who you are and build your personal brand. You will have people who will be naysayers and tell you it's not a good idea, but don't listen to them. Make sure what you're posting is professional and curate the brand that you want. However, this doesn't mean you need to be perfect. Showcase what you're learning, and even talk about your struggles and how you got through them. Oftentimes, the most powerful way to grow and learn is to make mistakes and highlight how you learn from them so others can learn, too. Personal branding is the new oil, and attention is what most people in this industry need to grow their brand and their careers. Instead of being a person who has to apply for hundreds of jobs, be the one who has people coming to you, asking you to apply for jobs that aren't even posted yet.

Building Your Personal Brand for Success

In today’s world, knowing how to sell yourself is important, even if you’re not in sales. A strong personal brand helps you stand out and achieve your goals.

So, what steps are you taking to build your personal brand?

Partner with Grit Blueprint for Marketing and Personal Branding Success

Understanding the importance of focused marketing in the building industry is just the first step. Taking action to develop and enhance your brand is where the real transformation begins. Grit Blueprint is your dedicated partner in this journey. Specializing in the building materials industry, we provide customized marketing solutions that resonate with your unique brand values and business objectives. From brand development to SEO optimization, our services are tailored to ensure your company not only attracts top talent but also stands out in a competitive marketplace.

In addition to our industry-specific marketing expertise, Grit Blueprint offers comprehensive personal branding services. We understand that your personal brand is a powerful tool for career and business success. Our services include coaching on public speaking and building a speaking business. Whether you want to improve your presentation skills, develop your speaking career, or effectively communicate your personal brand, we have the tools and expertise to help you succeed.

Ready to elevate your company and personal brand? Schedule a consultation with Grit Blueprint today, and let's create a future where your brand thrives.