Why you need to develop a strong Personal Brand Identity

Personal branding comes with similar benefits as company branding and is the projected image of an individual’s skills, experience and personality. A personal brand is multileveled and can be particularly important when your business is competing in a crowded market and you have a USP (your brand) that enables you to attract and retained clients over direct competitors.?

Online presence is one of the focal ways in which you can present your brand and strengthen your brand credibility. By staying engaging and consistent online, you can improve your authenticity, grow your community and elevate your business.

The first step to any new task is to set goals. This should be done on two levels; the goals you set for yourself, for attracting a certain number of clients, and the goals you incorporate into your personal brand. For the former, you should determine what you are trying to achieve with your brand and lay out a strategy to get there.

By having a strong ‘sense of self’, you are more likely to come across as authentic, professional and trustworthy online. As for the goals you present to your audience, these will be part of your positioning statement and values, which is a core element of personal branding. Your mission statement, explaining what you are doing and why you are doing it, should be the first thing that people see when looking at your marketing material or profiles. Over time, your mission statement and personal branding will become synonymous- when people see your colour scheme/logo/blog post, they will be reminded of your values.

Try to be as unique as possible and highlight the differences you have with competitors in the industry. If you aren’t bringing anything new to the table, you’re unlikely to be noticed or chosen. Be different and stay true to yourself!

Online presence is often heavily dependent on visual appeal. By deciding on a colour scheme and a set tone of voice, you can stay ‘on brand’ across channels, and be consistent in the way you are perceived. For example, an elegant brand may choose a neutral palette and a professional tone, whilst a fun company may opt for bright colours and a light-hearted tone. When making these decisions, you should refer to your market research and defined goals.

Create a brand guideline document and refer to it when in doubt. Write down the key points of your branding: font, colour scheme, caption style and logo placement, as well as relevant social media tips such as hashtags.

Everyone has a story to tell, what’s yours? The truth is, every online platform is saturated with people and companies trying to make it big, and it can be hard to go through each one or find a way to be unique. That is why telling your story in an engaging, exciting way is what will make you stand out.?

Your story can be why the business started, how far you have come or what your business stands for, but it should be told memorably and creatively. A great option is through video content, as you get to add as much or as little information as you want, alongside relevant imagery. Adding a personal story to your website or social media platforms will add a human aspect, helping you connect with your audience. Furthermore, it contributes to authenticity and credibility by enabling prospects to get to know you as well as your brand.?

One thing worth mastering in the world of digital marketing is search engine optimisation (SEO). By being search engine friendly, you are more likely to be recommended by browsers, meaning more potential clicks leading to more potential customers! Although there is a lot to be said about SEO, a great place to start is frequently using keywords relevant to your industry or target audience. By using these buzzwords in your branding and posting, the algorithms can help you reach your target audience at a much quicker rate.

The maintenance of your personal brand is just as important as its creation. Consistency is key, and this applies to everything. After you have determined your brand guidelines, start posting consistently on social media platforms and keep similarly engaging with your community.

Content calendars for different platforms are perfect to stay organised and consistent. By planning ahead, you can see what looks best together and it ensures that you are always active across your channels. Additionally, there are many automation software available to ease this process for you and even give you detailed insights into your audience.

Creating a personal brand and sticking to it will add to your authenticity, recognisability and credibility, as well as potentially open doors to new opportunities by connecting you with other companies or people that resonate with your mission statement and share the same values.

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