Personal Branding.
It’s a phrase that we’re hearing thrown around a lot these days. Once reserved for companies, the term seems to have taken on a new meaning for Gen Y as we find ourselves with desires of digital entrepreneurship and having to stick out from a sea of candidates when we’re on the job hunt in this miserable economy.
You see, branding isn’t just about a product anymore, it’s about people. Audiences and clients now want to know how you started your brand, what you went through, it’s purpose, and it’s vision. People want to connect on a human level with you or your product. Likewise, potential employers want to know that you understand the concept of branding and have the skills to help them further their business.
So what exactly does branding yourself have to do with your career?
Well, if you’re taking the route of entrepreneurship – whether it’s through blogging or providing a service – you need to create an image for your company and yourself. You need to create a way that your audience will connect with you and your product or service.
If you’re looking into the traditional workforce, you need to stand out from the crowd by showing your current boss or potential employer that you understand the concept of branding. You need to package yourself in a way that’s irresistible – whether you will be selling, marketing or sitting at a desk answering phone calls.
You also need to show them that you are capable of helping them build their own brand, because you were able to do it with yourself.
How can I start building my personal brand?
Do you want more followers for your blog? Do you want to show your boss you’ve got some serious skills? Do you want to land that job you want so badly? Do you want to try your hand at entrepreneurship?
While it takes some work, the concept of personal branding isn’t a complicated one. There are several steps that you can take in an effort to start building your own brand.
1. Become an expert on something that relates to the business.
Whether it’s your business or your boss’s becoming an expert on something that is related to what the business does is paramount in building your personal brand. It’s all about the packaging. There are several entrepreneurs out there who have marketed themselves of financial experts for young adults, life coaches for small business, career development experts, etc. By packaging themselves in this way they have been able to attract clients, land jobs, and get interviews.
2. Establish a website or blog under your full name.
This is very important for personal branding. In the era of digital resumes it just looks more professional and shows others that you know your way around the internet, a key tool in business these days.
Registering your own domain under your name will also result in it being the first link that pops up when someone Googles your name. Show them from the get go what you’re made of by adding a photo, a bio, a portfolio, and maybe even your own digital resume.
3. Network. Network. Network.
Networking, whether it’s in person or via social media, is key when it comes to building your own personal brand. There are several effective ways in which you can network and build a following. You can connect with other entrepreneurs in your field, other professionals in your field, comment on relevant blogs, build a following on Twitter and Facebook or help others who want to do what you do.
These days, simply writing a blog or sending a resume isn’t enough. You have to package yourself and what you offer in a way that will have people asking for more. They don’t just want the end result anymore, they want to know the story behind it and how you can help them.
