For me, this is a simple question. It’s part of who I am, but it’s also part of what I do for a living. I often encourage clients to have a personal brand, whether it be a website or simply social media channels. These aren’t to give off a fake representation of who they are, it’s simply to help others see who they really are. So why should we focus on our personal brand?
I believe that no matter who you are, what you do for a living, whether you’re an entrepreneur or an employee in a company, your personal brand online has the power to help you connect with people. Not with everyone, and that’s fine, but to connect with people on a different level.
Whether it’s B2B or B2C that you work in, whether you’re in sales or accounting, whether you’re looking for clients or a new job, your brand represents who you are!
Every relationship comes down to H2H – Human to human.
You connect on a far deeper level once you get to know someone a little better or deeper than when you first meet. You discover what interests they have, what hobbies they enjoy, their personal situation, and so on. All of these things help you connect more and build commonalities that help reinforce the relationship.
Just like in dating, it starts with a first date, but it then requires multiple touch points (more dating, meeting the in-laws, moving in together, proposing, etc) before you get to the marriage part.
It’s the same in business. Job hunting. Pretty much everything in the professional world.
Have you ever found yourself watching a movie or a TV series and finding yourself really connecting with the character? That’s because you get to know more about them and their actions as the film or show progresses. The same can happen online, but only if you give people a chance to see who you are.
We often tell clients, be yourself, speak your mind, don’t be afraid to have opinions and ultimately, always remember that you can’t please everyone all the time. You shouldn’t even try to.
So when it comes to your personal brand online, you want to make sure it’s an accurate reflection of who you are. It should be insight for people before they meet you, about who you are, why you do what you do, how you do what you do and everything in-between and beyond.
You don’t need to focus on your personal brand?
If you’re one of those people who says, “yeah but I don’t really care what others think” or “I don’t want to share stuff about my life online”, no worries. Just remember, whether you like it or not, you’re competing against people who ARE doing this. Who is more likely to get that new job, the girl that has a powerful personal brand that really represents and resonates with the hiring company, or you that doesn’t share anything, and has no point of view online for people to see or understand?
It’s not always easy to get started, but what I really recommend is setting yourself a challenge. 30 days always works well for me. 30 days of posting, sharing and documenting a bit more about who you are and what you think. You might be amazed at the results that come from it. Who knows, it may even help you land that next client or that new job!
If you do have a personal brand, I’d love to see it and connect with you – simply drop a comment below with a link and let’s do this! Growing a network is a great way to help build that personal brand. Or connect with me on LinkedIn
