In today’s blog I share with you some personal branding tips to help you become more successful in your business or your profession.
You may be asking yourself, “what does personal branding mean”, “Why is personal branding important”? Keep reading and I will tell you what personal branding is, how to brand yourself, how to create your personal brand, and tips on using your brand to increase the success you are looking for.
Why Build A Personal Brand
Think about your current interests, sources of inspiration, niche, profession and marketplace. Are there people who stand out to you in these areas where you look forward to seeing their latest social media posts, new blog posts or video content?
Why do you look forward to them?
It’s because these people have done a great job in modeling and executing their personal branding strategies with the result of (1) building your trust in them and (2) you are associating their personal brand with a value you receive from them in some shape or form.
YOU can also create this type of branding for yourself and develop a similar following. In fact, whether you are a network marketer, an internet marketer, a traditional business owner or a career person in your chosen profession, in today’s information and highly competitive environment you MUST brand yourself in order to set yourself apart from your competitors as an authority and a leader.
How do you brand yourself?
In network marketing, people join you first, not your company. The company you are associated with, you believe in and you plan to always be there, wherever you go, you will always be there. You are the constant in the equation providing the leadership, inspiration and mentorship people want and need to have successful businesses.
As a career professional in finance, accounting, medicine or some other field, building your own brand can make you the person companies seek after instead of you seeking positions with your desired company. You do this by contributing valuable content in group forums, or creating valuable content on your own blog page then share this on the various social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook or in your college alumni social groups.
Regardless, branding YOU allows YOU to stand out and start attracting people to YOU?
Benefits of Building Your Personal Brand
When you effectively build your own personal brand, over time you will likely gain the following benefits:
Influence – Building a powerful personal brand provides you a platform to influence and impact others for good. Providing your followers with consistent valuable content allows you to the opportunity to present solutions to problems your target market frequently experience. By gaining their trust you are able to influence your followers and make them
Steady stream of ideal clients – As your personal brand grows so will your success and your perception from others as an expert and leader in your niche. These attributes will draw to you those people who want to become successful just like you and are will to pay for your time in coaching or they will purchase your products.
Leadership opportunities – Your personal brand will hold you out as a leader and provide you with leadership opportunities. These leadership positions will provide you opportunities to monetize your time and value. You will have the opportunity to help develop other leaders. You will have the opportunity to impact others on a grand scale.
Trend setter in niche market – Your personal brand will hold you out as an experienced authority in your niche providing you the opportunity to influence change within entire markets.
Greater credibility – You will be seen as an authority and people will have a greater trust in what you have to share. In fact people will seek you out wanting to learn the latest information from you. Because people trust your guidance they will invest in themselves, in their business and the niche market according to your recommendations.
Association with niche market – When you build your brand within a particular niche people having an interest in that niche will associate as an expert in this niche.
Greater mindshare – As a recognized leader in your niche market, you will have access to other leaders and leader groups where knowledge and information can be shared for the purpose of improving the niche market and providing continued value content to followers.
Recognition and prestige – With your personal brand comes recognition for your successes and influence. You will be seen as an example for others. This is a humbling experience and carries much responsibility and gratitude.
Your higher perceived value – with a powerful personal brand more people will be attracted to you and will follow you. When you stand out from others this gives you a higher perceived value over other people in your niche. Since there is only one “you” and your time is limited, people will be willing to pay more money to have access to you with personal coaching and public speaking engagements. Since your goal is maximum impact to influence the greatest number of people with your time, this become a win-win situation.
Personal Branding Tips
Here are some personal branding tips to consider in developing your branding strategies for success.
Be authentic – People can sense when you are being fake and not yourself. It’s important to be vulnerable and be yourself. You have so much to offer people and people need to hear your story. What makes you different? Develop those leadership traits that will make others want to follow you.
Blog page – Create a blog website where your personal brand is fueled. This becomes the hub of your influence and personal brand. All your social media and internet interactions lead people to your blog site where people can get more value content that you create.
Content – Provide valuable interesting content that will earn the mindshare and trust that your brand needs. Valuable content is the magnetic power that will pull people to you and keep them loyal to you.
Define your audience – Identify and focus on the needs of your ideal market, the readers you want to attract. Identify and define their problems, their pain points and provide solutions. Conducting surveys is a good way to identify the needs of your audience. Also, take note of the attention your posts get – the more comments and interaction your topic receives will help identify topics your audience wants to have more posts on. The more refined you are in identifying and defining your market the better.
Email list – Your email list is your most valuable asset on the internet. Your list is private and permission based, not spam. This allows you a way to provide additional value to your followers.
Focus your brand – Be very clear and focused on the market niche your brand is serving. A focused brand will allow you to connect with those you aim to influence.
Help others – Have a spirit of servitude in all you do. Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. Be the first to volunteer, connect with people and get behind any meaningful cause.
Join affiliations – Affiliations and groups are very important in building your brand. Join groups that you would be proud to be associated with, get involved and make your presence known.
Influencers – You are the average of the top 5 people you spend the most time with. Influential leaders have prominent friends. Seek out leaders and surround yourself with them. Find ways to serve and be of value to them. You will learn so much just by sharing space with them.
Keywords – People find information most relevant using keyword searchers. Use Google Keyword Tool to identify and keep a list of the most relevant words used in your niche so that when you write content people will be lead to you and your blog site.
Opine – Universal appeal is not your goal. Take strong stands on your ideals and voice your opinion. Be clear of who you want and don’t want to attract when you take these strong positions.
Recognition – You will never achieve your goals or become the leader you aspire to on your own. Publicly and privately recognize every person and their contribution who have played a part in building your brand.
Photo – Your face must appear in association with your brand in all realms of social media and internet marketing. Have a clear professional photo of yourself done. Use the same photo or very similar photos to help with your brand recognition.
Win Friends and Influence People – This classic book written by Dale Carnegie is unsurpassed and considered the manual for understanding the influence of others. Read and re-read this book.
Questions – Engage your reader by asking them questions. Call them out and ask for their opinion. Welcome their stories and ask them to share with comments. This helps your audience build a relationship with you.
You and I – You must write in first person, using “you” for the reader and “I” as you, the author. To truly connect and influence the reader write as though you are having a conversation with your reader.
Zeal – Have a strong feeling, interest, passion and enthusiasm in building your personal brand. This will help set you apart from the others.
Where Do You Start Your Personal Branding?
All this may seem a little overwhelming at first. Start off using your preferred social media platform like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Identify your target market that you want to work with or you feel you can relate to. For example, maybe your ideal market are moms, age 18-35 (Millennials), or men and women, age 40-50. Then identify their problems. For example, Millennial moms most likely want more money for and time with their kids and the mid-age people would probably like to retire but they don’t have the savings or retirement fund that would allow them to retire. Start providing your target market with some solutions and inspiration through daily posts.
Ultimately you want to have your own blog website where you build your personal brand and where people will be directed to so that you can keep them engaged and they stay informed of what you’re doing.
I can help you get started building your brand with a great system. If you want more information please contact me at Work with Me.
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Alycia Skousen
Email: Alycia@alyciaskousen.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alyciaskousenabetterway/
Twitter: @alyciaskousen
Considering coaching? Check out my Work With Me tab. I help people everyday!
PS: Do you need help creating a brand for yourself? Or, is your branding not giving you the success and results you want? CHECK THIS OUT….(unless you already have all the branding success you want) Click Here For Instant Access.
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