Personal branding is the process of clarifying the qualities that differentiate you from the rest. As stated by Entrepreneur, a personal brand is an expression of who you are, what you do and why you need an engaging, inviting digital presence.
Having a personal brand is helpful and necessary to stand out when applying for a job or starting your own company. Creating a personal brand can be difficult but knowing where to start can guide you in the right direction.
The Rules of Personal Branding
1. Clarity
To make yourself recognizable to your target audience, you need to focus on your goals and what makes you unique. Having a clear goal will help you stand out to your target audience.
2. Tell A Story
No one wants to hear you shout about your brand, they want a story. Build a story around your brand that gets your audience excited and able to connect with you. The best way to tell a story is through written content or video.
3. Be Consistent
Have a narrow focus – it is easier to get recognized by your target audience if you are consistently creating content and using your brand voice around it.
4. Be Positive
Even on your bad days, keep a positive attitude. Having a positive attitude and helping others will only help you grow your brand in the long run.
5. Live Your Brand
One way to make building a personal brand difficult is separating your personal brand from your person life. It is way easier to create a personal brand if it is your actual lifestyle.
6. Let Others Tell Your Story
Everyone knows the best PR is word of mouth, therefore, let others share your story. Creating a personal brand in a public space allows others to share your story, which will help you grow your brand.
7. Leave A Legacy
Once you have built your personal brand, the next step is to think about the legacy you will leave behind. What are the keywords and actions that you want to be known for?
Examples of Personal Branding
Gary Vaynerchuk
Gary Vaynerchuk turned his family wine shop into an eCommerce store. It is the kind of story that gives entrepreneurs hope. Becoming an influencer through social media, Gary’s story has humble beginnings with hard work and dedication leading him to success. From creating content on social media platforms, he positions himself as someone who wants you to achieve success on your own terms and believes you can.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk is the owner of Tesla, but if you think about it, everyone knows who Elon Musk is, even if his face is nowhere to be seen on anything Tesla. He is known for his drive and a man of his word, such as shooting a Tesla up into space. His follow-through has shown us technologies yet to be invented and a whole universe are left to be discover.
A personal brand is a forever project that grows with you. There are no instruction manuals for creating a personal brand, but these 7 general rules should be considered when creating your personal brand. Creating an effective personal brand can help you stand out from the clutter and noise, and ideally, help achieve you achieve your goals.
Additional Personal Branding Resources
