The economy has been forced to slow down and thousands of companies around the world have had to shut their doors. Now instead of going out for our daily brunches and coffee breaks, we are sitting at home twiddling our thumbs wondering; ‘what do I do?’
Here is your answer: Build your Personal Brand…
Building your personal brand opens up multitudes of opportunities outside of your direct company or workplace. Telling your whole story, not just the ‘golden’ parts, is the most powerful tool you have in your brand arsenal, and it will help you connect with your audience at a much deeper level. Not only will it help you show who you truly are and what you stand for but will allow you to build trust with your customers from the get-go.
You may think that you don’t need or even want a personal brand but let me tell you, being wealthy isn’t enough. No matter how much money you have in your bank account, without a personal brand, you couldn’t pick up the phone and ask to work with anyone you want. Developing your personal brand is key to making connections with those in your industry that you look up to, and to work with them in the future.
There are three key areas to focus on when building your personal brand. Authority, Results and Trust.
To build your personal brand you need to work on gaining expert status or Authority in your field.
Firstly, you need to create your own personal brand website. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy. A good start would be a landing page outlining who you are and what the product/service you offer is. People need to be able to find you online.
Next you need to start getting some content out there. Whether it’s a written article, podcast interview, or video onto your social media sites, get your name in front of your audience. Show them how you are different from your competitors and what value you are bringing to them. Position yourself as an expert in your industry and remember – ‘experts get paid expert fees’.
Now you need to begin leveraging off your Results. This is where you need to ask yourself – what exactly does my brand stand for? What do I want people to get out of following me? You need to then show this to your customers – and equally as importantly to your potential customers – through not only results but proof.
For example, say that you are a dietician, and you want people to sign up to your 8-week eating plan. You might showcase results from previous clients such as ‘’I lost 8kg’s in 8 weeks’’. That’s awesome and a great testimonial, but the 1000 other dieticians in your state are doing the same thing.
What makes you different? Proof.
What’s the deeper reason and outcome your customer will get from your results?
Yes, your customers may have lost some weight, but what does this weight loss mean to them? Does it mean they can keep up with their energetic toddler? Has it improved their quality of life and ability to get out of bed in the morning? Helped their mental health? Get the proof to back up the results, leverage and market this, and the followers will come to you.
Finally, you need to build Trust. This is the part where you need to share your true, authentic no BS story. Don’t be scared of the hate. Be true to who you are, what you stand for and where you came from.
When I first started out in my business, I tried to hide where I had come from. The reality is your audience wants to know your hardships and challenges that you went through to get to where you are today. I didn’t realise this wasn’t working until I was presenting on stage one day and a teenager in the crowd crossed his arms, looked me in the eye, and said ‘’what would you know?’’. What would I know about the challenges that come from having no money? A lot, actually, but I hadn’t positioned myself in this way to my audience from the beginning.
Think about it this way; if you’re willing to be completely transparent with your customer, don’t you think they will trust you more when you say your product/service is valuable to them?
I dare you to stand up and stand out. I dare you to be judged.
Remember, you don’t have to be everyone’s cup of tea. Some people won’t agree with what you stand for and that is okay.
Imagine you’re sharing your message to a group of 10 people. 2 of them don’t like your idea. The other 7 are ambivalent to it and don’t really care about what you have to say. However, there is 1 person in that group that absolutely loves your message. They’re inspired, motivated, and a newfound follower to your offering. That 1 person is the reason you need go out there, develop your brand and share your message.
The best way to make a personal brand is to make it personal.
Be you. Be bold. Be brave. This world needs more leaders, and unless you decide to be one, no one is going to follow you.