Developing your personal brand
“Many of us are taught to do our best and then let the world decide how to judge us. I think it is better to do your best and decide how you want to be judged. And act that way.” Seth Godin
Your personal brand is one that others will identify you by and highlights your skills (technical and soft skills, abilities, education and work experience), passion, personality and your unique selling points (your differentiators from others). It is deliberate, thoughtful, outward-focused, and is all about the results you deliver.
Your personal brand may shift minimally, or if you decide to make a significant change, may need to be completely reinvented. Not everyone bothers to work on their personal brand, however I cannot emphasize enough how important it is in today’s market to have one. If not, you are missing a professional and strategic opportunity to promote yourself, increase your visibility, respect and level of influence.
Do you have a personal brand, and if so what is it? Does it represent what you can do and what you want to be known for? Will it entice others to want to work with you?
Think about what people say about you when you leave the room and then, what you want them to say about you – is it different? If you truly do not know how you are perceived, ask your colleagues and clients what your greatest strengths are and what experience you have that makes you stand out from others.
For example, are you focused, engaged, collaborative, creative, innovative, strategic and/or results-orientated? Do you excel in project or team-based assignments? Do you have an aptitude for leadership? Are you agile and innovative? Do you attain exceptional results? Have you demonstrated your ability to deal in a complex and/or changing environments? Through globalization and increasing levels of competition your ability to deal with change is essential in today’s market. Your brand showcases your abilities and what you have to offer. The communication style you use needs to be clear, articulate and consistent so it is compelling to your target audience.
You are the only one responsible for your personal brand, so own it! Be honest and authentic in how you market yourself. Remember to highlight what separates you from the crowd and how you can make your brand easy for people to remember. Your personal brand statement should address your strengths and how you accomplish your goals.
Your personal brand will help you design your personal pitch, also often referred to as your ‘elevator pitch’. Your pitch should be less than two minutes, strong and straight to the point. You should be able to easily and confidently explain your skills and strengths, as well as the value you will provide and what you have to offer. Make it easy for people to get to know you, understand you, and remember you. An elevator pitch can be used when networking, updating colleagues or clients, in performance reviews, and of course, for job hunting and contract development. Remember to use an active voice in the present or future tense.
Also, ensure your online presence is up-to-date and correlates to your personal brand; it is critical to put your digital presence at the forefront as many online searches are done as an initial screening.
Once you have a draft or a completed personal brand statement, ensure you test it and receive feedback regularly. Diarize to revisit your personal brand every six months. Keep a check on it regularly through client, employee, employer or investor feedback.
Download the personal branding worksheet below to help you get started.
Do you need assistance in developing your personal brand? I would love to work with you and help you transform, improve and thrive. To schedule a free 30-minute high-performance coaching consultation, or discuss coaching package options with me, please click on the button below.
