Building a personal brand can be one of the most liberating things you can do for yourself and your business. When clients ask me what a personal brand is all about, I explain that it is a plan for giving you insight into your life and taking an active role in your life path. It helps you to make the most of your gifts, passions, and talents and taking everything life has to offer. Mostly, your personal brand for your business is an eYOURxtension of YOU!
Additionally, a personal brand has the following benefits:
- Gives you permission to be YOU!
- Helps you gain confidence.
- Allows you to build credibility.
- Showcases your specialty.
- Helps you leave your mark.
- Helps you connect to your target audience.
- Makes you stand out from the competition.
- Gives you the support you need.
- Helps you focus energy on where you need to go.
Once you know what your personal brand is, it is time to build it. An online presence is the perfect tool for building a personal brand. All you need is a website and social media accounts.
Build Your Personal Brand In 5 Simple Steps
These steps are not only simple, but very effective in building a personal brand. Do it regularly for best results.
1. Engage!
By engaging with and commenting on blogs and articles that are related to your niche, you can start building relationships with individuals who can tell your story.
Even if you don’t agree with someone’s point of views, it’s easy to leave an insightful comment that will change minds and plant seeds of inspiration.
2. Find Your Audience
Spend your time in a productive way by being where your target market participates online. If you don’t know where they are, ask them. Start with a single social media network, rather than trying to keep up with conversations on multiple platforms.
3. Follow Influencers
Connect with accounts of industry players and influencers similar to your own. You will see what they are doing, and the networks will suggest you to potential followers when they are searching for what you have to offer.
Some people tend to do this when they just start out with social networking, but it is important to do it regularly.
4. Support Your Cause
Be sure to share content that builds and supports your vision or thinking. Most people don’t like to share others’ content, but it is a valuable tool in building relationships online. Share 80% content that supports your views, and 20% your own.
5. Reel Them Back In
A great way to bring people back to your website or blog, is to write a short synopsis of the content you are sharing, as well as your response and the original blog post URL. This benefits both yourself and the author of the original post.
Your personal brand is as unique as you are, so do whatever you are comfortable. Be bold, be brave and be unbelievable.