Personal Branding Basics
Social networking has given a growth to personal branding ten years after it was first mentioned by Tom Peter. Although, the concept of personal branding was first introduced in 1937, it was not taken seriously. However, the phenomenal growth of the internet and more recently that of social networks has made everyone think about personal branding.
Personal branding is about highlighting yourself and distinguishing yourself from the crowd. Personal branding is not only for celebrities, which is what most people think. This is where they are wrong as many ordinary people have created their niche in the digital world by branding. A simple search on the internet for any popular topic, will reveal that a number of people have made their products, or services popular by associating them with their name.
If you have a personal trait, you have to let people know about it, and the only way you can do that is by branding. Just by having a website with your name will not tell people much. However, if the site tells them what you excel in, they will get interested in interacting with you. You have to spend some time on thinking about how you want people to know you. Just putting your name, educational qualifications and job experience is not enough.
As there will be millions of people who have the same qualifications and experience that you have. You need to discover how you differ from them. Write down what your mission is in life and how you plan to achieve it. If people think you are intelligent, diligent or, humorous these qualities will contribute to your personal brand.
Before moving on to the next step, you will need to be clear about what you want to create your niche in? Once you have decided your goals and your niche you can go about creating your brand. Now you can go about creating your business card. The card should have your personal information like name, contact number, and your expertise or slogan. An example is ‘Freelance Columnist’, ‘Crisis Management Expert’, etc.
Now you can add your resume and a covering letter if you are applying for a job. If you want to be known in the digital world, get a web or blog site with your name. Remember a blog site ranks higher than a website and the more you blog in your area of expertise, the higher will be your ranking.
Create your profile in the social media networks and make sure they show your strengths, not a picture with shades or holding up a beer mug. Turn on the privacy option so that your picture cannot be tagged or misused. You can include a short video of you talking about your area of expertise.
After completing your personal branding, it’s time to show it to the world. The better your personal branding, the more people will take an interest in you. Proper personal branding will go a long way in helping you reach your goal.
