A GUIDE TO PERSONAL BRANDING

29 Oct A GUIDE TO PERSONAL BRANDING

PersonalBranding

Your brand is the exceptionalblend of skills and practices that make you who you are. Effective personalbranding makes you stand out from other professionals in your field. Whateverit is that you are known for, you have a brand that exists both online andoffline.

Why PersonalBranding Matters

Everyone has a brand, but most people do not manage it deliberately orcontinuously. People who have a well-defined personal brand usuallyproduce increased value for their establishment, whether they work forthemselves or someone else. If you do nottake control of your individual brand, you will miss out on opportunities(business, networking and personal relationships) and let others control yournarrative.

Regardless of your age or the job role you occupy,someone is going through your online profile. What they find can have significanceon how you are perceived. Your personal brand reflects your reputation.

WAYS TO BUILD AWELL DEFINED PERSONAL BRAND

1. Define your Brand: Think about what you want to be known for and then takeresolute actions to ensure that it is the image you’re creating.
2. Look the Part: Put out only contents that fit your desired image. Defineyourself from the effort you put into the way you look. If as a fashiondesigner you want people to see that you are great at what you do, invest increating and showcasing quality clothing.
3. Network: People can only know what you stand for when they know who you are.Find opportunities to interact with people as much as you can. This helps withthe growth of your personal brand.
4. Know yourself: Identifying your strengths and weaknesses alike helps in forming whereto channel more of your time and becoming the best in the area of your skills.This gives you an idea of where your talent lies and helps you build on them.

To remain significant in the world and standout, you need to constantly look out for applicable trends and keep learningand improving on new skills.

Building a well-defined personal brand is not an overnight task. Just aswith everything else, it requires putting in time, persistence and beingproactive. Do not limit your personal branding to your social media presenceand online resources. Put yourself out there and grasp opportunities to keepgrowing and connecting via networking events and attending conferences. We all have to be controllers of our fortuneand have our options open.