People do business with people, and in our increasingly social world, we need to think about the image we project to the world and how it affects how others perceive us.
Even if you haven’t actively worked on your own personal branding, if you have an online presence, you have a personal brand. It’s true what they say, ‘a picture says a thousand words’. It’s not just about the shallow surface factors – your fashion and lifestyle choices – in fact everything you share and do, both on and offline, becomes part of this cumulative image.
How ‘findable’ are you as a person, and what does your personal brand say – and do – for you?
We’ll be offering a workshop on personal branding for PRCA MENA on 23rd October and thought we’d offer a little taster of our tips on developing your personal brand for maximum professional impact:
1. Project yourself positively, authentically and fearlessly
This is not the time to be shy, you need to speak up and take action so that people don’t have to work too hard to see what you are all about. It’s also essential to be authentic, your actions will not be sustainable if they do not truly reflect your passions/interests.
2. Invest in your tribe
You will also be judged by the company you keep, so make sure you surround yourself on and offline with the right community.
A community is a supportive network, so make sure you don’t just take from those around you. Pay it forward & add value to your network by supporting events & initiatives, and by making referalls, introductions and recommendations.
3. Know your message
Know thyself! Have a clear consistent message about who you are, and make sure it differentiates you from your peers and competitors. You should have a handful of clear qualities/attributes that you can demonstrate, with evidence for each. They should be easily understood, accepted and remembered.
4. Use social media to extend your reach
Develop your online image and make your social media work for you. LinkedIn is the obvious choice to develop a personal brand as it’s the biggest professional online network, and there is so much you can do as an individual on the platform.
5. Keep track of the conversation
Keep your finger on the pulse, know what people are talking about, when and why. This will help you identify and comment on trends, add value to the community and make a contribution – plus it helps you establish yourself as a thought leader.
6. Actions speak louder than words
A personal brand is not just about what content you post on social media, it should be a reflection of the real you, as demonstrated by your actions. What do you do that makes a difference to others, how are you paying it forward and/or giving back?
7. Commit time and effort
Building an impactful personal brand doesn’t happen overnight, it takes work both on and offline, to really influence how people see you and to maintain a engaging brand presence over time.
There’s a lot to consider, but the important thing to remember is that personal branding is about giving rather than bragging, engaging not broadcasting. To have an effective brand that people want to engage with, you need to add value, share knowledge, acknowledge and support others, nurture your relationships, share praise, and express gratitude. If you would like to learn more, please do message us for information about the upcoming course with PRCA.
