Jeff Bezos, ex-CEO of Amazon, once said: “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
In other words, it’s your reputation! And it’s crucial to business success. Unlike the usual emphasis on company branding, though, it’s your personal brand that’s being talked about more and more these days.
This subset of branding’s about introducing the world to you, the individual; the face behind the logo. Build your brand and you’ll cultivate trust, loyalty, and perceived authority in your field.
Think about Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, or Tony Robbins, for example. Their personal brands are worth far more than any company they could work for! People know and love, which opens the door to incredible opportunities.
Do you want a piece of the action? Well, you’re in the right place. Check out our top strategies for building your personal brand in 2021.
Authenticity
The secret to personal branding is being yourself. It’s not about trying to please everyone at all times! You have to know who you are, be true to your values, and portray them in the public domain.
Take rap icon, Kendrick Lamar. Watch his interviews and you’ll notice familiar traits every time! He’s respectful yet unapologetic; confident without hubris.
In other words, he isn’t trying to be anything other than himself. People pick up on that level of authenticity and respond well to it. Your core audience is more likely to trust you, like you, and feel connected to your message.
Likewise, they’ll know when you’re trying too hard to be something you’re not. Avoid that fate by committing to genuineness instead. Have fun, celebrate your individuality, and let people know what you stand for!
Being a Copycat
Being authentic isn’t the same as being original. Sometimes, the best way to build a brand is to look at what others are doing well and copy them! Put your own spin on a popular framework and you’re onto a winner.
Consume the popular content being published by big-name brands that you respect and admire. Stay up to speed on the latest social trends and hashtags that are proliferating on each platform. And be mindful of global news and ‘woke’ on current affairs.
Then take what you learn and leverage it in your interests! You could do your own version of the latest TikTok dance, edit a meme that’s gone viral, or piggyback on hashtags to promote yourself.
Consistency
Building a personal brand doesn’t happen overnight. It’s about showing up as yourself over and over again. Furthermore, it isn’t a work uniform that you can take off on a whim!
Your personal brand is you. The only way to build it is through time and consistency. This is another reason why authenticity’s so important.
After all, you can only keep up an act for so long, right? Try to fake it and it’s a matter of time before your true colors shine through.
Consistency helps other people understand, define, and identify you too. You’ll fashion a niche for yourself amongst the noise. This lends itself to building a dedicated following and facilitates your ability to create content in line with your brand.
Social Media
There’s a reason personal branding hit the scene now and not 20 years ago. Can you guess what it is? The rise of social media, that’s what!
Remember, social media shines a spotlight on individual employees. It’s brought an end to the days when people only knew a company’s name, owner, and (maybe) its CEO. Thanks to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, anyone can now get attention and build rapport with their chosen audience.
If you haven’t already set up profiles on the biggest platforms, then now’s the time to do it. Focus on those with users who align with your target audience. Then set about publishing valuable content, forging relationships, and introducing yourself to the world.
Being and Doing Good
The biggest and most loved personal brands in the world have one key thing in common: their positive impact.
Gary Vaynerchuk promotes happiness above all else. Tony Robbins goes above and beyond to alleviate world suffering. David Goggins and Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson motivate you to push yourself at all times…
Each individual’s unique, but they’re all trying to make a positive difference. Keep that in mind as you embark on your personal branding efforts. Your audience will respond best if you follow suit and put good back into the world.
Leveraging Video Content (and Your Mobile)
Video content’s number one as far as practical brand-building strategies go. It’s an incredible way to introduce yourself to people and cultivate a relationship without meeting them face to face! You can simply take out your smartphone, flip it around, and record a personal message for your audience.
An added benefit of video content is its capacity for storytelling. One of the main reasons people love consuming this medium is the stories they encounter in it! You can use videos to let them into your world, showcase your unique ethos and attributes, and deliver engaging content that endears you to viewers.
Time to Build Your Brand
In today’s interconnected world of social media, personal branding has become a go-to tool for getting ahead. Build your brand and you earn trust and authority in your field! You develop a following, forge new relationships, and open the door to novel opportunities in the process.
Have you been wondering how to build your own brand? Well, we hope the branding strategies in this article will help you do it! Put them into practice and you should be one step closer to forging a presence and positive reputation in your field.
