What is PERSONAL BRANDING?
Branding is the process of creating a unique name or image for a product. That is the definition you get when you search for branding in Google. Here the product is you. You want to attract and maintain a consistent flow of consumers to this product. The main goal is to differentiate you (the product) in the market so that you can land that dream job, promote your own business or attract the right kind of attention.
Personal branding is how you appear to the world. People relate you to a certain expertise or a certain image that sets you apart from everyone. A good brand is like a bill board it tells us who you are, what you do, how you do it, where you do it and how we can reach you. Creating a good brand can go a long way to imprinting a lasting impression on future employers or client.
So how do you create a good brand? Here are a few tips:
- Know yourself
Like everything else branding has no one formula. What works for another person does not necessarily mean it will work for you. Get to know yourself. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Expand on your skills, talents and tap into your values and passion to find your purpose. If you want to create strong brand you need to focus on your strength, maximize your potential and know yourself well.
- Conduct your research.
The biggest issue that comes with branding is inadequate research and strategy. People tend to get so excited that they forget to do their homework. Find a mentor who can guide you through the whole process. Learn from others who have successfully done it and have achieved. Create a game plan and follow through with. Learn from others success and failure.
If you are looking to build a good brand, one needs to socialize regularly. This will mean developing good communication skills and general etiquette. Develop confidence in yourself and be comfortable in your own skin. Always think before speaking so that people get the general feel that you knowledgeable. Try your level best to update your social media profiles especially those that can the employers have direct access to. Be careful with what you put up on your social media account because it might mean success or failure.
- Be creative
All good brands come from creative minds. People sit down, brain storm and come up with very brilliant ideas. This is the same policy that you should apply on your own product (you). Think outside the box when it comes to how you speak, dress, how you writ e your CV and so on. Let everything about you scream your brand at every moment. This will take a lot of creativity to incorporate your brand in everything you are.
- Don’t copy and paste
Imitation is the best form of flattery but in this case all you will be doing is promoting someone else’s brand while you suffer. An effective brand needs a personal touch, something that only you can deliver.
With these few tips we have given you try to build your own brand. In our subsequent post we will see why personal branding is so important especially in this day and age. Talk to us on your journey of creating a personal brand. Let us draw inspiration from you our readers.
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