Top 10 ways to build your brand
In your 2021 plans, have you thought about your own brand, how it is perceived currently and the importance of it long term? I am sure you have all seen many examples of outrageous posts on social media, however people need to remember that this information is always going to be there and maybe they wouldn’t have made this same statement if they take themselves forward 5 years from today? It’s important to consider what you are about and what you want to show to the world. Leadership is about gradually building your brand over time into a foundational base that will create impact! Start today on your rebranding journey!
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” – Warren Buffett
Let’s start with BRAND YOU
A Forbes Council post, “10 Ways to Build Your Personal Brand,” reminds us you’ve probably invested significant time in your company’s brand. But what about your personal brand? Even if you don’t love the spotlight, the relationships and network you build on your own are often critical to your company’s success — not to mention the success of your own career! Below, 10 Forbes Agency Council members share advice they give clients who need to work on their personal brands:
- Be Yourself. When building a personal brand, it can be easy to focus on a persona instead of a personality. And there’s a big difference. Don’t play a character. Be yourself. Building a personal brand is about externalizing your true personality and the value you bring your audience in a variety of ways, whether via writing, podcasts or Snapchat. Your personal brand must be aligned with who you are in person. – Robby Berthume, Bull & Beard
- Provide Value. Believe it or not, your personal brand isn’t just about you. The audience you are attempting to attract and engage may actually be a bigger part of your personal brand than you are. Instead of focusing internally, focus on others. Make sure the content you are creating provides your audience with a unique value that sets you apart and keeps your audience begging for more. – Phil Laboon, Eyeflow LLC
- Be Consistent. It’s easier said than done, but be consistent. Once you determine the foundation of your personal brand, make sure to stick with it. Not only will inconsistency be confusing for your audience to follow, but also it will negatively affect the growth of your personal brand. – Leila Lewis, Be Inspired PR
- Determine Whether You Need to Build Your Personal Brand. It doesn’t always make sense for an executive to have a personal brand. Sometimes it’s more beneficial to put the corporate brand ahead of yourself. Spend more time shaping the voice of your brand; that’s your job. Entrepreneurs as celebrities is a dangerous, slippery slope. – Taryn Langer, Moxie Communications Group
- Speak At Industry Conferences. At the beginning of my career, I was deeply passionate about SEO and pay-per-click marketing and wanted to share it with the world. However, nobody knew who I was; recognition took time. The turning point was when I was given the opportunity to speak at an industry conference. From then on, I’ve been building my personal brand by speaking at shows around the world, and you should too. – Kristopher Jones, LSEO.com
- Think of It as The Most Important Business You Could Ever Own. Think of your personal brand as the most important business you could ever own. You should proactively manage your social media accounts the same way you would for a company. Be relevant, consistent and authentic in your posting, tweeting, pinning and liking. Your online persona will become your personal brand. – Jeremy Ostermiller, Altitude Digital
- Focus on What You Say, Not On The Audience Size. Don’t worry about your audience size. A small number of followers starting out can feel daunting, especially to executives who feel they should pull more. Use this opportunity to make strong one-to-one connections with your growing audience. Even if your audience is a handful of followers, talk big as if you were speaking to thousands, as any post could get shared beyond your current circles. – Dan Golden, Be Found Online
- Identify Areas Of Unique Perspective. To build your personal brand, you need to identify the unique perspective you bring to your industry and your audience. Do some research about what people are looking to learn in relation to your product or service and what others in your space are talking about? Identify gaps in the conversation where you can lend expertise and build thought leadership. – Lindsay Mullen, Prosper Strategies
- Invest in Reputation Marketing. Reputation marketing has evolved from combining brand marketing and reputation management. The global influence of online reputation is enormous for small and large businesses. Building your brand and protecting it is equally as important. Clients who invest in reputation marketing tend to build a brand that not only boosts results internally, but protects their brand as well. – Ryan Pezzotti, Knowzo.com
- Just Start. Start already! Perfection is the enemy of progression. Don’t wait for things to get polished and perfected before you start pumping out awesome content to build your personal brand. Build up authority with the limited resources you already have, and it will take you to great lengths. Laser in on your strengths, be consistent, and the success will follow! – Solomon Thimothy, OneIMS
BRAND AWARENESS
Now that you have worked on your own brand, an Eventbrite article looks at “10 Ways to Increase Your Brand Awareness.” So you want to know how to increase brand awareness? Well, you’re in the right place, especially if you’re working with a limited budget, but need to cut through the noise and stand above your competitors. Besides traditional advertising, what can you do to help put your brand name on everybody’s lips? We’ve compiled ten ideas:
- Take to social media
- Hold an event
- Launch a PR campaign
- Exhibit yourself
- Join forces with another business
- Sponsor something
- Organise an experiential stunt
- Invest in promotional merchandise
- Tap into the power of video
- Try content marketing
With a little imagination and an understanding of your customer, the sky (and your budget) is the limit when it comes to getting in front of your target audience this year.
Set yourself up for Success
“Define Success on Your Own Terms, Achieve It by Your Own Rules, And Build a Life You’re Proud to Live.” – Anne Sweeney, Walt Disney
In my blog “Set yourself up for success,” I highlight that you might be feeling like success isn’t happening for you at present however let me explore how to think about success differently during this time. I know, this is a big one, so do me a favour. Take eight seconds to read the above quote again. Let it sink in.
Ultimately, I think the most amazing, most wondrous thing about success is this: We all have a different definition of the word. What does success mean to you? To some people, success means dominating the corporate world. Or maybe it’s becoming filthy rich by age forty. Or maybe your definition of success is that you’ve raised really wonderful children. Or maybe, just maybe, your definition of success can be anything you want it to be as long as you’re ultimately happy and content with your life.
I’ll let you in on a little secret. My definition of success means significantly impacting others’ lives and making a difference. To me, significance to others refers to the positive changes you make to someone’s life as a result of your influence on them. If you’ve made a significant difference in someone’s life, no amount of money can beat that.
Since we all have different definitions of success, and we’ve established that being happy and content with your life contributes to your success, why not take it one step further and say that it’s the pursuit of your own planned goals and desires that propels you toward success?
I’ve read a lot about successful people and one characteristic that drives these people’s success is that they’re insanely goal-driven. I believe goals are fundamental to success, imagination and your values. If you combine your values with the relentless pursuit of your goals (with a little imagination thrown in), you’re seriously going to be unstoppable!
List your most important values here:
And, what does success mean to you? Write it down!
NEW Opportunities to Change YOUR BRAND!
Now that you understand the importance of your brand, I am here to support you for your next level of success through three opportunities:
1. Join my Course to your Inner Courage – and it’s only $47! I am beyond excited and privileged to have you working with me on my First Comes Courage Read-Along Course. Book your spot, grab the book and make this year a year of Courage! Join alone or as a team! Starts 22nd February 2021 and you enrol and start anytime…
2. Coaching helps leaders go from good to exceptional. Coaching conversations:
- build self-awareness
- uncover hidden strengths and limiting beliefs
- offer new perspectives
- evoke insight
- support goal-setting, accountability and achievement
- improve communication, and
- enhance performance
Book a FREE discovery session
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Get in touch today to learn more about building leadership skills and set yourself up for success!
Stay Kind. Stay Courageous.
Sonia x
