If you’re a business owner, or an aspiring one, you know the value of branding your business to become not just another item on the shelf in a row of faceless products, but an icon, a representation of something greater than its material worth. Just like you as a human being are more than a mere sum of your bank account balance, your high school grades, and your BMI, your personal brand should be an authentic representation of all your values and ambition.
This sole effort will push your career forward, help you position your business with greater success in your field of work, and let you become a leading authority recognized by both your customers and your competitors. The following steps are key to building a personal brand no matter your current stage of professional growth.
The essence of your business
Nespresso would likely be just another semi-invisible coffee brand on the rack if it weren’t for George Clooney. This simple, yet powerful correlation is the basis for building trust, loyalty, or simply getting more people to try this particular brand of hot beverages instead of the one next to it without a celebrity as its advocate. The simple message is: be the Clooney to your own business, but with even more substance.
As the builder of your company and the leader of your team, you have what it takes to truly personify the qualities that have led you this far. How you position yourself within your own company will greatly impact how your employees perceive you, if they admire you, and if they become passionate advocates of your brand without being forced. This adds intangible, but incomparable value to your business, and allows it to thrive despite its rising competition.
It breeds influence
As a recognized leader in your industry, your brand is no longer a mere item or a service, but it becomes a personal preference, a relatable entity that is represented by its creator – you. After all, long gone are the days when the old adage “it’s nothing personal, it’s business” would ring true. Now we live in the era of the exact opposite, where there can be no successful business without the personal aspect to it. And who would better represent the brand but its inventor?
In order for your name to be recognized as one of authority and influence, you first need to work on building your brand in addition to building your business. You as a human being are far more relatable than anything you could possibly sell, hence the need to attach your name and your personal story to that of your business.
The unbreakable bond
Ask any marketing expert and they’ll tell you that the top priority of any contemporary business should be achieving a deeper, more meaningful emotional connection with their audience. Once again, this is where your personal brand comes to shine with its powerful impact as opposed to a clever package or a cool slogan. However, in order to tap into the emotional well of your audience, some brands require a nudge in the right direction.
Defining your brand’s mission and vision, finding that unique feature that will instantly draw more clients in your direction, and creating that emotional appeal can be achieved with the help of professionals in the area. That is why many brands seek out guidance from experts such as this branding agency in Melbourne in order to define the best route towards greater emotional connectedness with their audience. Getting a second pair of eyes on your brand is often the key step towards choosing the right route for your professional growth.
Greater engagement
As soon as you start giving the world the opportunity to understand who you are and how you bring value with your business, the majority of your connections will be a result of people coming to you, and not the other way around. From interview offers, post sharing, more content comments, all the way to offline recognition during various events you visit, your name will stand for something in your niche.
That fact alone will lead to more people reaching out for job opportunities, partnerships, or simply to learn more about you and your brand. It becomes a beautiful cycle where people will constantly want to learn more about you and, as a result, they’ll be eager to support your brand. The power of personal branding in the realm of gaining genuine support is greater than any other marketing strategy you could ever invent.