I have been in marketing since 2010 and have learned some key lessons in building my personal brand over the years. Whether you work or not, these tips can benefit many aspects of your life. Your personal brand is all about who you are and what you want to be known for.
1. DEFINE YOUR PERSONAL BRAND
Identify your talents, your expertise, and your core values. What sets you apart from others? What do you stand for? What do you wish for people to associate with you when they think of your name? How can your identity impact your understanding of the world and the business? What can you bring to the table no one else can? Your differences are your superpowers. Once you've identified your values, uniqueness and contributions, you can start to be more strategic about building your authentic personal brand.
2. SET GOALS
Goal setting has been a GAME CHANGER in my life. It's not the generic, "Where do you see yourself in 10 years" question, but more granular. What can I do this week or this month to accomplish small goals? Yes, ask yourself where you want to be in 10 years, but think about the small steps it will take to get there. Setting such big goals can be daunting, but setting small monthly goals is achievable and has a snowball effect. Once you accomplish one, you keep going! What small goals will it take to reach a large goal? WRITE THEM DOWN! Don't simply think about them. Have a friend, mentor or spouse keep you accountable.
Goal setting has been a GAME CHANGER in my life. It's not the generic, "Where do you see yourself in 10 years" question, but more granular. What can I do this week or this month to accomplish small goals? Yes, ask yourself where you want to be in 10 years, but think about the small steps it will take to get there. Setting such big goals can be daunting, but setting small monthly goals is achievable and has a snowball effect. Once you accomplish one, you keep going! What small goals will it take to reach a large goal? WRITE THEM DOWN! Don't simply think about them. Have a friend, mentor or spouse keep you accountable.
3. CREATE CONTENT & SHARE IT
I started this blog while living in Abilene, TX working full-time and taking MBA courses at night. I desperately needed a creative outlet, and I loved reading blogs. Not only have I met hundreds of new friends and created quality relationships from it, but it has benefited my career in many ways. Even if your job title has nothing to do with marketing, social media, or writing, it's still very beneficial to create content. Whether you're contributing to a local blog, posting on LinkedIn, making videos on Instagram or Tiktok....these are all forms of creating content. Obviously depending on your career goals the type of content you create and where you publish will be vastly different compared to others.
Write about whatever interests you and showcase your talents. Maybe your passion is cars, and you're an engineer who dreams of working for BMW. When you apply for a job at BMW the first thing they will do is look you up online. If you have a car blog or social channel and they see the love and passion you have for cars through it....boom, there's something you have that your competition might not! Blogging opened so many doors for me. Also, make sure you are proud of everything you post online. Before creating any content I make sure that If my boss saw it I wouldn't be worried.
I know many companies are now looking at employees more than ever as internal advocates for the brand. You can choose to use your personal brand to benefit your company and it most likely will benefit your career if done right. I've seen many people do this well via LinkedIn and even TikTok.
4. MAKE GENUINE FRIENDS
I sometimes cringe when I hear the word networking but it is life changing! Networking is a must when building your personal brand. It could be business professionals, mom groups, neighbors, fellow church members, waiters at your favorite restaurant, you name 'em they are part of your network. Having a wide range of friends is extremely beneficial in all areas of life. Maybe you are starting a business, planning a birthday party, trying to find someone with a specific skill set for a project you're working on, or simply need to get a foot in the door at the company you applied to. Be kind to everyone and good things will come. I think the most important rule is to be genuine with your relationships. Yes there are certain people I've seen across the room at an event, and thought "I NEED TO MEET THEM!" Not only could they potentially benefit my career, but I genuinely want to be there friend. Invest in learning about them, don't just use someone for a connection. They will sniff out your fakeness in a heartbeat.
When I lost my job at Dell I called my previous boss who was now at a different company and he immediately got me an interview. That interview led to me to my current role. He was a part of my network that helped me in one of the scariest moments of my life.
5. BE CONSISTENT
You can't simply write, network, create or post occasionally to grow and maintain your personal brand. You must be consistent to see momentum. I've been blogging since 2011 and feel like I'm never not creating and networking. It may take months or years to see movement, but it will happen if you stick with it.
Photos: Amy Wilborn | Location: Union Merchant
Whether you want to grow your personal or professional brand I hope these tips help jumpstart your journey! I'd love to connect with you on LinkedIn : )
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