In these uncertain times, everyone is propping up their personal brand.
Bill Gates once famously said, “If I was down to my last dollar, I’d spend it on PR.” If the smartest people in the world invest in their personal brand, shouldn’t you?
Why is building a personal brand insanely critical?
Because you stay top of mind.
Each time you show up on social media or get discovered through a video or article, you open yourself up to new jobs, new partnerships, new customers, and more.
Behind every one of these opportunities is a person. People make hiring and buying decisions. And people need to be introduced to you, reminded of you, and connected with you.
If you’re thinking about building a brand, but the thought of it seems absolutely dreadful, here are some possible reasons why:
You Don’t Actually Know What a ‘Brand’ Is
There are lots of intricate definitions out there on what a “brand” and branding is. Most of these definitions suck.
Put simply: a brand is a promise.
Want to start branding? Make a promise and keep it.
Decide what your promise is (is it better service, a new methodology, a particular expertise, an effective product, or a specific outcome?).
Make sure your promise is specific. Then make it your mission to deliver on that promise every single day.
You Think You Have to Do It
If branding is a chore, you’re liable to start spraying bad content all over the internet and will crash and burn in a matter of months.
Yes, branding is tedious. But the approach you take can make all the difference. Instead of thinking of building a personal brand as something you have to do, rather, think of it as something you get to do.
Personal branding is a choice you make for yourself. You decide if and how you go about it. Taking up space, sharing your expertise, helping people change their lives– these privileges are bestowed upon a chosen few.
Invest the time it takes to do it right and approach personal branding with authenticity.
Your audience will take note.
You Have No Strategy
Strategy asks one question: if everything was perfect, what would that look like?
Imagine you’ve been consistently promoting your personal brand for one year. How many new job offers, clients, or sales do you have? Did your newsletter grow? How many new followers do you have on Instagram or LinkedIn?
If you never created any goals to begin with, how the heck are you supposed to know you’re winning?
As you build your personal brand, be sure to create, track, and adjust your goals accordingly.
You Think Everyone Has to Like You
Would you believe me if I told you repelling some people is a good thing?
This might sound counterintuitive, but part of being a successful brand includes not being liked by some people.
When Nike chose Colin Kaepernick to be their spokesperson, do you think they assumed everyone would just love the idea? Of course not. A Twitter boycott swiftly ensued. And Nike made money anyway.
Your approach to life won’t work for everyone, and that’s OK. Most likely, you’re exactly what someone else is waiting for.
You’re Not Using The Right Tools
To build a great brand, you need the right tools. In my own business, I use social media scheduling tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, and RecurPost to schedule social media posts well into the future.
Another great tool worth mentioning is Canva. With it you can create professional quality graphics and find stock photos without hiring a graphic designer.
You’re Not in it For the Long Haul
This whole success thing is a long term game. Branding, content creation, building products, and building a worthwhile career– these things take time.
Most of the people you see getting it right have been at it for a very long time. They show up every single day. They write, they post, they create new brand assets.
The ones who will win are the ones who get comfortable, settle in, and stay consistent.
