What is personal branding and why do you need it to grow? If you're ready to ensure your target audience remembers you first in their time of need, then you're in the right place.
You've no doubt worked tirelessly to become a leading professional in your field. But does it feel like you cannot seem to grow your career or reach your goals? Your ambition and expertise have made you a specialist in what you do, but there is a crucial piece required to help you access the plethora of eager consumers waiting for you in the market. That piece is personal branding.
With the right elements and strategy in place, you'll have a striking, beautiful, but above all, memorable brand. Your business is valuable to your success, and its success lies in your ability to connect with the right people at the right time.
Are you ready to transform your career and create lasting relationships to help you move to the next level? Are you wondering, “what is personal branding, and what can it do for me?” Read on to answer these critical questions and learn everything you need to have a brand that captures you perfectly.
What is Personal Branding?
Simply put, personal branding is the difference between someone asking, “Who are you?” or saying, “Thank you for being here!” It isn't easy to create a strong perception and memorable brand, but once you nail it, you'll have something you can build on and grow with throughout your life.
Any conscious effort on your part to generate attention and influence the public's perception of you as an authority in your industry that elevates your credibility and sets you apart from your competition to advance your career is part of your branding. As you increase the influence you have in your industry, you'll find that your shifts in business will have a greater impact when you have a strong brand to back you up.
Excellent Personal Branding Examples
When you think about leaders in your industry, can you identify a few key players by name and maybe even their logo or a phrase? These factors are indicators of a strong brand.
Some professionals, not industry-specific, who have killer branding strategies in place are:
Elon Musk: Expert entrepreneur, businessman, industrial designer, philanthropist
Oprah Winfrey: Talk show host, producer, author, philanthropist
Martha Stewart: Retail businesswoman, television personality, professional writer
Tony Robbins: Motivational speaker, business strategist, author
Bill Nye: Science expert, television personality, mechanical engineer
Neil Patel: Bestselling author, web influencer, digital marketing expert
These successful professionals used branding to help them stand out in their industries and offer their services to the right people. If you've heard of them or sought their expertise directly, their personal branding strategy worked on you!
For more direct personal branding examples check out the brands we created for our exceptional clients.
The 3 Step Process for Creating a Strategic Personal Brand
Whether your business is consulting, photography, legal, fitness, speaking, or any other key services your community needs, you can create a digital presence that does the leg work for you. With the right approach in place, your brand will stand out and grow with you every step of the way.
There is no one way to creating a personal brand, and based on our experience we simply put it into a three-step process.
Step 1: Brand Strategy
Before you can have a brand, there needs to be a clear vision of what makes you unique. Start by answering questions like:
What do you stand for, and what is the key problem you can help your visitor solve?
What keywords do people use to find you and your competitors?
How do you manage your online presence, and what should you start with first?
Once you better understand what drives you and your unique offerings, you need to define your goals and what you specifically want to be known for in your industry. These details guide the market research, competitor analysis, mapping their customer's journey, and the value proposition that will power your strategy.
Step 2: Brand Identity
Your brand Identity goes beyond having a fresh logo and a unique aesthetic, and in turn, they go beyond a first impression. Your brand needs to influence people's perceptions, so they can connect with you in a meaningful way.
When you think of your brand identity, you need to create both verbal and visual elements, starting with your unique personality, tone, logo, and business cards. When all aspects of your brand are carefully considered and cohesive, you will leave an impact that your customers will know and trust for years to come.
Step 3: Personal Website
Your website needs to make a positive first impression because it's the first thing most people will see regarding who you are and what your business offers. A professionally built website is optimized to reach more people and quickly answer your searcher's questions.
Professionally crafted personal websites focus on the user by providing smart navigation, and clear calls to action. The content should be engaging and informative as your visitor learns more about you and what you have to offer. If your potential clients don't have a positive experience, you'll most likely never get them to visit again.
Why Would You Need a Professional Personal Branding Service
With a professionally crafted brand, the results will be a strategic, creative, skillfully crafted product designed to boost leads and help you connect with more clients. Our professionals are committed to doing whatever it takes, and our high standards mean that your digital presence will meet and we aim to exceed your needs.
The purpose of your branding campaign is to enhance how other people perceive you. It should position you in a way that focuses on reaching your target audience and ensuring they remember you first in their time of need.
This long-term impact is influenced by a cohesive branding strategy across all platforms and resources you interact within your business. From colors to words, and everything in between, your brand should be unique to you and represent your exceptional offerings.
A professional agency will focus on your brand, save you time, funnel in more customers, and help you build your business even more. Our “DFU” approach will do the work for you and provide you with the finished, polished product.
Where to Start
Now that you can answer the question, “what is personal branding,” what do you do next? The best place to start is reviewing your current online presence and assessing how closely it relates to your business's vision. To drive more business, you need to get people interested in what you have to offer, so where do you need a little boost?
Once you have a clear vision of what you need, contact our professionals to see how we can help you stand out in your industry. If you can't wait to get started, try our instant booking service and connect directly with our digital branding strategist.