Best Personal Branding Advice from A Strategist
Just like that… In less than 60 days, it’ll be 2020! Have you made this year count? What small steps were you able to take to move from good to better, great to best?
I get ecstatic when I hear stories of professionals, people I know personally or people I get acquainted with from events, making small but important changes to their Personal Brand.
One of my clients so elaborately put it:
“I don’t think I’ve been working harder, just positioning all the effort to date so people actually know about it,”
Sure, letting your work speak for itself is going to earn you a good reputation with people you work with closely. If you want the chance to create the kind of career you want, to scale, or to welcome more opportunities, you’ll need to showcase it better and package it with a brand.
Especially these days when the talent market is simply too competitive with more complexities. Visibility, credibility, and word of mouth are now the big-ticket to the seat of your liking.
What’s all the buzz about branding?
A brand isn’t your career, your brand is the perception of you & your career.m It isn’t your title that someone else gives you, your CV, your degree or your LinkedIn connections.
A brand is an experience.
A brand is
what people say about you when you walk out of a room
how people introduce you to their network when you are not there
what people associate you with and how easily they can refer you
how top of mind you are when it comes to what you want to be known for
the value you have and bring forward to make a difference with
Building a Personal Brand is like taking a leadership badge, putting it on you, and letting people know you're a role model; Leading, sharing value and wisdom, getting involved, engaging.
It's insurance for when your role is not relevant anymore in the future of work, when your role is made redundant, when you need to pivot, and most importantly your catalyst for when you feel you are ready to level up.
The good news is, there can only be one you. Therefore, your brand is as unique as it can get. And you can't just buy it, you need to work on it continuously.
My best advice
➡️Be CLEAR on your Point of Difference.
It requires a fair amount of self-discovery that will serve as the foundation; some looking into your past, present, and future, your values, strengths, interests, and talents.
➡️Have the COURAGE to share your story
➡️Be CONSISTENT in showing up and communicating your value and why it matters
➡️Have CONFIDENCE in your uniqueness and in your work
➡️Be COMMITTED to the process despite setbacks
How has your Brand helped/hindered you?
Petra Zink is a Coach, Speaker, and Educator on all things Future of Work.
She specializes in building strong Business and Careers by building Brands that can pivot in this fast-changing world of work. If you’d like to work with Petra and her amazing team, check out the full list of updated services and offerings on the website.