There’s no denying the importance of personal branding.
After all, branding is largely responsible for the message your name (and face)
transmits to the world. Because of this, it’s vital that your brand is
built on authenticity and engagement, rather than half-heartedness and
complacency.
For many up-and-coming entrepreneurs, consciously making an
effort to build a personal brand takes a backseat to other items on
their never-ending to-do lists. In their minds, personal branding will take
care of itself.
This couldn’t be farther from the truth. You need to know that everything you do, both
intentionally and not, contributes to the way others are perceiving your
personal brand.
Whether through social media, influencer marketing or some
sort of media outreach strategy, personal branding is an active endeavor. Still
need some convincing? Below you’ll find four hard-hitting reasons to give your
personal brand some time and attention.
1. Sales is a human-to-human endeavor.
There’s no greater tool in a salesperson’s arsenal than
trust, especially if your business makes its money on the internet. How
does an entrepreneur go about building that trust? Personal branding.
It’s imperative to understand that sales is a human-to-human
affair. Though there are tools out there that help automate important
sales processes, you must present your most genuine self to connect with
people on an emotional level.
Whether you're connecting eye-to-eye, voice-to-voice or
merely message-to-message, peel back the curtain ever so slightly. It might not
provide an immediate marketing return, but it will get other people to help you
build your brand.
2. You are the media.
Thanks to blogs, podcasts and social networks, you
don’t have the option to sit idly by and wait for others to mention your brand
in the media. Yes, PR still matters, but many companies today are media
companies first and money-making entities second.
Branding certainly works on a macro level, but it works on a
micro level, too. Your personal brand matters. To strengthen it,
recognize that you -- not just that team of interns you recently hired -- must
provide value as an active media member to make people remember your name.
3. There’s too much noise to be conservative.
Thanks to the internet's sheer volume of content, it’s easy
to get lost in the noise. That's why you have to make a good first
impression, whether trying to get an Instagram user to stop scrolling past your
content or convince a search algorithm that you’re a uniquely valuable
resource.
With social media, people and businesses are constantly
talking over one another. Your potential
customers have to resonate with something you post and want to learn more. If you don’t have the right messaging, the
right tactic and the right timing, your attempt to ‘jump into’ the conversation
will fall on deaf ears.
4. You're always branding yourself.
In today’s day and age, you no longer have a choice about
personal branding. The world is far
too connected for you not to be transmitting some kind of personal
message with your actions.
If you decide not to actively participate, people will
take notice, and their professional opinions of you aren’t likely to be favorable.
Without control of your personal brand, your image stands on shaky ground.
Invest in your brand. That way, you not only invest in
yourself, but also in the people you lead and the organization you represent. Don’t expect business to just come to you or that
people will stumble upon your website and decide to do business with you.
You are the best PR, marketing and sales person for your
business. While the digital age
definitely consumes us, there is something to be said about the old-school,
hand-shake, meet and greet. Get to know
your potential customers. Let them get
to know you. If you are authentic and
true to the brand that you want to promote, you will leave them wanting more.
If you or your business need help developing
your personal and professional brand, contact SK Consulting today!
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