How to Build a Personal Brand for Entrepreneurial Success
There’s a growing number of entrepreneurs and freelancers in the workforce. It’s no wonder — the digital world makes it soo easy to build your own brand and business. No need to invest tons of money in overhead when you can do it all from the comfort of your home.
If you’ve always dreamed of turning your passion into your career, you need to know how to build a personal brand to get ahead of the competition.
WHAT IS A PERSONAL BRAND
Whether you’re a business coach, nutritionist, writer, or even a home stylist — no matter the industry, building your personal brand shifts you from a hobbyist to a true professional. Especially in the eyes of your audience.
By developing your personal brand, you are able to differentiate yourself from the masses and appeal to a demographic of your choosing. If you want to spend your life doing the thing you love, creating a personal brand strategy will get you there!
BENEFITS TO BUILDING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND
In Investing in Your Brand: 7 Rules for Long Term Success I cover the reasons why professional branding establishes credibility, allows you to charge a premium and maximizes your efficiency as a business.
The freelance economy is growing faster than ever. This means that there are many entrepreneurs just like you. If you haven’t yet prioritized a personal branding strategy, you’re leaving money on the table.
By creating a brand around your business, you are presenting yourself as a professional, one who takes the success of their business seriously and this builds trust in your audience.
PERSONAL BRANDING TIPS
Working with a brand designer to establish your visual identity and personal brand strategy will alter how you approach your business. It will give you the tools to strengthen your business and connect with your audience.
If you’re still wondering how to build a personal brand, consider these elements to clarify the direction your personal brand may take.
1. Be as true to who you are . In other words, be authentic. While it’s always great to look to the competition to see what others are doing, don’t just mimic their business approach without cause. What works for them may not work for you.
2. Focus on your core values. Why do you do what you do? What are the things that motivate you and your business? Spend time identifying the underlying values of your personal brand and business and then use them as the building blocks of your brand strategy.
3. Establish a key message. With your core values clarified, consider your ideal clients and come up with a business mission statement. Mission statements are important because they force you to really focus on your business’s fundamental purpose. How will this key message be conveyed to your audience through your personal brand strategy?
4. Clarify the personality and tone of your brand. What type of personality does your brand have? How would you describe your brand to a friend? Establishing the tone of your brand will focus your messaging on your website and social media in a way that connects with your audience and will influence your overall brand identity.
5. Be different. Always be looking for ways to differentiate from the competition. This is where you can truly excel but it takes some time and effort to develop. What can you do that nobody else is doing? This can be in terms of your client experience, the type of products or services you offer, or even by the way you name your service packages to boost their intrigue. Look for ways to leverage your uniqueness.
Look for ways to leverage your uniqueness.
PRIORITIZE YOUR ONLINE PERSONAL BRANDING
Whether you’ve been in business for one year or ten years, you need to prioritize your personal brand online. This is where everyone looks for you first, so make sure they can find you. Your online personal branding needs to be strong, so start with an effective website and your key social media platforms.
In How to Start Designing Your Business the number two item is building a website. There are so many platforms out there that make building a beautiful website as easy as pie. From WIX to Square Space, there are so many affordable options with tons of designer templates.
On your website be sure to include client testimonials on your homepage. This provides social proof and will further boost your credibility. If you haven’t been doing so, be sure to be asking for client or customer reviews regularly so you can build the trust of new visitors.
Lastly, use social media to your advantage. Set up your social media channels and focus on those your ideal customers are likely to be using. Not only is this the easiest way to get your brand in front of people, but it allows you to connect and engage with the people your business is built for, further boosting your trust factor.
For any entrepreneur, developing your personal brand can take your business to the next level. If this is something you’ve been wanting to do but are too busy running your business, let’s chat! I’ve created a process that is effective and efficient to ensure your brand aligns with your business.
Originally published at https://www.jennyhendersonstudio.com on July 6, 2020.
