If you’re a budding business owner who’s just starting fresh, chances are you’ve been struggling with promoting your company or brand due to limited resources. Instead of paying thousands of dollars just to be on multiple ads that people eventually skip, try to invest more time and effort into building your personal brand, which in most cases is free and works like magic with an unstoppable snowball effect.
But before we delve deep into the topic, it’s important to first address the elephant in the room:
What Is Personal Branding?
“Personal branding is the practice of creating a brand around a person rather than a business entity…By developing a personal brand, a person can grow their social following to help them secure a better job, sell more products in their business, and increase better opportunities in their career.” – Nicole Martins Ferreira, Oberlo
How an entrepreneur chooses to go about their self-branding will inextricably affect the way people perceive their business. And when curated well, your personal brand will help your business reach new heights.
Steve Jobs, the former CEO of Apple Inc., for example, had been wearing the same outfit both in everyday life and at launch events, which then became his most recognizable signature – his personal brand. This consistency had also been well embodied through his products, which were sleek and simple. So when people saw him wearing the same outfit, they’d always be reminded of the minimalistic designs of Apple products which many adored.
If that alone is not convincing enough to you, here’re five more reasons why curating your personal brand is more important than ever:
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Establish trust with your audiences
Nearly 75% of American customers indicated a deeper trust in business owners with an established personal brand.
While creating your own brand, you want to make it crystal clear to your audiences what your genuine intentions and value propositions are. Be consistent in delivering your messages and maintaining both your online as well as offline presence. In doing so, you’re essentially building a deeper bond of trust with people who come in contact with you, allowing them to have an expectation of what to anticipate from you and therefore trust you more.
Once people start developing faith in you and your expertise, all the stats, whether it be the number of your followers or the sales, begin to skyrocket.
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Expand your network and connections
It goes without saying that having connections is inevitably beneficial to our professional development. Whatever industry you are in, having a well-defined personal brand enables you to gain significant exposure in your niche, expanding your professional network even further.
In the past, most people had to rely on in-person events where they could engage in one-on-one conversations with strangers to strengthen their connections and networking; with a well-curated personal brand, you’re able to speak to thousands if not millions of people at a time on your online platforms while building an engaging relationship with them. Communicating your core values has become easier than ever, and the snowball effect that comes with the “repost” and “share” functions on social media will truly amaze you.
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Boost your credibility as an industry expert
As you grow more accessible and visible both online as well as offline, you’re building a lasting impression on those who come into contact with you. Once your name becomes recognizable by people, you’re already a brand, and from there, you have the full power and freedom to position yourself however you want while influencing others’ actions with your insightful philosophies.
When people hear the name “Elon Musk”, for example, what instantly goes through their heads is very likely to be associated with Tesla, his multinational automotive company, as well as groundbreaking space technologies. This is preciously the result of his successful self-branding which helped reinforce his image as a progressive, visionary inventor who’s always pushing the limits for a better future for humanity.
With your credibility slowly building up, people will begin to look up to your professional knowledge more, making you one of the most authoritative experts or thought leaders in your specific field, which will in turn fuel the growth of your business even further in the long run.
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Land more business deals
A well-defined personal brand allows your company’s uniqueness to shine through and stand out from a sea of competitors who offer similar services and products. If you have a personal brand that people appreciate, it’s very likely that they will choose you over your competition.
Self-branding can act as a compelling portfolio for job seekers as well. With the exponential growth of social media, it should come as no surprise that the Internet now serves as an effective tool for employers to screen their job applicants; in fact, research found that nearly half of employers would be less likely to reach out to applicants who hadn’t already established a well-founded online presence, which once again highlights the importance of maintaining a personal brand that is wholesome and professional.
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Take your relevance up a notch
While it’s crucial to have people recognize your name and your brand, in order to truly thrive in a business environment, you’ll want your audiences to relate to and connect with you on an emotional level.
By letting your audiences in on a personal level, you’re giving them the full picture of your past history as well as your brand. If people can identify with you and the messages you put out, they’re more likely to become loyal followers and customers for life, building your business up for nothing but continued success.
New to self-branding and have no idea where to start?
Darrell Keezer, our CEO at Candybox Marketing, has got you! Join his Personal Branding Workshop next week to gain more insight into how to build your personal brand like an absolute pro and take your business to the next level.
Spots are very limited – sign up now to secure yours before they’re gone!
